Pakistan suffers from a large electricity deficit because of its heavy reliance on imported fuels. This has led to significant stumbling blocks to socio-economic development. Increasing local fuel prices and limiting the potential for establishing new industrial zones is the outcome of this scenario. However, this is the main reason why the demand for solar energy in Pakistan is relatively high compared to the others.
Impacts of solar energy on the economic growth of the country
According to the United Nations, Pakistan contributes approximately 2.56 % to the total world population, making it one of the most populous countries in the southern Asia region. In addition, the country's strategic location will make it valuable as a trade and energy corridor in the near future. Therefore, Pakistan must ensure its energy supplies meet the direct and indirect demands of the country and the nation's social, economic, and political factors. As well as promoting regional and global economic growth, this is also necessary for maintaining economic growth.
Energy to meet the industrial and domestic demands
In order to contribute to the supply chain, Pakistan will need to produce enough energy at full-scale to meet its current and future demands in the domestic and industrial markets. Due to the import of oil to support existing energy mixes, the country's economy currently faces a heavy financial burden. This is made worse by the rapid decline of domestic gas assets. In Pakistan, there are 22,797 MW of installed power capacity, according to the Board of Investment Pakistan. Presently, the generation is between 12,000 and 13,000 megawatts, with a peak demand between 17,000 and 21,000 megawatts.
Emerging Renewable Energy Trends in Pakistan
In Pakistan, renewable energy sources are divided into four main categories. The most common of these are wind, solar, hydro, and biomass. Pakistan's ongoing energy crisis may be solved with the help of these resources. Consequently, the development of these resources in a sustainable manner is a vital step to meeting the existing energy challenges.
Most research attention has been given to solar energy among the different renewable energy sources. According to estimates, renewable energy resources will contribute up to 10,000 MW to Pakistan's energy mix by 2030. So, exploiting natural energy resources most effectively will greatly affect meeting future projections if they are pursued timely and appropriately.
Final Thoughts
Among the most promising sources of renewable energy, solar is considered one of the best. There are no adverse effects on the environment and it produces substantial amounts of energy without posing a problem. In urban and rural areas, PV cell and solar thermal conversion systems are generally used to capture the sun's energy for various applications. Solar PV technology converts direct exposure to sunlight into electrical power.