Pakistan poised to green-light clean energy goals

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Pakistan has passed income tax exemptions to prop up a PV manufacturing sector (Credit: ACT Group)

Pakistani targets for 30% of its power mix to come from large-scale hydropower and another 30% from PV, wind and other renewables by 2030 now stand closer to adoption, according to reports.

The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) shared this week reports that the government’s cabinet committee on energy is to formally consider a national policy for renewables, featuring the twin goals.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The legislative progress of the 2030 targets comes a month after they were outlined by Pakistan’s Power minister Omar Ayub Khan as he met Jean-François Cautain, EU ambassador to the country. “Impressive objectives fully in line with Paris Agreement,” was Cautain’s Twitter reaction at the time.

In recent years, calls have ramped up for Pakistan to push renewable uptake from the current 4% rate. The touted goals, WWEA secretary general Stefan Gsänger said this week, will not only ensure reliable and secure domestic power supply but also help counter the “major challenge” of price increases in Pakistan.

Last October, the country’s Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) said – in remarks aired by The Express Tribute – a 30% target would be the “only viable” strategy to avert power crises caused by overreliance on fast-depleting gas reserves. For its part, the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry sought to build in the same month an economic case for a renewable roll-out.

PV braces for grid parity era

The legislative debate on clean energy goals finds Pakistan’s solar industry at a time of growth.

Only this week, IRENA’s annual update singled the country out as a PV highlight after a doubling of installed capacity (742MW to 1.5GW) was recorded between 2017 and 2018. The figures mark a step-up from the AEDB’s PV data for 2015 (100MW) and 2016 (400MW).

Over the years, the board has backed deployment by pushing for tax exemptions for solar technology, standardising documents and offering technical assistance to provincial governments. The AEDB has also helped channel subsidies to IPPs – via a programme coordinated with Pakistan’s power regulator NEPRA – and worked in parallel to encourage other, more market-based investment models.

Further growth is expected as technology costs decline, pushing PV projects to the brink of grid parity. In the past year alone, the pipeline has seen additions including 400MW of World Bank-backed PV in the Sindh Province, Siddiqsons’ 100MW duo, EnerTech’s 50MW project and Aasal’s 49.5MW farm.

In parallel, the country is working to nurture a solar manufacturing ecosystem, with the likes of ACT Group announcing moves to set up 1GW of PV module assembly capacity. The adoption earlier in 2019 of a five-year income tax exemption has been welcomed by manufacturers, although with calls on the government to consider other incentives.

See here for more background on AEDB's plans to promote solar in Pakistan

7 October 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
PV Tech has been running an annual PV CellTech Conference since 2016. PV CellTech USA, on 7-8 October 2025 is our third PV CellTech conference dedicated to the U.S. manufacturing sector. The events in 2023 and 2024 were a sell out success and 2025 will once again gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing in the U.S. out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

September 10, 2025
Voltalia is seeking compensation for the ongoing curtailment of its Brazilian solar and wind fleet, which has exceeded expectations this year.
September 10, 2025
Japanese solar cell manufacturer Toyo Solar has sold 1.6GW of solar PV cells in the first half of 2025, driving revenue of around US$139 million.
September 10, 2025
The CEFC has said that a coordinated approach to transmission in Pilbara, Western Australia, could save more than AU$30 billion over 25 years.
September 9, 2025
The US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has released a policy blueprint which it claims would “strengthen the reliability of America’s electric grid with solar and storage technologies.”
September 9, 2025
US solar tracker manufacturer Nextracker has acquired Origami Solar, a steel frame technology-focused company, for approximately US$53 million. 
September 9, 2025
Leading solar industry professionals discussed the importance of US solar PV manufacturing at the RE+ trade show in Las Vegas, US.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines