Punjab Govt to Manufacture Solar Panels in Partnership with Chinese Firms

The Punjab government remains ahead of other governments in supporting solar energy as part of its efforts to cut carbon emissions and combat climate change, and the government now intends to create solar panel factories.

Shafay Hussain, Minister of Industry and Commerce, has reaffirmed his strong commitment to promoting local solar panel manufacture in the region. During a meeting with a group from a Chinese solar company, the minister discussed the establishment of solar panel factories in Punjab, highlighting the government's strong interest in renewable energy.

The minister also emphasized Chinese companies' enthusiasm to engage in Punjab's solar energy sector and the government's commitment to providing them with the required assistance. Pakistan also intends to develop long-term policies to attract investment in the solar energy sector, noting that Chinese businesses have expressed a readiness to invest, making now an ideal time for solar energy investment in Punjab.

In the midst of controversy over solar net-metering policy, Federal Minister for Energy Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari clarified that the government has no plans to discontinue the program, which permits consumers to sell excess electricity generated by their solar installations.

The minister disputed claims of a transition to a new gross-metering scheme, emphasizing the government's commitment to boosting solar energy and referencing PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif's initiative.

He also stated that consumers with existing net-metering contracts would be unaffected, and that any regulatory changes would require stakeholder participation. He also discussed the decline in electricity usage and expressed hope for a plan to combat power theft in KP.