The Pakistan Solar Association (PSA) has made a resounding call to action, urging authorities and stakeholders to continue supporting net metering as a crucial pillar of the nations sustainable energy future.
Net metering has been recognized as a cornerstone in the transition to clean and affordable energy, aligning Pakistan with the global shift towards solar power adoption. In a presser here at a local hotel, PSA Chairman Amir Chaudhry said that government is contemplating a change in net metering policy, citing capacity charges of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) as the reason. The PSA terms it as an misleading approach, which will aggravate the electricity prices in the country, he added. He said that real issue lies in energy theft, which results in a significant shortfall in the revenue collection of Distribution Companies (DISCOs), creating a continuous increase in circular debt. In February this year, Power Division Secretary Rashid Mehmood Langrial, in a briefing to the National Assembly Standing Committee, said that electricity worth Rs. 380 billion was stolen every year in the country. In the same briefing, he said that the impact of Rs. 520 billion in stolen electricity is to be passed on to consumers in bills from the next fiscal [i.e. now the current fiscal year]. The PSA chairman urged that Net Metering is a sustainable energy solution that allows consumers to generate their own electricity through solar panels and feed excess power back into the grid.
This process not only reduces electricity bills but also contributes surplus energy to the national grid, creating a win-win situation for both consumers and the environment. As per the NEPRA ruling in the matter of Net Metering Regulations, the economic benefits of net metering in terms of displacement of costlier electricity, savings of foreign exchange and incurring minimal losses, cannot be ignored. Moreover, the quantum of net metering units, at present is very low, i.e. below 1% of the total energy purchased by DISCOs., he added. He said, “The solar energy sector in Pakistan has enormous potential, not only to provide clean and sustainable energy but also to create job opportunities and boost economic growth. However, we are facing resistance from those who are reluctant to embrace this change.”
