Pakistan says rooftop solar output to exceed grid demand

Pakistan's rooftop solar generation will for the first time exceed power demand on the country's electrical grid during daytime hours in some major industrial regions next year, a senior government official told Reuters.



The outlook reflects a record boom in the country's solar panel installations in recent years that has delivered lower emissions and reduced power bills for some, but also disrupted the finances of debt-laden utilities due to a protracted decline in demand for grid-based electricity.



"Pakistan will experience negative grid-linked demand during certain daytime hours because behind-the-meter solar is offsetting grid consumption completely," Aisha Moriani, secretary of Pakistan's climate change ministry told Reuters on the sidelines of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil.



While regions in Europe and Australia sometimes experience negative electricity prices due to solar oversupply and low demand, Pakistan would be among the first major emerging markets where rooftop generation could exceed grid-linked demand in major areas entirely for lengthy periods.