Alternative energy, more specifically ‘Solar Power’, has always been an area of personal interest to me. My association with this source of energy goes back to the 1970s, when I was a student in USA, and the world witnessed the first oil and energy crisis. This was when I heard the first call for a solar option. I read the literature and attended conferences on the subject. Moving forward for an analysis of the need to the development of an affordable option. Solar option appeared as viable and durable option for affordable energy as retail and wholesale market. While working for the World Bank Group and other international agencies as an Expert Consultant on Low-Income Affordable Housing in Africa, Middle East and the Asia Pacific regions, I have been advocating Solar Option for Social Housing. Today, Solar Solutions are affordable, reliable and are on the move, in On-Grid and Off-Grid areas.

Looking at the worsening energy crisis in Pakistan, there can be no two opinions that alternative energy is the most appropriate option considering the social, economic and environmental landscapes. From providing water to the barren fields (solar tube wells), to lighting up schools, hospitals and other workplaces, Solar Power Solutions are providing an immediate answer to the burgeoning energy needs of the country. The sun bombards around 165,000 Terawatts of Solar Power on Earth every day. The total energy requirements of the Globe are less than one percent of the energy being emitted by the sun. Pakistan, by the Grace of Almighty, is among the top five richest countries in Solar Power. Yet, it is plagued by extraordinarily prolonged power outages, which occur mostly during the summer months when, in fact, the availability of Solar Power is at its peak. For example Karachi has 320 sunny days in a year, amont the highest on global score. Inspite of this, one rarely sees rooftop solar in Karachi. Germany has hardly 160 sunny days and every second roof has solar.

Pakistan has great potential for Solar Power solutions, as well as potential to manufacture Solar panels from silicon. The DG Khan district, in particular, as well as other areas in Pakistan, are rich in silicon dioxide/quartz. Through step-by-step ‘value addition’, we can explore/ extract ‘Silicon’ in purified form from ‘Silicon dioxide’, make Silicon ingots, Silicon wafers, Silicon cells and eventually PV Modules/Panels. To begin with, our focus is to provide cost-effective and highly reliable Solar Power Solutions relying on imported equipment, while our concerted endeavor would be to gradually go for indigenization and manufacturing all this equipment.

The approval of “Net-metering” and its implementation (throughout Pakistan) has brought a phenomenal change in the efficacy of Solar Power Solutions. I feel honoured to apprise our valued customers that Zi Solar is one among the top ten companies in Pakistan, approved by AEDB for “Net-metering” upto 1 Megawatt.

With globally recognized international partners, a team of skilled and committed professionals and other technical staff, we are endeavoring to make our presence felt respectably in the solar power market of Pakistan In Shaa ALLAH.