Islamabad: The government is considering reducing the tariff for rooftop solar panels from 21 rupees per unit to 7.5 to 11 rupees per unit, which would be provided to the national grid through a net metering system.
Currently, two units from rooftop solar panels are equivalent to one unit of electricity from the national grid. The proposed reduction in the tariff for solar panels is expected to significantly decrease the use of solar panels. In response, consumers using solar panels will be charged 60 rupees per unit for electricity from the national grid during nighttime.
Under the new scenario, six units from solar panels will be equivalent to one unit of electricity from the national grid. This would reduce the incentive for installing solar panels, as it would increase the payment burden on consumers.
A senior official from the Ministry of Energy stated on Wednesday that the IMF has expressed concerns about the increasing use of solar power and the reduced consumption of electricity from the national grid. The IMF wants the government to encourage the use of electricity from the national grid.
According to a recent study, Pakistan imported solar panels worth 2.1 billion dollars from China in the last fiscal year, amounting to 15 gigawatts of capacity.
