'Solar energy key to industrial survival'

Experts call for stable policies, grid, net billing reforms

FAISALABAD:

Representatives of Pakistan's textile industry have called on the government to accelerate the transition towards green energy, particularly solar power, to ease pressure on the national grid and manage seasonal energy demand fluctuations.

Speaking at a seminar titled "Deliberating on the Impact of Prosumer Regulations, Tariff Structure and War Crisis on Energy Security and Sustainable Industrial Growth in Pakistan," industry stakeholders warned that recent regulatory shifts from net metering to net billing could discourage solar investments in the industrial sector.

They said the change may push businesses towards costly battery energy storage systems (BESS) instead of more practical tariff-based solutions.

Participants also raised concerns over policy uncertainty in the energy sector, including slow progress on reforms such as the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) and the Independent System Market Operator (ISMO).

They expressed limited optimism regarding ongoing power sector privatization efforts, stressing that affordable and uninterrupted energy remains critical for Pakistan to remain competitive with regional textile exporters including India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.

Experts at the event said recent policy changes have significantly altered the investment environment for industrial solar users and called for a balanced framework that ensures both grid stability and industrial expansion.