The prices of solar panels recorded a significant decline in the local market of Karachi driving more people to install solar systems as a substitute for electricity from main-grid and piped gas.

The decrease, to the tune of thousands of rupees per panel, was recorded after depreciation in the value of the dollar and the import of raw materials.

Meanwhile, citizens are opting to install solar panels for their daily use on the back of hours-long load-shedding of electricity and gas.

Now, a further increase in the sales of solar panels has been recorded after the price of 160W solar panel declined by Rs4,000 to Rs11,000 from the earlier price of Rs15,000, registering a 36% drop.

Similarly, the price of the larger solar plat recorded a significant decrease of Rs30,000 to hit Rs40,000 from the previous price of Rs70,000.

While people are installing solar systems citing a one-time expense and getting rid of hours of load–shedding, the businessmen also rejoiced decline in the prices.

They said that the number of customers increased after the prices of the solar plates eased owing to the rupee appreciation.

Read: Cheaper, changing and crucial: the rise of solar power

The Pakistan Solar Association in September hit out at the government after reports said that it was attempting to revise net metering.

The association urged the authorities to continue supporting net metering as a crucial pillar of the nation’s sustainable energy future.

Later, caretaker Minister for Energy and Petroleum Muhammad Ali said that the government had no plans to reduce incentives for solar net metering.

“There were talks of a change in the rate of solar net metering in media and social media that the government is reducing the net metering rate from Rs19. I want to clarify and ensure that we are not taking any such measure,” he said while addressing a media in Karachi on September 12.

Net metering allows consumers to send their rooftop electricity to the national grid during the day and use electricity from the national grid at night hours.

Planning to promote solar power, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in July approved a Rs337 project to solarise agriculture tube wells to facilitate the farming community of the country, a press release said.

“Phase-I of the project will have Rs90 billion including Rs30 billion of Provincial PSDP [Public Sector Development Programme] and equivalent share by provincial governments as well as beneficiary farmers for the financial year 2023-24. This project is to enhance agricultural productivity through clean and green energy by converting the existing 100,000 tube wells into solar PV system,” it added.