The Sindh provincial government in Pakistan will distribute 275,000 solar systems among households in the upcoming fiscal year (FY27) at a cost of Rs18 billion ($64.7 million), according to state media reports. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the budget for FY27 in the provincial parliament last week, making the announcement as part of the provincial spending plan.
Subsidized Solar Financing Program for Middle-Income Families
In addition to the direct distribution of solar systems, the provincial government is also launching a subsidized solar financing program to enable middle-income families to install rooftop solar systems, as reported by state broadcaster Radio Pakistan. This initiative aims to expand access to solar energy beyond the households receiving free systems.
Pakistan's Solar Boom Amid Energy Crisis
Pakistan has experienced an unprecedented boom in rooftop solar systems over the past three years. Households and businesses have turned to private solar power generation to escape record electricity prices, frequent power outages, and inflation-driven energy costs. Official figures show that solar power grew from 4 percent of the energy mix in 2021 to over 14–25 percent in 2024-2025. Driven by skyrocketing grid tariffs, Pakistan became one of the world's top new solar adopters, importing roughly 22 gigawatts (GW) of solar panels in 2024 alone. Industry data indicates tens of thousands of new solar connections have been added annually, significantly reducing demand from the grid during daylight hours.
Impact on Energy Sector
The surge in solar adoption has helped alleviate pressure on Pakistan's national grid, which suffers from prolonged power outages every summer amid scarce fuel supplies. The Sindh government's new initiative is expected to further accelerate this trend, providing clean energy to hundreds of thousands of households and reducing their reliance on expensive and unreliable grid electricity.
