Surprise solar boom in Pakistan helps millions, but harms wider power grid

There's a shiny new addition to Pakistan's dusty agricultural heartland: rows upon rows of solar panels.

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Imports of solar equipment from China in the first nine months are well ahead of those for the whole of 2023, according to data compiled by BloombergNEF. The $1.7 billion of purchases would equate to 17 gigawatts of generation, more than a third of Pakistan's total power capacity, if it's all deployed on rooftops and farms across the country.

For corn grower, Mohammad Murtaza, installing panels has enabled him to slash his power bill by switching irrigation pumps from diesel or pricey electricity from the grid. Farmers like him are the latest to join the solar craze, following households and factories, in a country where power prices for some have tripled since 2021 as the government cut subsidies to meet International Monetary Fund loan requirements.