Strengthening the solar ecosystem

According to Dawn, Pakistan has a window to prepare recycling capacity for spent panels and batteries before retired equipment piles up as a waste burden. Sonia Dunlop, chief executive of the Global Solar Council, made the case during a recent trip to the country. She said the consumer-driven spread of solar power gives Pakistan a chance to create a circular economy in which valuable materials are recovered and reused at home.

Her warning covered panels installed today, whose materials would become available for recovery in about 20 years, and batteries, which she said have shorter lifespans. She noted that lithium-ion batteries can be recycled and hold valuable materials, which gives firms a commercial reason to recover them. Ms Dunlop also described imported solar gear as a technology rather than a fuel, saying it can serve the country for 25 to 30 years and strengthens domestic energy security.

The article also raised questions about import dependence and grid strain from rooftop systems. John Grimes, who is chair-elect of the Global Solar Council and heads the Renewable Energy Council Asia Pacific, advised against trying to match China on panel volumes. He suggested Pakistan build skills in low-voltage systems and equipment for 12-volt and 24-volt appliances before exporting that expertise, and said batteries could bridge the gap between daytime solar output and evening demand.