ENERGY has become a critical national security issue for Pakistan. The present policy prescriptions have brought us to a dead-end street. It has not only become hard for us to extricate ourselves from them, but they are also fast limiting our options to harness alternative energy. Solar and wind energy are cleaner, cheaper, and much faster to instal and operationalise. Energy sector policymakers are not putting their faith in the full potential of renewable energy. RE promises to help us meet our international climate commitments, get clean air to breathe, and reduce the cost of living while reducing the cost of doing business that is necessary to turn around the economy relatively faster, without further suppressing the energy demand.

Pakistan’s projected energy demand has already shrunk. This is attributed to higher tariffs and tepid industrial activity. The most fundamental concern in the energy sector is the per unit cost of electricity production. At 83 per cent net generation cost, including capacity payments, it is probably one of the highest anywhere in the world. The IMF has not shown any interest in domestic political compulsions, the need for climate-smart development, or economic turnaround fuelled by cheaper energy, let alone energy justice — a policy commitment to clean, reliable and affordable energy. The IMF’s focus is only on cost recovery by reducing subsidies. Both the IMF and Pakistan are thinking in silos and not taking about RE’s role in this conundrum.

The government is apprehensive that the continued solarisation of rooftops will wean away a growing number of customers, which will further increase energy costs for the poor. Ironically,........

© Dawn