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A shortage of workers with solar maintenance skills had been the main reason so many of the program’s systems were no longer working.
Photo Credit: iStock
Despite a boom in solar installations that has helped expand access to electricity, long-term upkeep has posed a major challenge for solar systems in Pakistan. One study found that only a third of the solar power systems supplied through a particular program remained operational 10 years later, raising significant questions about such programs’ effectiveness. 
Only 33% of the solar systems supplied through one World Bank-supported program were still functioning after a decade, according to Business Recorder. Dr. Omais Abdur Rehman of Renewables First shared the troubling figure at the Sindh Energy & Climate Conference in Karachi.
Abdur Rehman told the conference that Pakistan’s consumers had independently installed nearly 38 gigawatts of solar capacity, alongside the combined capacity of the country’s power plants, which is approximately 45 gigawatts, per Business Recorder. However, a shortage of workers with solar maintenance skills had been the main reason so many of the program’s systems were no longer working.
Still, for many households, the cost of maintenance was not the only financial hurdle, with many being unable to afford solar’s upfront costs. For example, garment factory worker Muneer Ahmed told conference participants that his workplace ran on solar power, but his monthly salary of 30,000 ($108.50) to 40,000 ($144.60) Pakistani rupees made a home system difficult to afford, per Business Recorder.
Limited and inconsistent access to electricity remained a major challenge for residents and businesses in the region. According to a survey of Karachi’s low-income neighborhoods, 86% of respondents said that scheduled power cuts lasted 13 to 20 hours. Hussain Rizvi of the Climate Action Center presented the findings at the conference, according to Business Recorder.
Even as they struggled to afford their electricity bills, residents of informal settlements were largely in favor of installment-based solar financing. However, access to reliable, affordable electricity was hardly residents’ only concern. Labor representatives and community activists also identified inadequate workplace ventilation and limited drinking water during dangerous heat as concerns for industrial and agricultural workers, women, and children. 
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Additionally, conference participants raised concerns about wind power curtailment and called for ways to distribute surplus solar electricity. They also emphasized that the national grid would remain essential as air conditioners, household appliances, and electric vehicles drove up electricity demand, per Business Recorder. 
Wasim Jamal, the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution’s director of public relations, proposed linking a provincial solar initiative to the Benazir Income Support Programme, according to Business Recorder. An initial pilot would provide systems costing approximately 150,000 Pakistani rupees ($542) per beneficiary. Jamal also proposed using rural mini-grids to expand electricity access.
To address the issue of ongoing maintenance and keeping equipment functioning properly, participants called for technical training and stronger equipment quality controls. They also urged the creation of recycling facilities to handle electronic waste when systems reach the end of their working lives.
Additionally, speakers called for grid modernization, battery storage, adaptable transmission networks, and real-time data sharing to reduce wasted renewable electricity. Community electricity sharing arrangements could also allow homes and businesses to send unused solar electricity to other users, some participants argued.
Ultimately, for Abdur Rehman, one of the conference’s biggest takeaways was that simply giving someone equipment was not enough to ensure an ongoing supply of electricity. 
“Giving solar panels is not a success,” he said, per Business Recorder. “Access does not equal success.”
Keeping solar systems affordable and functioning for years has been a challenge well outside Pakistan. These stories cover solar adoption in Pakistan, maintenance in Australia, and more examples of people around the world grappling with the benefits and challenges that come with solar. 
• In Australia, neglected rooftop solar systems could fail years too soon despite surging installations.
• In Pakistan, homes and cement plants have been turning to solar power as businesses seek competitive costs.
• An off-grid solar creator challenged short system lifespan claims, distinguishing individual components from entire setups.
• A solar owner said the system still works without internet despite its manufacturer’s bankruptcy.
• In emerging markets, solar beat out fossil fuels on upfront costs, with cheaper financing.
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