On Monday, it was learned that Pakistan State Oil (PSO) has agreed to use solar energy to power a vast network of its retail outlets, depots, and filling facilities across the country because on-grid electricity is an unnecessary drain on the company’s revenues. To reduce reliance on the grid, PSO plans to convert its retail outlets and bulk storage facilities to distributed solar generation, according to a company official.
The government is issuing licences for distributed generation that does not require grid transmission, generated and consumed locally, and only transmitted when there is a surplus.
PSO plans to invest in these solar projects on a build-operate-transfer basis. To ensure uninterrupted supply and cut costs, a large number of manufacturing and assembly units in the country are turning to renewable energy (captive) production. Previously, captive generation was dependent on coal, but since gas is now a scarce and costly product, companies are opting for renewable captive generation.
Furthermore, the country’s largest oil marketing firm has already built one electric vehicle charging station and expects to add two more this year. “The period of electric vehicles in Pakistan will occur between 2025 and 2030, and PSO is planning to meet the demand for charging stations,” a PSO official said.
PSO will install electric vehicle charging stations at existing locations, and switching to solar will minimize its reliance on unreliable grid power while also lowering costs.
PSO is committed to accelerating climate change action and leading Pakistan’s renewable energy revolution by introducing cleaner fuels.
