Pakistan's solar miracle – how the hell did they do it?

- Jan Rosenow is a well-known energy analyst and research director at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a global think tank focused on energy policy. He frequently writes about the clean energy transition in developing countries. - Pakistan has experienced a dramatic, rapid surge in rooftop solar adoption over the past 2-3 years, driven largely by soaring electricity prices (partly due to expensive imported LNG and coal, and a weak rupee) and a crumbling, financially distressed national grid. - The "miracle" refers to this decentralized, market-led solar boom happening at a scale and speed that surprised most experts — without major government subsidies or a formal national solar program. It's a case study in bottom-up energy transitions driven by economic necessity, raising questions about grid stability and utility revenue models in developing nations. - This matters because it challenges conventional assumptions that large-scale solar adoption requires rich-country subsidies or sophisticated grid infrastructure. It also foreshadows similar dynamics in other countries with expensive grid power and abundant sunshine.