“When the world is predictable, you need smart people. When the world is unpredictable, you need adaptable people.” (Henry Mintzberg)

Energy markets continue to be turbulent and are showing no signs of stabilising any time soon. Led by technological breakthroughs, geopolitical upheavals, and environmental imperatives, multiple forces are reshaping the global energy landscape, making it more unpredictable. In this situation, Pakistan’s policymakers, particularly those in the energy sector, must heed the advice of Professor Mintzberg, a distinguished faculty member at Canada’s McGill University. They should avoid knee-jerk reactions, ad-hoc policymaking, and spur-of-the-moment decisions.

Let us take a few examples to highlight the policy flip-flops of the governments in Pakistan in the energy sector, using renewable energy policies as a case in point.

The dust had hardly settled on the Alternative and Renewable Energy Technologies (ARET) Policy 2019 when a Fast-track Solarisation initiative emerged. We do not know exactly what became of this initiative that was launched with a lot of fanfare. Recently, some in the corridors of power had a rude awakening that the Net-Metering policy launched in 2015 was a devil in disguise that must be chained. The media is currently abuzz with news that the country is in dire need of a battery storage policy, which will resolve most of the power sector woes, if not all.

Solar energy can serve us in several different ways. We can use it to heat, cool, or light our homes via architectural design and construction. We can use active solar techniques for water heating and space-conditioning, or to generate electricity via conventional thermal technologies. We can also convert solar energy to electricity directly via photovoltaic (PV) conversion (either standalone or interactive with the grid), or at a central location and deliver it to consumers via the central grid.

Pakistan’s NEM Policy: Reforming Rooftop Solar And Distributed Energy Regulation

Each of these options has its own scope, prospects, and constraints. Our policymakers must understand these........

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