Bannu Woollen Mills adds 1MW solar capacity as Pakistan’s solar boom continues

Bannu Woollen Mills Limited (BMW) has commissioned a 1 MW on-grid solar power plant at its mills, with the facility now fully operational and supplying clean energy to its manufacturing operations.

The listed company, engaged in the manufacture and sale of woollen yarn, cloth and blankets, informed its stakeholders via a notice on Tuesday.

“The company has completed the installation of a 1MW on-grid solar power plant at our mills site located on D.I. Khan Road, Bannu,” read the notice.

The company shared that the solar plant has been successfully commissioned. The plant is now operational and supplying power to manufacturing operations immediately.

“This development is part of our broader sustainability and energy-cost optimisation strategy, aimed at reducing dependency on grid electricity, lowering our energy costs, and minimising our carbon footprint,” said the company.

There has been a growing shift towards alternative energy sources in Pakistan, especially solar, which has become increasingly popular among residential and commercial sectors.

According to Policy Research Institute for Equitable Development (PRIED), an independent think tank, Pakistan is experiencing unprecedented solarisation of its energy sector, with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels with a capacity of 33 gigawatts already installed across the country.

This rising trend has left decision-makers grappling with its implications for the national grid and energy sector, as electricity consumption remains stagnant.

Nonetheless, several projects have been initiated to exploit this relatively cheaper energy source.

On Tuesday, SPEL Limited, formerly Synthetic Products Enterprises Limited, said it successfully commissioned a 575KW solar power project, expanding its renewable energy portfolio to 4.1MW.