ISLAMABAD: With the growing energy shortage in the country, solar system looks a better solution to this crisis, which is already getting popularity in the world.

Pakistan has a potential to generate over 2.324 million mega watt electricity per annum through solar system which can help to overcome prevailing energy crisis.

Official sources at Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) while talking to APP said switching over to the solar system for energy is the need of the hour and more people and scientists should come forward for this cause.

He said solar and wind power are the need of the hour and future belongs to them as they are most economical sources of energy.

According to scientists and experts, extensive use of solar power can change the face of remote and rural areas.

Vice Chancellor Hamdard University Dr.Nasim Khan said the government has to make an initial investment to create a market. Once a market is in place, the rest of the job would be taken over by the private sector, he added.

It happened in case of Bangladesh where the private sector is now actively engaged in the solar market and 10,000 solar systems are being installed every month in a village," he said.

Dr. Khan said, "The system is still working at places where people have maintained batteries. We had also established an experimental research solar lab at over 18,000 feet above the sea level, near the K-2 base camp, in the late 1990s," he said.

Products on the sale include solar-powered fans (at an approximate cost of Rs8,000), mobile charger (Rs1,000), geysers (between Rs20,000 and Rs75,000), laptop charger (between Rs6,000 and Rs16,000), uninterrupted power supply system (minimum price Rs95,000), generator running on both diesel and solar energy (minimum price Rs350,000 per KV with battery), different types of lights (Rs600 to Rs10,000) and solar systems for residential use (cost depends upon the capacity for electricity generation and requirement).

Mostly, the products are imported from China.