By Muhammad Soban ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 (INP-WealthPK): The trend of startups is on the rise in Pakistan. New startups using latest technology are exploring opportunities in every sector of the economy. This trend of startups also surged in the renewable energy sector, where startups, especially of solar energy, have started providing sustainable energy that will not only meet domestic demand, but also help Pakistan combat environmental degradation. Pakistan is a country confronting climate change problem. Through solar energy startups, Pakistan can mitigate this problem. According to a research conducted by WealthPK, a 6.6KW solar system will produce around 10,600kWh in a year, saving around 10.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per year. There are many solar startups, including Pakshine, Zisolar, Smart Solar, Alpha Solar, that are providing their services to install the solar system. There are millions of households in Pakistan that have installed solar electricity systems. Along with this, commercial and industrial units are also shifting their electricity requirement from conventional to renewable energy like solar power which is a cheap energy source. Due to insufficient electricity transmission, Pakistani startups are working towards renewable energy. The world is transforming from conventional energy to renewable energy resources as the problem of climate change intensifies. To counter this problem, the world has set Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Electricity is a key ingredient of economic development in the 21^st century, but still many areas remain deprived of electricity. Pakistan is a country that has had to confront severe energy shortages over the last decade. Pakistan used conventional energy resources, including coal, furnace oil, to meet the energy requirement which has caused environmental degradation. According to a World Bank report, Pakistan has great potential for solar energy. Pakistan could meet the requirement of its total demand through solar energy by utilising just 0.071 percent of the country's area. The report suggests that Pakistan can save $5 billion in the next 20 years by moving to renewable energy resources. Renewable energy startups provide facilities for both on-grid and off-grid solar systems. An on-grid solar system allows consumers to sell extra electricity produced by their solar system to Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). While talking to WealthPK, Junaid Ali, Technical Officer of Tesla Industries Pakistan, an Islamabad-based solar energy company, said geographically Pakistani ecosystem is very suitable for producing solar energy. He said Pakistan’s potential of getting energy from renewables, particularly solar, is untapped. Junaid said that Pakistan’s energy sector is facing the problem of huge line losses and capacity payments that cause circular debt burden. To cover these losses, the government increases power tariff which increases the cost of production of goods that make Pakistan’s exports less competitive in the international market. Pakistan can minimise these losses by encouraging people to meet their energy requirements by adopting solar energy that has a lower maintenance cost. Junaid said that the government recently increased taxes on solar panels-related items that increased the cost of system installation. There is a need to minimise taxes on solar panel-related items so that they could become affordable to more households. Startups working on renewables, especially on solar energy, can expand their business by exploring the untapped potential in this sector.