# Experts Call for Coordinated Approach to Battery Storage and Grid Flexibility as Solar Expands
**ISLAMABAD:** Pakistan’s rapid expansion of solar and other renewable energy sources underscores the urgent need for greater adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESS) and a coordinated approach to grid flexibility, energy experts said at a policy webinar.
They noted that energy storage can play a critical role in shifting surplus renewable electricity to peak-demand periods, reducing pressure on the national grid, facilitating greater renewable-energy integration, and improving the reliability and efficiency of the power system.
The views were expressed during a webinar titled **“Energy Storage and Grid Flexibility for Renewable Integration,”** organized by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad. The session featured Dr. Fiaz Chaudhry, Chairman, National Grid Company; Prof. Dr. Naveed Arshad, Director, LUMS Energy Institute; and Sameer Raza, Solutions Manager, Huawei.
Hamza Naeem, Project Manager Electronics, Agora; Omar Haroon Malik, Central Power Purchasing Agency; Umer Khan, Private Power and Infrastructure Board; Ammar Yasir, Associate, IPS; and Khalid Rahman, Chairman, IPS, also contributed to the discussion. The session was moderated by Faryal Qazi, Research Officer, IPS.
Opening the discussion, Hamza Naeem said the growing penetration of distributed energy resources is transforming Pakistan’s power system into a more decentralized and flexible network. He noted that rising solar penetration is reducing daytime demand from the grid while creating steeper evening demand ramps, making flexibility increasingly important for system security and cost management.
Prof. Dr. Naveed Arshad observed that in the absence of adequate storage, electricity largely has to be consumed at the time it is generated. He described BESS as a potentially transformative technology that could fundamentally reshape Pakistan’s power grid in the coming years. He added that declining battery costs could further accelerate the deployment of storage technologies.
From the transmission system perspective, Dr. Fiaz Chaudhry said the National Grid Company would facilitate technologies, including battery storage, that can strengthen grid operations. He noted that the growing contribution of solar power has reduced consumers’ dependence on grid-supplied electricity during the daytime, while peak demand remains high.
He emphasized that storing surplus solar generation during the day and utilizing it during evening and nighttime peak periods could help reduce pressure on the national grid and improve the utilization of available generation and transmission infrastructure.
Highlighting the practical applications of BESS, Sameer Raza said battery storage could support **peak shaving, management of the “duck curve,” renewable-energy integration, ancillary services, frequency and voltage support, grid reinforcement, and industrial applications**.
He also identified emerging opportunities in virtual power plants, EV charging with integrated storage, community energy storage and ancillary-service markets. However, he stressed that financing, technical capacity and appropriate regulatory frameworks remain key challenges to large-scale deployment.
The discussion subsequently focused on the institutional and system-level requirements for integrating battery storage into Pakistan’s power sector.
Omar Haroon Malik said the Independent System and Market Operator views battery storage as an opportunity and is exploring mechanisms for its standardization and seamless integration into the power system, including its potential role in reducing peak demand.
Umer Khan stressed that Pakistan must first clearly identify the specific purposes and system requirements that battery storage is expected to address. A clear understanding of these needs, he said, would be essential for developing appropriate policies and investment frameworks.
From the consumer perspective, Ammar Yasir observed that high electricity costs are increasingly encouraging consumers to adopt behind-the-meter solar systems. He welcomed the consideration of BESS and virtual power plants as potential solutions to some of the emerging challenges facing the electricity grid.
Concluding the discussion, Khalid Rahman emphasized that **governance and institutional reform** would remain fundamental to Pakistan’s transition towards a more flexible and renewable-based power system.
He called for an appropriate balance between market forces and regulatory oversight, stressing that reforms in the power sector should ultimately ensure four essential outcomes: **availability, accessibility, affordability and reliability**.
The experts agreed that as solar penetration continues to increase, Pakistan’s energy transition will require not only additional renewable generation but also investments in storage, grid modernization, flexible generation, appropriate market mechanisms and stronger institutional coordination.
