What is Balochistan's energy department doing to bring power to remote villages?

Balochistan's energy department is providing 15,000 home solar systems with lithium-ion batteries to remote villages in the province, empowering homes with lights and fans.

How are lithium-ion batteries impacting life in Nako Dost Muhammad's village?

The lithium-ion batteries in the home solar systems have ended a decade-long darkness in Nako Dost Muhammad's village, allowing him and his family to have steady lights and a fan in their mud-brick home.

What concerns does Pakistan face with the growing use of lithium-ion batteries?

Pakistan currently has no local lithium mining, cell production, or recycling infrastructure, leaving it dependent on imported Chinese batteries. Experts warn that without a proper disposal plan, these toxic batteries could contaminate the environment, turning the country into a dumping ground for its own energy transition.

Home / Environment / Lithium-Ion Batteries Empower Homes in Pakistan's Energy Desert

Lithium-Ion Batteries Empower Homes in Pakistan's Energy Desert

26 Oct

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Summary

Balochistan's energy department provides 15,000 home solar systems to remote villages
Lithium-ion batteries power lights, fans in mud-brick homes, transforming lives
Lack of local recycling capacity raises concerns about toxic e-waste disposal

In October 2025, a transformative force is taking hold in the remote corners of Balochistan, Pakistan's largest yet most energy-deprived province. Through a grant aid initiative from China, the provincial energy department is delivering 15,000 home solar systems to the region's isolated villages.

Each self-contained system includes a 250-watt solar panel, a charge controller, and a compact lithium-ion battery—the same technology powering electric scooters and laptops across the country. For villagers like Nako Dost Muhammad, this means an end to a decade-long darkness, with steady lights and a gentle fan hum in their one-room mud-brick homes.

However, this green energy revolution also raises critical concerns. Pakistan currently has no local lithium mining, cell production, or recycling infrastructure, leaving it entirely dependent on imported Chinese batteries. Experts warn that without a plan for proper disposal, these batteries—containing toxic metals like cobalt and lithium salts—could contaminate the environment, turning the country into a dumping ground for its own energy transition.