Higher Education Commission Chairman Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar inaugurated a 756.38 kilowatt peak grid tied solar system with net metering and diesel generator synchronization at Fatima Jinnah Women University in Rawalpindi. The project, worth Rs100 million, was jointly funded by the Higher Education Commission and the university, with each contributing Rs50 million toward the installation.
The solar system has been installed across both the university’s City Campus and Campus-II, and has already begun generating clean energy for the institution. Officials said the system is expected to recover its full investment cost within two and a half to two point eight years, after which the university stands to see significant reductions in its electricity expenses going forward. The net metering setup allows the university to feed any surplus electricity generated back into the grid, while the diesel generator synchronization ensures a stable and uninterrupted power supply during periods when solar generation alone may not meet campus demand.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Higher Education Commission Chairman congratulated the university on the milestone and reaffirmed the commission’s continued support for universities pursuing academic excellence, research, innovation and sustainable infrastructure development. He also emphasized the important role teachers play in shaping future generations and driving national development through quality education and research, framing the solar project as one part of a broader institutional effort to modernize university infrastructure across the country.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Bushra Mirza thanked the Higher Education Commission for its continued support, describing the solar project as a meaningful step toward environmental sustainability, responsible resource management and the development of a greener, more energy efficient campus. The initiative reflects a growing trend among Pakistani universities to invest in renewable energy infrastructure, both to reduce long term operating costs and to lower their institutional carbon footprint as part of broader sustainability commitments across the higher education sector.
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