516 | Exposing Pakistan’s Tech Bubble: VC Frauds & AI Disruption | TBT

Sign Up For My Personal Brand Consultancy: https://www.muzamilhasan.com/My Instagram: https://instagram.com/muzamilhasanMy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/Daniyal's LinkedIn: https://pk.linkedin.com/in/daniyal-siddiqui-b02a9127DS Group: https://dsgroupco.com/In this episode of Thought Behind Things, Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi sits down with Daniyal Siddiqui to uncover the real economics of renewable energy. Daniyal is the founder and CEO of DS Group of companies. His company is the largest solar provider for the industrial sector, having deployed over 780 megawatts of solar and installed systems in over 1400 homes across Pakistan.With petrol prices increasing and electricity subsidies ending, we discuss whether solar is the best guaranteed return on investment today. Daniyal breaks down the staggering drop in solar panel prices from 35 cents a watt to just 12 cents. We also tackle the massive controversy surrounding NEPRA's shift from net metering to net billing.Furthermore, we explore the explosive future of battery technology. We compare the current lithium-ion market to the highly anticipated sodium-ion batteries, which promise up to 10,000 charge cycles and massive cost reductions. Daniyal explains that utilizing a battery currently costs between 14.5 to 15 rupees per unit without factoring in financial models. Finally, we dive into long-term solutions for Pakistan's power grid, including the potential privatization of DISCOs and the revolutionary concept of community micro-grids.Key Topics Covered:•⁠ ⁠The current state and economics of the solar industry in Pakistan.•⁠ ⁠How a 1 megawatt industrial solar plant currently costs around 75 million PKR to set up.•⁠ ⁠The impact of the government imposing a 10% sales tax on solar equipment.•⁠ ⁠Why residential customers can expect an ROI of about four to four-and-a-half years on battery-less solutions.•⁠ ⁠How the net billing policy changes the buying rate to the national average of 11 to 12 rupees.•⁠ ⁠The truth behind China's dominance in the solar and battery supply chain.•⁠ ⁠Why the Combined Trade Bilateral Market Mechanism (CTBCM) or "wheeling" will change energy buying by 2028.Let us know in the comments: Do you have solar at home, and what are you doing with your cash savings during this high inflation?