It will not be an exaggeration to say that the role of our current union government is quite impressive as far as India’s progress in developing renewable energy sources is concerned. Why am I saying so? Of course, there are reasons. It is not an easy task to achieve a 396% growth in installation of non-fossil fuel capacity within just 8.5 years.
According to a recent official report, in 2024, India has made significant strides in solar and wind energy installations, policy advancements, and infrastructural improvements, setting the stage for ambitious targets in 2025. With a commitment to achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030, India is emerging as a global leader in clean energy. As on 20th Jan 2025, India’s total non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity has reached 217.62 GW.
A record-breaking growth
We have been able to achieve a record-breaking 24.5 GW of solar capacity and 3.4 GW of wind capacity addition in 2024. It means more than twofold increase in solar installations, and a 21% rise in wind installations compared to 2023. The notable growth has been propelled by government incentives, policy reforms, and increased investments in domestic solar and wind turbine manufacturing.
Solar energy has remained the dominant contributor to India’s renewable energy growth, amounting to 47% of the total installed renewable energy capacity. In 2024, we have seen the installation of 18.5 GW of utility-scale solar capacity, a nearly 2.8 times increase compared to 2023. Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu have emerged as the top-performing states, contributing 71% of India’s total utility-scale solar installations.
Growth in rooftop solar
The rooftop solar sector has also undergone a significant growth in 2024, with 4.59 GW of new capacity installed, marking a 53% increase from the year 2023. The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, launched in 2024, has played a crucial role in this expansion, facilitating seven lakh rooftop solar installations within ten months. Additionally, the off-grid solar segment has recorded a 182% increase, adding 1.48 GW in 2024, furthering India’s energy access goals in rural areas.
Addition of wind power capacity
Our country has added 3.4 GW of new wind capacity in 2024, with Gujarat (1,250 MW), Karnataka (1,135 MW), and Tamil Nadu (980 MW) leading the way. These states have accounted for 98% of the new wind capacity additions, highlighting their continued dominance in wind power generation.
The leadership vision of MNRE
Under the leadership of our prime minister Narendra Modi, our Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) has been giving good impetus to the development of the Renewable Energy (RE) sector. Recently, during the regional review meeting on renewable energy in Jaipur, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said that India’s Renewable Energy Sector is a leading global force and is rightly positioned to achieve and overtake the target of 500 GW by 2030. He has also added that renewable energy must play a more significant role in our energy mix to meet the demand of power in India which is going to be doubled by 2032.
The meeting has reviewed the progress of RE sector in the Northern Region states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh.
On the occasion, Joshi has emphasized the role of renewable energy in India’s transition to a sustainable energy economy, citing the government’s commitment to the Panchamrit initiative from COP26. He has also noted that India’s world-leading green hydrogen bid and recent `32 lakh crore worth of investments in the renewable energy sector underscore the nation’s long-term dedication to a sustainable and energy-secure future.
While highlighting the recent inauguration of four solar power projects in Jaisalmer, totaling 1,200 MW, reaffirming Rajasthan’s pivotal role in India’s renewable energy revolution, Joshi has said that Union Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizes on collaborating with state governments for collective progress of all states.
RE development milestones, targets and actions needed
In the same review meeting, Nidhi Khare, Secretary, MNRE, has informed that India has already surpassed 200 GW in RE capacity, with solar power leading at 97 GW, followed by wind power at 48 GW and hydroelectric power at 52 GW. However, she has also highlighted the need to overcome ongoing challenges and adopt best practices from emerging regions to meet future goals.
Adding to Khare, Sudeep Jain, Additional Secretary, MNRE has emphasized India’s commitment to achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and an impressive 1,800 GW by 2047. The meeting has focused on addressing specific challenges and identifying collaborative opportunities to meet these targets. He has called for continued brainstorming and innovative thinking in the RE space, with workshops planned to further knowledge sharing and problem-solving.
Status quo and suggestions of the participant states in the aforesaid meeting
Sharing insights into the state’s renewable energy progress, including the installation of over 35 MW of solar power in the domestic sector and the deployment of 3,000 solar pumps, Satish Misra, Minister for Science & Technology in Jammu & Kashmir, has emphasized on J&K’s potential in solar, small hydroelectric, and wind energy. He has also given stress on the importance of hosting a regional workshop in the state to address its unique challenges in energy development.
Talking of Himachal Pradesh, Rajesh Dharmani, Minister for Town and Country Planning, has outlined the state’s green energy initiatives, including the establishment of a 1 MW green hydrogen plant, over 75% green energy in its energy portfolio, and a target of 100% non-fossil fuel energy by 2026. He has emphasized the need for collaboration and knowledge sharing to accelerate green energy adoption across states.
Discussing the state’s significant progress in the RE sector, including the installation of a 2,000 MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and the implementation of over 5,000 MW under the PM KUSUM scheme, Heeralal Nagar, Minister of Energy in Rajasthan, has said that Rajasthan is a leader in solar, wind, and BESS, and the state is committed to meeting its target of 125 GW of renewable energy by 2030.
A few impressive steps taken by the MNRE
Thanks to the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) for playing a pivotal role in fostering Renewable Energy (RE) growth in the country through policy interventions and financial support. A few key highlights of the steps taken by the ministry include:
- Green Hydrogen Push: The government actively pursued the development of green hydrogen policies to reduce costs and attract investments in this emerging sector.
- Manufacturing Expansion: Domestic solar PV and wind turbine manufacturing were scaled up, supporting India’s ambition to become a global RE manufacturing hub.
- Grid Infrastructure Development: The MNRE proposed significant investments in inter-state transmission systems to evacuate power from renewable-rich states like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh.
Union budget 2025-26 – another RE booster
According to Union Power Minister, Manohar Lal, this Union Budget 2025-26 aims to initiate transformative reforms across six domains during the next five years and these will augment our growth potential and global competitiveness.
He feels that the Budget 2025-26 represents a significant milestone for the power sector, ushering in transformative reforms that will drive India’s growth and pave the way for a secure, sustainable, resilient, and affordable energy future.
Lal has remarked that the government’s dedication to improving the financial and operational stability of electricity distribution companies, coupled with incentives for enhancing intra-state transmission capacity, will greatly boost the efficiency of the power sector. Also, the announcement of complete exemption of scrap of lithium-ion battery, Lead, Zinc and 12 more critical minerals from basic custom duty is a welcome decision. This will help secure their availability for manufacturing of batteries in India and promote more jobs for our youth. The budget has also proposed to add 35 additional capital goods in exemption list for EV battery manufacturing for electric vehicles.
The bottom line
As far as harnessing Renewable Energy (RE) is concerned, India is setting a global example. Our union government’s ongoing efforts in fostering collaboration with global partners and focusing on scaling sustainable solutions such as green hydrogen, battery storage, and distributed energy technologies, are definitely praiseworthy and leading our nation towards fulfilling our COP 21 commitments.
In a vast country like India, conducting regional workshops or review meetings on the development of RE, is very important and effective in sorting out the regional challenges. They help in fostering collaboration, sharing innovative solutions, and accelerating the adoption of RE technologies across the country. With continued efforts, India is all set to lead the way in green energy, ensuring a sustainable and energy-secure future for all.
By P. K. Chatterjee (PK)
