India’s installed renewable energy capacity has witnessed an impressive increase of 165% over the past decade, rising from 76.38 Gigawatts (GW) in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi announced on Tuesday. Addressing a debate in the Rajya Sabha regarding demands for grants related to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Joshi underscored India’s significant advancements in solar and wind power, propelling the nation to the fourth position globally in renewable energy capacity.
“I am proud to share that today, India has achieved 4th position globally in RE Installed Capacity. We stood 4th in Wind Power capacity and 5th in Solar PV capacity,” Joshi remarked.
“For the first time, we have crossed 200 GW capacity from non-fossil fuel sources. This includes 85.47 GW of solar power, 46.93 GW of large hydro, 46.66 GW of wind power, 10.95 GW of biopower, and 5.00 GW of small hydropower,” he added.
Joshi highlighted the dramatic expansion of solar energy capacity, which soared from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 85.47 GW by June 2024, marking an increase of approximately 30 times.
“Renewable energy is no longer a choice for India but a necessity for the nation’s sustainable growth and development,” he emphasized.
Joshi also pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment at COP26 to reach 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, aligning India with developed nations in terms of renewable energy growth.
The budgetary allocation for the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has nearly doubled, from Rs 10,000 crores last year to more than Rs 20,000 crores this year, reflecting the government’s prioritization of energy security.
The share of thermal sources in the total installed capacity has decreased from 67.69% in 2013-14 to 54.46% in 2024-25 (up to June 2024), while the share of non-fossil fuel sources has increased from 32.30% to 45.54%.
Joshi noted that total renewable energy generation in India has surged from 193.50 billion units (BU) in 2013-14 to 359.89 BU in 2023-24, representing an 86% increase. Additionally, solar power tariffs have dropped significantly from Rs. 10.95 per unit in 2010-11 to Rs. 2.60 in 2023-24.
This rapid growth in renewable energy capacity underscores India’s commitment to sustainable development and its proactive measures to ensure energy security for future generations.
