India Solar Power to Quadruple and Wind to Triple by 2036
India solar capacity is set to quadruple by 2036 as coal use drops to 49 percent. A new report projects clean energy will reach 786 gigawatts within a decade.
India is set to see its solar power capacity quadruple and wind energy capacity triple over the next decade, according to a report from an adviser to the country's power ministry. This surge in renewable energy is expected to significantly reduce the nation's dependence on coal as a primary source of electricity generation. By 2035-36, coal's share of the power mix is projected to fall to 49%, down from more than 70% currently, as detailed in the National Generation Adequacy Plan released by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
The CEA report estimates that total non-fossil fuel capacity will reach 786 gigawatts (GW) by 2035-36, with solar energy comprising 65% of the clean power mix. This transition is supported by growth in other areas, including nuclear capacity, which is expected to triple to 22 GW, and large-scale hydroelectric capacity, seen rising by 50% to 77 GW.
Energy storage will play a vital role in this transformation. India's pumped storage hydropower capacity is projected to surge 13-fold to 94 GW, while battery storage capacity is expected to reach 80 GW by 2035-36, up from just 0.27 GW today. These developments mark a major shift in the country's energy infrastructure as it moves toward a more sustainable power grid.
