News Desk
NEW DELHI — In a landmark achievement that has reverberated across the global stage, India has reached 50 percent of its installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources five years ahead of its 2030 Paris Agreement goal, a milestone celebrated Tuesday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The country’s rapid expansion of solar and wind energy, adding nearly 28 gigawatts in 2024 alone, underscores its unwavering commitment to a greener future and positions it as a beacon of sustainable development for the world. This success, announced with pride by the government, reflects a decade of strategic planning and bold initiatives that have transformed India’s energy landscape.
As of June, India’s total installed capacity stood at 485 gigawatts, with 242.8 gigawatts derived from clean sources such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear power, according to official data. This marks a dramatic shift from 2015, when non-fossil fuels accounted for just 30 percent of capacity.
The surge is the result of targeted government programs, including the PM-KUSUM scheme, which supports solar-powered irrigation for farmers, and the development of Solar Parks across 12 states. Since 2020, India has added 95 gigawatts of renewable capacity, with solar power witnessing a 30-fold increase since 2014, rising from 2.5 gigawatts to 94.16 gigawatts by November 2024, as reported by Invest India. Wind energy has also grown, with capacity nearly doubling to 47.95 gigawatts over the same period.
The achievement has sparked widespread celebration across the nation. Officials attribute the progress to Modi’s leadership, which has prioritized self-reliance and sustainability under the banner of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
The milestone places India fourth globally in renewable installed capacity, behind only China, the United States and Brazil, according to a recent Indian Express analysis.
This ranking is particularly significant for a developing nation with a population of 1.4 billion, where energy demand has soared by more than 9 percent annually between 2021 and 2025. India’s early success offers a roadmap for other emerging economies, and the country is already sharing its expertise by funding green projects across the Global South, embodying the ancient Indian philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the world is one family.
Internationally, the news has drawn attention as a counterpoint to skepticism about developing nations’ climate commitments. At the COP26 summit in 2021, India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and set an ambitious target of 500 gigawatts of non-fossil capacity by 2030. Surpassing the 50 percent mark by mid-2025 demonstrates that these goals are not just aspirational but achievable.
The government’s push for battery storage, green hydrogen and circularity in solar and wind components further signals a deepening commitment to decarbonization.
Private investments, such as Avaada Group’s $2.5 billion pledge for green projects in Odisha and Tata Power Solar’s $54 million order for solar modules, highlight the growing economic momentum behind this transition. Yet, the journey is far from complete.
India’s reliance on coal remains a critical challenge. Despite the clean energy gains, coal-fired plants still generate over 70 percent of the country’s electricity, a necessity to meet peak demand, which hit 250 gigawatts in May 2024.
A Reuters report from January 2025 noted that coal-fired generation reached a record 1,221 terawatt hours in the first eleven months of 2024, with emissions climbing to 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide. This duality reflects India’s pragmatic approach: balancing immediate energy needs with long-term sustainability goals.
Experts argue that the lower quality of domestic coal, with ash content exceeding 25 percent compared to 10 percent in imports, exacerbates emissions, even as renewable capacity grows. Grid stability poses another hurdle.
The national grid, strained by intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, experienced frequency drops below 49.9 Hz 11 percent of the time in 2024, according to a 2023 Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis study.
On May 30, 2024, grid managers struggled to meet peak demand due to low renewable output, underscoring the need for robust energy storage. Currently, India’s storage capacity stands at just 4.75 gigawatts of pumped storage and 110 megawatts of battery storage, a fraction of what is required.
The government is responding with proactive measures, including a Central Electricity Authority advisory in February 2025 to co-locate storage with solar projects and a shift toward hybrid tenders combining solar, wind and storage. These steps aim to stabilize the grid and ensure reliable power delivery.
For many Indians, this milestone is a source of pride and hope. In rural Gujarat, where wind turbines now dot the horizon, farmers like Anil Patel have seen their livelihoods transformed by solar-powered pumps.
The tangible impact is evident, yet the public also voices concerns about local environmental trade-offs, such as deforestation for renewable infrastructure in states like Himachal Pradesh. Looking ahead, India’s ambition extends beyond 2030. With plans to expand non-fossil capacity to 500 gigawatts and invest in high-voltage transmission lines, the country is poised to redefine its energy narrative. The government is courting global partnerships, leveraging 100 percent foreign direct investment under the Electricity Act 2003, to accelerate this transition.
As India navigates these challenges, its early success in clean energy offers a compelling story of resilience and innovation. With continued investment and policy support, the nation aims to not only meet but exceed its climate commitments, setting a powerful example for sustainable growth on the global stage.
