India becomes World’s third-largest renewable energy capacity holder: Pralhad Joshi

India has emerged as the world’s third-largest country in renewable energy installed capacity, overtaking Brazil, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, citing International Renewable Energy Agency. India now ranks behind only China and the United States in total renewable capacity.

India achieved a total non-fossil fuel installed capacity of 283.46 GW as of March 31, 2026, including 274.68 GW from renewable sources and 8.78 GW from nuclear power. During FY 2025-26, the country added a record 55.3 GW of non-fossil capacity – the highest annual increase to date – nearly doubling the previous year’s addition, and reached 50% of cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025.

In July 2025, renewable energy sources met 51.5% of India’s electricity demand of 203 GW – the highest-ever share. Renewable energy (including large hydro) contributed 26.2% of total electricity generation in FY 2025-26, while non-fossil sources accounted for 29.2%, with total generation at 1,845.9 billion units.

Solar energy continues to dominate growth, with installed capacity at 150.26 GW, while wind energy reached 56.09 GW. FY 2025-26 saw record additions of 44.61 GW solar capacity and 6.05 GW wind capacity, driven by utility-scale projects, rooftop installations, and schemes such as PM KUSUM, with rooftop solar accounting for over one-third of additions.

India has expanded its manufacturing base, with solar module capacity rising from 2.3 GW in 2014 to about 172 GW in 2026, and wind turbine capacity to around 24 GW. Policy measures such as reduced GST on renewable energy equipment and incentives for domestic battery manufacturing supported this growth.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy introduced initiatives including GST reduction, REEIMS, VPPA, CfD, and a National Policy on Geothermal Energy, while Central Electricity Regulatory Commission improved grid access and efficiency. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, India aims to produce 5 million metric tonnes annually by 2030, attracting ₹8 lakh crore investment and creating over 6 lakh jobs.

The government strengthened infrastructure through the Green Energy Corridor and identified renewable energy zones of 345 GW, while training over 1.24 lakh individuals. With a target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030, India is on track for global leadership, despite challenges in grid integration, storage, and supply chains.

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Source-DD NEWS