Top 10 States for Renewable Energy Installations in Last 4 Years

A list of the top 10 states that have implemented the maximum amount of renewable energy projects in the last four years.

As part of Intended Nationally Determined Contributions as per the Paris Accord on Climate Change, India has undertaken to install at least forty percent of its total electricity generation capacity from non-fossil fuel sources like renewable energy by 2030.

According to the latest data made available by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), as on 29th February 2020, a cumulative renewable energy capacity of 132.15 GW had been installed in the country, with an additional capacity of 46.69 GW under various stages of implementation and 34.07 GW under various stages of bidding. As on the same date, the country had a cumulative installed capacity of 138.93 GW from non-fossil fuel sources. The cumulative renewable energy capacity and cumulative capacity from non-fossil fuel sources constituted 35.80 percent and 37.63 percent of total electricity generation capacity of 369.12 GW installed in the country as on 29th February 2020, respectively.

Here is a list of the top 10 states that have implemented the maximum amount of renewable projects in the last four years. (Period April 2016-February 2020)

The overall rankings depend on the cumulative installations achieved in solar power projects, wind power projects, small hydro power (<25 MW) projects, biopower, and also large hydro power projects.

KARNATAKA

This southern state has been at the forefront of India’s renewable energy transition for a while now and that is reflected in its ranking of number 1 in the list with a total of 9639.31 MW or nearly 10 GW renewable energy projects implemented in the state since April 2016. Of this total, more than 70 percent capacity (7131.41 MW) has been accomplished through solar power projects, the highlight of which is the full commissioning of the 2000 MW+ Pavagada Solar Park.

Latest Development – In April, SECI had issued a Request for Selection (RfS) document for selection of solar power developers for setting up of 2500 MW ISTS-Connected Solar PV Power Projects at Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Power Park (UMREPP) in Koppal District, Karanataka under Tariff-based Competitive Bidding (ISTS-X). The last date for the submission of bids is May 29, 2020.

ANDHRA PRADESH

Following up behind Karnataka is another southern state, Andhra Pradesh. Besides the massive turmoil introduced in its renewable energy sector since new Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy decided to overturn previous PPAs, the state has installed 5667.11 MW of renewable energy capacity in the four year period. Almost the entire capacity has been through solar and wind energy projects which saw 2986.06 MW (solar) and 2661.05 (wind) in new capacity additions. The remaining 20 MW capacity has been through small hydro power projects.

Latest Development – At the back end of February, the Andhra Pradesh Government had proposed to set up its own generating units to produce 10,000 MW (10 GW) of solar power to meet the energy requirements of the agriculture sector. The government has already issued an order for setting up the Andhra Pradesh Green Energy Corporation Limited, as a subsidiary of Power Generation Corporation of AP, to erect the 10,000 MW solar power plants.

GUJARAT

Following up closely behind Andhra Pradesh is the western state of Gujarat, which saw a total of 5351.99 MW of new renewable projects installed. The first and only state on the list where wind installations surpassed solar. With 3530.4 MW implemented, wind dwarfed the 1757.24 MW of solar that has been installed in the state during the four year period.

Latest Development – Inox Wind had recently announced that it has started work on the 126 MW phase-I of its 250-MW wind power projects in Gujarat following the receipt of certain advances. The first phase of the projects is scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter of the ongoing fiscal. Prior to that, the MNRE had issued guidelines related to the complete solarisation of the Modhera town in Gujarat, which is popularly known as the sun-temple town.

TAMIL NADU

Next in the list is Tamil Nadu, which at one point was the leader of the country’s renewables front. With 4624.925 MW installed in the period, the state slots into the fourth position. A majority of the capacity additions were met by solar (2850.97 MW), and a bulk of the remainder by wind (1678.455 MW).

Latest Development – Based on the preliminary studies carried out recently by the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) in collaboration with various multilateral agencies, the Government had revealed that an offshore wind power potential of 31 GW exists off the coast of Tamil Nadu.

RAJASTHAN

Next in the list is the second western state in the top 10, Rajasthan. With 4074.45 MW capacity installed the state slots in at number 5. Roughly 92 percent of this entire capacity has been achieved through solar power projects (3763.8 MW), while the remainder has been filled out by wind (305.7 MW) and 4.95 MW of biopower capacity.

Latest Development – Towards the back end of Match, it was reported that in line with the governments ambitious 175 GW by 2022 target, India’s largest power generation utility NTPC and state-owned Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) will soon be signing an agreement with the Rajasthan government for setting up of 2 renewable energy parks of 5 GW capacity each.

TELANGANA

In the sixth position, is the fourth southern state in the list, Telangana. With 3352.3 MW installed during the four year period, almost 90 percent (3092.9 MW) of which was through solar project installations, the state has finished sixth on the list. Large hydro project holds the next big share with 209 MW installed during the period.

Latest Development – In September 2019, we had reported that as part of its target to achieve 5000 MW solar power, the Telangana government will float tenders in the next two months to produce 1000 MW of solar energy. We at present don’t have any information on those proposed tenders.

MAHARASHTRA

Next on the list is Maharashtra with a total of 2485.74 MW capacity instilled in the state during the last four years. A majority of this capacity has been met through solar (1406.79 MW). The next big share is held by biopower at 532.7 MW, followed by wind at 346.55 MW.

Latest Development – In April, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved a USD 346 million loan to India to help provide an efficient and reliable power connection to rural agriculture customers in the state of Maharashtra. The loan will be under ADB’s results-based lending (RBL) modality, where fund disbursements are linked to the achievement of agreed program results rather than to upfront expenditures, as is the case with traditional investment lending. 

MADHYA PRADESH

Following up behind Maharashtra is its neighbour state of Madhya Pradesh. The state has installed 1882.14 MW of renewable energy projects in the four year period and ranks 8th on the list. With 1482.09 MW capacity, solar led the charge for the state to get it into the top 10, a big credit for which will go to the work at the REWA ultra mega solar park in the state.

Latest Development – In April, the Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited (MPMKVVCL) had issued a tender, seeking eligible bidders for setting up of 45 MW of rooftop solar power projects in the state. In January we had reported that the state had secured Rs 4000 crore investment for the development of two wind energy projects in the state.

SIKKIM

Next on the list, and certainly, a surprise in the list is the northeastern state of Sikkim. With 1299.07 MW installed in the period, the state fills in being Madhya Pradesh. However, it is important to note here that going by the MNRE’s previous definition for renewable energy projects I.e. the one in which large hydro projects were not accounted under renewable energy sources, the state would lose 1299 MW of its 1299.07 capacity. With solar accounting for 0.07 MW in the time frame and no developments in wind, small hydro, and biopower.

Latest Development – In January, ITI Limited, a leading telecom equipment manufacturer and total solution provider in India, has issued an EOI for the empanelment of Business Associates for off-grid solar water pumps under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Surakha Evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) scheme. The eligible states had been divided into two clusters. Cluster 9 with Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. And Cluster 10 with Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir.

UTTAR PRADESH

Closing out the top 10 rankings is the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, with 975.56 MW capacity installed during the period. 951.06 MW or 97.5 percent of the total capacity installed in the state coming from solar power projects. Bio power filled out the remaining 24.5 MW capacity.

Latest Development – In March, the Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA) has announced the state and central subsidies that will be provided for rooftop solar projects that will be set up in the residential sector in the state under Phase II of the grid-connected rooftop solar program. For rooftop solar projects ranging between 1 kW and 10 kW will receive a state subsidy of Rs 15000 per kW, with the maximum subsidy that can be availed by residential rooftop projects capped at Rs 30000.

[The data has been sourced from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA)]