CY24: India Adds 18.8 GW Of Solar Capacity In 10 Months

From January to October 2024, India added a significant 18.8 GW of solar power and 2.98 GW of wind energy, bringing the total additions in wind and solar to 21.78 GW for the calendar year so far.

India’s total installed solar energy capacity has now surpassed 92 GW, according to the latest data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The CEA’s most recent monthly installed capacity report revealed that the country added 1,717.36 MW of new renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro) in October 2024.

The report further indicated that India’s total renewable energy capacity reached 156.24 GW by the end of October 2024. Within that month alone, India added 1,357 MW of new solar capacity, followed by 353 MW in wind energy. Other contributors included biomass/cogeneration (3.75 MW), waste-to-energy (1.25 MW), and small hydro (1.5 MW).

These developments come as India continues its ambitious drive to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070, with a target of having 50% of its total energy capacity sourced from non-fossil fuels.

India’s renewable energy capacities (fuel-wise). Source: CEA

Renewable Capacity Additions in 2024

From January to October 2024, India added a significant 18.8 GW of solar power and 2.98 GW of wind energy, bringing the total additions in wind and solar to 21.78 GW for the calendar year so far.

In contrast, during the first seven months of the fiscal year 2024-25, India added 10.35 GW of solar energy and 1.83 GW of wind capacity. This brings the total solar and wind additions to 12.13 GW during this period, the CEA data revealed.

Year-on-Year Comparison with FY24

When comparing the growth rates, the pace of solar and wind energy additions in 2024 has shown marked improvement over the previous year. In the first 10 months of the calendar year 2023, India added only 8.71 GW of solar and 2.3 GW of wind capacity, totaling 11 GW combined.

Similarly, during the initial seven months of the fiscal year 2023-24, the country added 5.23 GW of solar capacity and 1.65 GW of wind energy, amounting to a total of 6.89 GW in combined renewable energy capacity.

These figures highlight a significant uptick in India’s renewable energy momentum in 2024, reflecting the nation’s strong commitment to expanding its clean energy portfolio.