First 11 Months Of 2023: India’s Solar Installations Down By 25% On YoY

MNRE & CEA data said that solar installations slumped in 2023.

India’s Solar installations in 2023 have slowed down, data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) said. A close analysis of the CEA data revealed that solar power capacity additions dwindled between January and December this year while wind power revived.

The government data said that India added a total of 9 GW of solar power between January and December this year. On the other hand, it added 12 GW of solar power during the same period last year. The solar installations this year thus witnessed a 25 percent decline.

Meanwhile, India added 2.6 GW of new wind energy capacities since January 2023. On the other hand, it witnessed a total new capacity addition of wind power at 1.8 GW last year during the same period. It led to a 44 percent increase in wind capacity additions on a YoY basis.’

As per the details shared by the department, India reported the highest solar power additions in March of 2023. In March, India added a total solar capacity of 2,400 MW. It reported the second-highest additions in June, adding 2,275 MW of new solar capacities. It also added 1,049 new solar capacities in July. The country reported the lowest solar capacity additions in September, adding merely 170 MW. 

Contrary to the slow growth of solar power additions, wind power reported an appreciable rise. It recorded the highest capacity addition of 618 MW in March, 575 MW in June and 330 MW in May. The lowest capacity addition of wind power was reported in September when India added only 95 MW of wind power. 

According to the latest Ministry of New and Renewable Energy data, India’s total renewable energy capacity (excluding hydro projects) stood at 132.69 GW by November 30, 2023. This included 72 GW of solar power, 44.5 GW of wind power, 4.8 GW of small hydro projects, and 108 GW of biopower. Biomass power comprises renewable power from biomass, bagasse, cogeneration, waste to energy, and others. 

The highest 55.9 GW of solar capacity in the solar segment came from ground-mounted projects. 11 GW came from rooftop solar. 2.5 GW came from hybrid solar projects, and 2.67 GW of solar power from the off-grid solar/PM-KUSUM Scheme.