India’s Renewable Capacity Surpasses 150 GW: MNRE

India's renewable capacities (fuel-wise). Capacities in MW. Source: MNRE

India’s total renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro) has now touched 150 Gigawatt (GW), latest data from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) reveals. 

The latest data from the ministry for the month of July shows that India added a total of 1733.66 MW of new solar capacities. During the same period, India added 419 MW of new wind capacities. 

The data revealed that during the month, the country also added 31.5 MW of new small hydro projects and 7.5 MW of new Waste-To-Energy projects after a long time.

With the addition of new solar, wind, waste to energy and small hydro plants, India’s total renewable energy capacity went from 148 GW (by June end) to 150 GW (by July end). In total, India added a total of 2191.72 MW of new renewable energy capacities in the month of July 2024. 

Solar picks pace

A close comparison of the new renewable energy capacities added in the first seven months (January-July) in 2024 and during the same period in 2023 revealed that solar energy has picked pace. Moreover, wind energy capacity additions have also escalated. 

For example-India added a total of 7.84 GW of new solar capacities in the first seven months of 2023. However, in the first seven months of calender year 2024, India added 13.88 GW of new solar capacities, registering a growth of 77 percent. 

During the same period, India has also witnessed an surge in wind power additions in the first seven months. In 2023, during the first seven months, India had added a total of 2,010 MW of new wind capacities. During the same period, India added 2,339.10 MW of new wind capacities in 2024, registering a growth of 16 percent, the data from MNRE said. 

The new additions are driven by both a resolution of many pending solar related issues, more activity in the C&I segment, and of course, Hybrid projects with a strong wind energy component in them.