NEW DELHI/SHIMLA: India’s renewable energy sector is soaring to new heights.
The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has reported a remarkable 15.84% growth in the sector over the past year.
The country’s total renewable energy installed capacity has now touched 209.44 GW as of December 2024. This marks a significant jump from 180.80 GW in December 2023.
A whopping 28.64 GW of new capacity was added in 2024 alone. This is a staggering 119.46% increase compared to the 13.05 GW added in 2023.
But the share of the Himalayan states to the RE, mainly solar and hydro was not up to mark. The evacuation of solar power from cold desert of Lahaul-Spiti and Ladakh remains the issue.
The hydropower takes a long time to harness as the locals have been protesting dams as such no headway was made in the proposed projects in 2924 across the region.
Solar Shines Bright
Solar energy has been the star performer. A record 24.54 GW was added this year. This pushed the total solar capacity to 97.86 GW, a 33.47% rise from 73.32 GW in 2023.
Wind Energy Gains Momentum
Wind energy also saw steady growth. An additional 3.42 GW was added in 2024. This brought the total wind capacity to 48.16 GW, reflecting a 7.64% increase from 2023.
Bioenergy and Small Hydro on the Rise
Bioenergy has grown from 10.84 GW in 2023 to 11.35 GW in 2024. This marks a 4.70% rise. Small hydro power capacity rose modestly, from 4.99 GW in 2023 to 5.10 GW in 2024, a 2.20% growth.
Vision 2030: The Road Ahead
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said MNRE is driving India closer to its goal of 500 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030.
He said these achievements align with the ‘Panchamrit’ goals set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
India’s clean energy ambitions remain firmly on track, strengthening both climate commitments and energy security.
