According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India has made significant strides in its Renewable Energy (RE) journey, strengthening its position as a global leader in clean energy.
- As of December 2024, India’s total RE installed capacity has reached 209.44 Gigawatt (GW), a 15.84% increase compared to 180.80 GW in December 2023.
- The total capacity added during 2024 amounted to 28.64 GW, representing a significant Year-on-Year(YoY) increase of 119.46% compared to the 13.05 GW added in 2023.
Note:Â As of January 20, 2025, the country has reached a milestone of 217.62 GW, with a target to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030.
Key Achievements in 2024:
The year 2024 witnessed record-breaking growth in solar and wind energy installations, driven by policy reforms, government incentives, and investments in domestic manufacturing.
i.Expansion of Solar Energy: Solar energy dominated, with 24.5 GW of new capacity installed and its cumulative installed capacity increased to 97.86 GW in 2024 from 73.32 GW in 2023.
- Utility-scale solar installations led the way, adding 18.5 GW, with Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu (TN) accounting for 71% of the total.
- The rooftop solar segment also grew significantly, with 4.59 GW installed, driven by initiatives like the Prime Minister Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSGMBY), which facilitated 7 lakh rooftop installations in less than a year.
ii.Expansion of Wind Energy:
- Wind energy also contributed significantly to India’s renewable energy goals. A total of 3.4 GW of wind capacity was added in 2024, reflecting a 21% increase from 2023.
- In 2024, the total wind capacity reached 48.16 GW, a growth of 7.64% from 2023.
- Gujarat emerged as the leader with 1,250 Megawatt (MW) of new installations, followed by Karnataka with 1,135 MW and TN with 980 MW. Together, these three states accounted for 98% of the total wind capacity additions, reaffirming their dominance in India’s wind power sector.
iii. Expansion of Bioenergy and Small Hydro Power:
- Bioenergy’s installed capacity rose from 10.84 GW in December 2023 to 11.35 GW in December 2024, reflecting a 4.70% increase.
- Small hydro power projects saw incremental growth, with installed capacity increasing from 4.99 GW in 2023 to 5.10 GW in 2024, representing a 2.20% rise.
Key points :
i.The Government of India (GoI) focused on enhancing the viability of green hydrogen by reducing costs and attracting investments. This move is aimed at positioning India as a global leader in green hydrogen technology.
ii.Efforts were made to ramp up domestic production of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and wind turbines, boosting India’s potential to become a hub for renewable energy manufacturing on the global stage.
iii.The MNRE proposed investments in inter-state transmission systems to efficiently transfer power from renewable-rich states like Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh (MP), supporting the country’s growing energy needs.
Roadmap for 2025:
As India enters 2025, addressing challenges related to regulatory frameworks, financing models, and infrastructure development will be essential for continued progress in the RE sector.
i.Sustaining the growth of India’s RE sector will rely on continued policy support, increased private investment, and the development of emerging technologies such as green hydrogen and energy storage.
Recent Related News:
According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) data released in December 2024, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh (UP) are the top 3 states with the highest number of rooftop solar installations under ‘Prime Minister -Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana(PMSGMBY)’.
- As per the data, Gujarat has topped among all states in the country with 2,86,545 rooftop solar installations, followed by Maharashtra (with 1,26,344 installations) and UP (with 53,423 installations) ranked at 2nd and 3rd spot, respectively.
About Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE):
Union Minister – Pralhad Joshi(Constituency – Dharwad, Karnataka
Minister of State(MoS) – Shripad Yesso Naik(Rajya Sabha – North Goa)
