India’s Renewable Energy Capacity Soars: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Highlights Major Achievements
New Delhi [India], August 7: India’s installed renewable energy capacity has increased by 165% over the past decade, rising from 76.38 Gigawatts (GW) in 2014 to 203.1 GW in 2024, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi announced on Tuesday.
Replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on demands for grants related to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Joshi highlighted that India now ranks fourth globally in renewable energy capacity, with significant advancements in solar and wind power.
Key Achievements
Joshi proudly shared, “India has achieved 4th position globally in RE Installed Capacity. We stood 4th in Wind Power capacity and 5th in Solar PV capacity.”
For the first time, India has crossed 200 GW capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, including:
| Source | Capacity (GW) |
|---|---|
| Solar Power | 85.47 |
| Large Hydro | 46.93 |
| Wind Power | 46.66 |
| Biopower | 10.95 |
| Small Hydropower | 5.00 |
Solar energy capacity has expanded dramatically from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 85.47 GW by June 2024, marking an increase of approximately 30 times.
Importance of Renewable Energy
Joshi emphasized that renewable energy is no longer a choice for India but a necessity for the nation’s sustainable growth and development. “India witnessed one of the fastest rates of growth in the renewable energy sector among all large economies of the world. We are aligned with the developed Nations and achieved 4th position in the world in total RE installed capacity,” he said.
He also referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s COP26 commitment to reach 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030.
Government Initiatives
“Energy security is among the 9 key priority areas of this Government. For this, the budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Renewable Energy has almost doubled from Rs10,000 crores last year to more than Rs20,000 crores this year,” Joshi said.
The share of Thermal sources in the total Installed Capacity has come down from 67.69% in 2013-14 to 54.46% in 2024-25 (up to June 2024), while the share of non-fossil fuel in the total installed capacity has increased from 32.30% to 45.54%, he added.
Total RE generation in India has increased from 193.50 billion units (BU) in 2013-14 to 359.89 BU in 2023-24, an 86% increase. Solar power tariff has drastically come down from Rs.10.95 per unit in 2010-11 to Rs.2.60 in 2023-24.
Doubts Revealed
Renewable Energy -: Renewable energy comes from natural sources that can be replenished, like sunlight, wind, and water. It doesn’t run out like coal or oil.
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the government in India who is in charge of a specific department or ministry, like energy or education.
Pralhad Joshi -: Pralhad Joshi is a politician in India who is currently serving as a Union Minister. He helps make important decisions about the country’s energy policies.
203.1 GW -: GW stands for gigawatts, a unit of power. 203.1 GW means 203.1 billion watts, which is a lot of energy!
Solar Power -: Solar power is energy we get from the sun. Solar panels capture sunlight and turn it into electricity.
Wind Power -: Wind power is energy we get from the wind. Wind turbines use the wind to generate electricity.
Sustainable Development -: Sustainable development means using resources in a way that meets our needs without harming the environment or depleting resources for future generations.
Prime Minister Modi -: Prime Minister Modi is the current Prime Minister of India. He leads the government and makes important decisions for the country.
Non-fossil fuel capacity -: Non-fossil fuel capacity refers to energy sources that do not come from fossil fuels like coal, oil, or natural gas. This includes renewable energy sources like solar and wind.
Energy Security -: Energy security means having a reliable and affordable supply of energy. It ensures that the country has enough energy to meet its needs.
