India has achieved a major milestone in renewable energy (RE) production, surpassing the 200 gigawatt (GW) mark in September, driven largely by solar and wind energy. According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the country’s total renewable energy-based electricity generation capacity reached 201,457.91 MW, with solar power contributing 90,762 MW and wind energy at 47,363 MW.
The surge in renewable energy has pushed India’s non-fossil fuel-based power capacity to 46.3 percent of the country’s total installed electricity generation capacity. Rajasthan leads in renewable energy production with 31.5 GW, followed by Gujarat (28.3 GW), Tamil Nadu (23.7 GW), and Karnataka (22.3 GW).
India’s renewable energy sector has seen significant growth since 2014, with an 86 percent increase in power generation from 193.5 billion units (BU) to 360 BU. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, credited the country’s progress to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, citing a 175 percent increase in RE capacity from 75 GW to over 200 GW since 2014.
In addition to its renewable energy achievements, India is also advancing in green shipping, aiming to become a top 10 shipbuilding nation by 2030 and top five by 2047. Notably, India is the only G20 country to have met its climate targets ahead of schedule, despite having the lowest per capita emissions among G20 nations.
India ranks fourth globally in wind power capacity, with 44.7 GW of installed capacity in 2023, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The country added 2.8 GW of wind capacity this year, marking a resurgence after five years of slower growth.