Despite a record year, India needs to double renewables deployment by 2030 to meet energy targets

A briefing by Global Energy Monitor analyzing India's power capacity additions in 2024 and the trajectory required to meet its 2030 non-fossil power target of 500 GW.

• India achieved a record 34.7 GW of power capacity additions in 2024, surpassing the previous record of 2015 by 3.5 GW. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology was the primary driver, accounting for 71% of all power sector additions and 86% of the 28.6 GW of renewable capacity added that year.
• Despite record capacity additions, fossil fuels continued to dominate power generation in 2024, contributing more than two-thirds of the total increase in generation and maintaining a 75% share of the total. This was largely due to coal fleet utilization rates averaging nearly 70%, the highest level in a decade.
• India is unlikely to meet its 2030 target of 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity if current deployment rates continue. Replicating 2024's annual wind and solar deployment would result in a renewables fleet of 378 GW by 2030, leaving a shortfall of approximately 100 GW. To close this gap, annual capacity additions must grow by about 15% year-on-year or average 60% higher than 2024 levels.
• The combined capacity of hydropower, utility-scale solar, and wind projects currently in development is projected to overtake operating coal capacity within two years. Utility-scale solar projects in development total 103 GW, while coal projects in development total 111 GW.
• Renewable energy deployment is geographically concentrated. Six states—Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka—accounted for 89% of 2024 wind and solar additions and two-thirds of all national renewable capacity. Rajasthan hosts 27% (26.5 GW) of India's total solar PV fleet, including the 2.7 GW Bhadla complex.
• Wind capacity reached 48 GW by the end of 2024, becoming the third-largest power source by operating capacity. However, growth has been hindered by land acquisition and rights issues, supply chain constraints, and an unsustainable tariff system.
• Achieving the 2030 targets requires overcoming several barriers, including insufficient energy storage and electricity transmission infrastructure, high financing costs for developers, and non-compliance with renewables purchasing obligations. Just transition challenges include livelihood impacts on coal workers and conflicts over land rights for local communities and farmers.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2025). Despite a record year, India needs to double renewables deployment by 2030 to meet energy targets. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-India-FFvsRES-February-2025_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. Despite a record year, India needs to double renewables deployment by 2030 to meet energy targets. 2025. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-India-FFvsRES-February-2025_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=Despite a record year, India needs to double renewables deployment by 2030 to meet energy targets |date=February 2025 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-India-FFvsRES-February-2025_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2025despite, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{Despite a record year, India needs to double renewables deployment by 2030 to meet energy targets}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2025}, month = feb, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-India-FFvsRES-February-2025_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }