Renewable energy in India: manufacturing and recycling require sustained support

India aims for 500 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity by 2030, but the target has slipped to 2031-32. While India produces 70-80% of its wind turbines domestically and exports significantly to the US, its solar PV sector is heavily dependent on China, which held over 80% of the global module market in 2022. India is attempting to build domestic solar supply chains via the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), though it remains reliant on imports for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Recycling is identified as essential for future supply chain security, with solar PV waste projected to reach nearly 19,000 kt by 2050.

• India's target to achieve 500 GW of renewable electricity capacity by 2030 has been delayed to 2031-32 due to difficulties in driving sufficient deployment.
• The Indian solar PV industry is highly dependent on Chinese imports, with China holding 80% of global module manufacturing capacity and providing approximately 90% of modules used in India.
• India has a strong domestic wind turbine industry, producing 70-80% of its deployed turbines and serving as the largest wind-related exporter to the US in 2022 with exports valued at USD 518 million.
• India lacks domestic production of cobalt, nickel, and lithium, and relies on imports for 35% of its aluminium and 20% of its copper, making these critical minerals for the energy transition.
• Solar PV waste in India is expected to grow significantly, from nearly 600 kilotonnes by 2030 to nearly 19,000 kilotonnes by 2050.

APA

Team, Z. (2024). Renewable energy in India: manufacturing and recycling require sustained support. Zero Carbon Analytics. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/renewable-energy-in-india-manufacturing-and-recycling-require-sustained-support/

Chicago

Team, ZCA. Renewable energy in India: manufacturing and recycling require sustained support. Zero Carbon Analytics, 2024. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/renewable-energy-in-india-manufacturing-and-recycling-require-sustained-support/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Team |first1=ZCA |title=Renewable energy in India: manufacturing and recycling require sustained support |publisher=Zero Carbon Analytics |date=7 November 2024 |url=https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/renewable-energy-in-india-manufacturing-and-recycling-require-sustained-support/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{team2024renewable, author = {Team, ZCA}, title = {{Renewable energy in India: manufacturing and recycling require sustained support}}, institution = {Zero Carbon Analytics}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/insights/briefings/renewable-energy-in-india-manufacturing-and-recycling-require-sustained-support/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }