Search Climate Insights Directory

This report evaluates the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, specifically Components A and C-FLS, which promote decentralized solar power plants (1–10 MW) on farmers' land to improve irrigation and reduce state power subsidies. While the economic case is strong, the report identifies governance, market, and structural barriers that have led to gradual progress, and provides recommendations for a post-2026 scheme architecture.

This report evaluates the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on Component A (decentralized solar plants) and Component C-FLS (feeder-level solarization). While the scheme aims to add 35 GW of solar capacity by March 2026 to improve irrigation and farmer income, it has faced low uptake, achieving only 7% of targets for Component A and 34% for Component C-FLS as of December 31, 2025. The report identifies critical barriers including poor institutional coordination, grid instability, land acquisition challenges, and tariff mismatches, while providing actionable recommendations for the design of future solar irrigation programs.

The report 'Mapping India’s Energy Policy 2026' analyzes the fiscal impact of energy subsidies in India, highlighting a significant imbalance where fossil fuel subsidies were three times higher than clean energy subsidies in FY 25. It examines how electricity subsidies burden state budgets and utilities, the fiscal vulnerability caused by LPG import dependence during geopolitical crises, and the impact of fuel excise duty cuts on government revenue and EV adoption.

The Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) 2026 report evaluates 21 Indian states across three dimensions: decarbonisation, power ecosystem readiness and performance, and market enablers. It finds that progress is fragmented, with no single state demonstrating consistently strong performance across all three areas, highlighting the need for coordinated, dimension-specific interventions to achieve a system-wide transition.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics challenges the claim that renewable energy increases electricity prices, arguing that real-world data from the US, EU, Australia, and India often show a correlation between high renewable uptake and below-average power prices.

This report by Ember analyzes the rising effective costs of coal power in India due to declining Plant Load Factors (PLFs). It argues that underutilisation is driving up both fixed and variable costs, making new coal capacity economically inferior to Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy (FDRE).

This technical guide by RMI analyzes the voluntary carbon market (VCM) for improved rice cultivation, focusing on the transition from invalidated CDM-based credits to more rigorous new methodologies. It details the primary and secondary practices used to reduce methane emissions, evaluates quality risks such as additionality and MRV, and provides guidance for stakeholders to identify high-integrity projects.

This report outlines strategies to align electric vehicle (EV) charging in India with renewable energy generation to prevent grid burden and support energy flexibility. It evaluates the effectiveness of time-of-day (ToD) tariffs, green tariffs, rooftop solar, and open access procurement, noting that while these mechanisms exist, barriers such as high upfront costs, price sensitivity, and limited public charging infrastructure hinder their full potential.

This report chapter details the growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India between FY2020 and FY2025, highlighting the role of central and state government subsidies and the specific vehicle segments driving the transition.

This policy brief by Ember analyses the implementation of the Ministry of Power's Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Amendment Rules, 2023, which introduces solar-hour time of day (ToD) tariffs for domestic consumers in India starting April 1, 2025. The paper examines how these tariffs, designed to align electricity demand with solar generation, affect different consumer profiles and highlights the critical need for smart meter infrastructure to enable successful deployment.

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.

The report by Ember analyzes the strategic importance of wind energy in India's energy transition, emphasizing its complementarity with solar power to reduce reliance on thermal power during non-solar hours. It highlights the need to accelerate wind capacity deployment to meet the 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP14) targets and discusses policy interventions, economic benefits, and the potential for offshore wind and repowering.

This report by Ember analyzes how the decline in Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) costs can accelerate the phase-down of coal power in India between 2024 and 2032. Using a least-cost optimized (LCO) model, the authors identify that while solar growth is rapid, the transition is limited by the cost-effectiveness of storage for non-solar hours. The report argues that BESS costs must fall by 15% annually to limit new coal capacity to levels projected in the 14th National Electricity Plan (NEP), and must drop by over 50% from current levels to potentially eliminate the need for any new coal additions.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the annual economic implications of a low-carbon energy transition for the state of Jharkhand, India. It estimates that the cumulative annual economic impact on Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), the state government, and the local community would be INR 725.9 billion (USD 8.7 billion). The document provides a detailed breakdown of potential losses in revenue, employment, and livelihoods across the solid fossil fuel mining and power generation sectors, while recommending a comprehensive Just Transition (JT) plan to mitigate these adverse effects.

This technical brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) assesses the vulnerability of five mineral-rich Indian states—Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal—to the energy transition. Using a multi-dimensional framework covering fiscal losses, physical climate risks, socioeconomic impacts, diversification potential, and political economy, the report ranks these states to identify where 'just transition' efforts should be focused. Odisha is identified as the most vulnerable state, while West Bengal is the least vulnerable among the five, although each faces distinct risks ranging from high revenue dependency to energy security concerns.

This report by Ember analyzes India's progress toward its 2022 renewable energy (RE) target of 175 GW and its 2030 target of 450 GW, highlighting a strong reliance on solar growth and significant disparities in progress across different states.

This report by Ember analyses state-wise renewable energy (RE) capacity in India as of March 2022, evaluating progress toward the national target of 175 GW by December 2022. It highlights significant regional disparities, with a small number of states driving most of the new capacity while many others fall well behind their targets.

This case study document describes the Land Accelerator South Asia program, a World Resources Institute (WRI) initiative launched in 2020 to support entrepreneurs developing sustainable business models for restoring degraded forests and farmlands. The document details the program's growth from a 2020 cohort of 15 businesses to a 2021 cohort of 58, and provides detailed profiles of 11 specific restoration startups operating across India and Sri Lanka.

This research paper by Aditya Nigam analyzes the Indian government's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, arguing that the state used the health crisis to further a Hindu supremacist agenda, suppress political dissent, and benefit corporate interests while neglecting the welfare of millions of migrant workers.

This policy brief by RMI examines the 'undergrid minigrid' model piloted in Mokoloki, Nigeria, and discusses its potential application to improve electricity reliability for underserved rural communities in India. The model involves a privately owned solar minigrid sharing existing distribution infrastructure with a utility company to provide reliable last-mile service.