Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief argues that India is uniquely positioned to lead in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production by utilizing its low-cost solar power and abundant agricultural residue. The authors propose the power-and-biomass-to-liquids (PBtL) pathway as a cost-competitive alternative to fossil jet fuel and other SAF technologies, offering benefits for energy security, air quality, and climate targets.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and Idam Infrastructure Advisory Pvt. Ltd. proposes a system-level framework for planning and implementing distributed renewable energy (DRE) in rural India. Moving beyond fragmented, scheme-driven installations, the study advocates for a 'Model DRE Village' approach that integrates load typology analysis, utility-led planning, and coordinated financing to improve rural electricity reliability and support India's 500 GW non-fossil capacity target by 2030.

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.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative, WRI India, and CEEW analyzes the financial and regulatory landscape for Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Indian cities. It identifies significant gaps in private sector investment, which currently accounts for only 10% of global NbS finance, and provides early recommendations to improve project bankability, diversify funding sources, and strengthen the enabling environment for urban climate resilience in India.

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 report by the Power Foundation of India (PFI) and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the potential of Agriphotovoltaics (Agri-PV)—the co-location of solar power and agriculture—to address land-use conflicts and enhance rural incomes in India. It provides economic modelling for Feed-in Tariffs, identifies regulatory barriers, and offers a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to scale the technology.

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 report by RMI analyzes the techno-economic pathways for green hydrogen production in India, examining 17 states to evaluate the impact of national and subnational policies on production costs. It compares various project configurations—including stand-alone on-site, CTU-connected, and STU-connected projects—and highlights the critical role of transmission charge waivers and capital subsidies in achieving cost competitiveness against grey hydrogen.

This report examines how six key Indian ports can evolve into green hydrogen hubs. It emphasizes the need for a Common User Infrastructure (CUI) framework and the strategic repurposing of existing assets like LNG terminals. While identifying barriers such as high production costs and land acquisition, it highlights that storage costs optimize at a capacity of 1.0–1.5 megatons per year.

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.

This position paper by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and Schneider Electric advocates for gender equality in the renewable energy (RE) sector to accelerate universal energy access by 2030. It argues that women are essential agents of change who reinvest a higher portion of their income into community services than men. The document provides specific recommendations for RE companies, funding partners, and investors to implement gender-sensitive approaches, alongside case studies from India and the Sahel region demonstrating the socio-economic impact of empowering women entrepreneurs and leaders in the energy transition.

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 briefing by RMI explores how distributed solar, particularly rooftop solar (RTS) and decentralized renewable energy (DRE), can alleviate the financial distress of India's electricity distribution companies (Discoms) while helping the country meet its 2030 renewable energy targets and modernize its grid.

This research paper examines the adoption of electricity markets in Indian states to facilitate the clean energy transition. It finds that while real-time markets are growing, overall market penetration remains low (7% of demand) due to inflexible long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs), unpredictable pricing, and poor forecasting. The paper highlights that states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu could achieve significant cost savings by shifting toward day-ahead markets and recommends PPA renegotiation, the introduction of ancillary services, and coordinated resource adequacy planning.

The 2024 Indian States’ Electricity Transition (SET) report, published by IEEFA and Ember, assesses the progress of 21 Indian states across three dimensions: Decarbonisation, Readiness and Performance of the Power Ecosystem, and Market Enablers. The report identifies Gujarat and Karnataka as consistent top performers, while highlighting structural challenges in states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh. It recommends strengthening state-level regulatory frameworks and developing specific state-level transition plans to accelerate the shift toward clean electricity.

This case study examines how Lodha (Macrotech Developers Ltd), a major Indian real estate developer, employs an "emergence strategy" to drive sustainable building practices. By utilizing its Palava project as a smart city learning lab and establishing the Lodha Net Zero Urban Accelerator, the company aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 and set new industry standards for India's rapidly growing urban environment.