India Hits 50% Non-Fossil Power Capacity Five Years Early
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

India Hits 50% Non-Fossil Power Capacity Five Years Early

India has achieved 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources—five years ahead of the target set under its Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. As of 31 October 2025, non-fossil capacity stands at approximately 259 GW, with 31.2 GW added so far in the current financial year.

Between April 2023 and October 2025, Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy—SECI, NTPC, NHPC and SJVN—have issued Letters of Award (LoAs) totalling 67,554 MW. No LoAs have been cancelled. In addition to REIA-led tenders, states are issuing their own renewable procurement bids, and further capacity is being added through Green Energy Open Access and captive routes in the commercial and industrial sectors. Renewable capacity growth is therefore progressing through multiple channels.

With declining costs of solar-plus-storage and dispatchable renewable power, distribution companies and major consumers are increasingly favouring solutions that can supply energy during peak hours. This shift has reduced the demand for plain solar projects. Solar-plus-storage is now being preferred over wind–solar hybrids, due to its ability to provide firm, time-specific output. The Government has accordingly encouraged REIAs to move away from plain solar tenders and instead issue bids for solar with storage, renewable energy configured for peak-hour supply and firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE).

To ensure timely execution of power purchase agreements (PPAs), the Government has urged states to comply with the Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) under the Energy Conservation Act. REIAs have also been advised to aggregate demand from DISCOMs and bulk consumers before designing tenders. Regional workshops with major renewable-procuring states have been held to address operational bottlenecks and accelerate PPA signing.

The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) prepares long-term transmission plans based on renewable potential identified by MNRE, giving developers visibility on future network availability. Transmission systems are implemented in phases to match generation additions and optimise network utilisation.

For planning up to 2032, around 47.2 GW of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has been incorporated. BESS deployment enables peak shifting, reduces congestion and enhances transmission asset utilisation. Recent regulations—specifically the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s 2025 amendment on Connectivity and General Network Access—mandate granting grid connectivity for both solar and non-solar hours. This measure will improve transmission efficiency and allow additional renewable energy, including co-located BESS, to be integrated without requiring parallel expansion of transmission corridors.

This information was provided in the Rajya Sabha by Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi.

India has achieved 50 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources—five years ahead of the target set under its Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. As of 31 October 2025, non-fossil capacity stands at approximately 259 GW, with 31.2 GW added so far in the current financial year. Between April 2023 and October 2025, Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies (REIAs) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy—SECI, NTPC, NHPC and SJVN—have issued Letters of Award (LoAs) totalling 67,554 MW. No LoAs have been cancelled. In addition to REIA-led tenders, states are issuing their own renewable procurement bids, and further capacity is being added through Green Energy Open Access and captive routes in the commercial and industrial sectors. Renewable capacity growth is therefore progressing through multiple channels. With declining costs of solar-plus-storage and dispatchable renewable power, distribution companies and major consumers are increasingly favouring solutions that can supply energy during peak hours. This shift has reduced the demand for plain solar projects. Solar-plus-storage is now being preferred over wind–solar hybrids, due to its ability to provide firm, time-specific output. The Government has accordingly encouraged REIAs to move away from plain solar tenders and instead issue bids for solar with storage, renewable energy configured for peak-hour supply and firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE). To ensure timely execution of power purchase agreements (PPAs), the Government has urged states to comply with the Renewable Consumption Obligation (RCO) under the Energy Conservation Act. REIAs have also been advised to aggregate demand from DISCOMs and bulk consumers before designing tenders. Regional workshops with major renewable-procuring states have been held to address operational bottlenecks and accelerate PPA signing. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) prepares long-term transmission plans based on renewable potential identified by MNRE, giving developers visibility on future network availability. Transmission systems are implemented in phases to match generation additions and optimise network utilisation. For planning up to 2032, around 47.2 GW of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has been incorporated. BESS deployment enables peak shifting, reduces congestion and enhances transmission asset utilisation. Recent regulations—specifically the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission’s 2025 amendment on Connectivity and General Network Access—mandate granting grid connectivity for both solar and non-solar hours. This measure will improve transmission efficiency and allow additional renewable energy, including co-located BESS, to be integrated without requiring parallel expansion of transmission corridors. This information was provided in the Rajya Sabha by Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi.

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement