New Delhi, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) India added 30.6 GW of renewable energy capacity during the first half of 2026, marking a 25 per cent year-on-year increase, with solar power accounting for the bulk of the new installations, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said on Friday.
In a post on social media platform X, the minister said solar energy led the expansion, with the country adding 26.34 GW of solar capacity between January and June, reflecting a robust 43 per cent year-on-year growth.
According to data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), India's total installed renewable energy capacity, including large hydro, stood at 288 GW as of June 30, accounting for 52 per cent of the country's overall installed power generation capacity.
Solar energy remained the largest contributor to the renewable energy mix with an installed capacity of 162 GW, while wind power capacity reached 57 GW.
“India's clean energy journey continues to gather unprecedented momentum under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the minister mentioned.
“In the first half of 2026, India added 30,581.31 MW of renewable energy capacity, registering an impressive 25 per cent growth over the same period last year,” the minister added.
India's renewable energy expansion follows a strong performance in 2025, when annual capacity additions rose by nearly 60 per cent, the fastest growth among major global markets, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The IEA said India commissioned nearly 50 GW of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity last year, almost double the level recorded in the previous year. Wind energy additions also doubled during 2025, crossing the 6 GW mark.
“These milestones reaffirm India's unwavering commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition and building a sustainable, self-reliant future,” Joshi stated.
However, the agency noted that offshore wind projects in India continue to face setbacks due to project cancellations and delays.
It said the global offshore wind industry is grappling with multiple challenges, with developers scaling back their 2030 deployment targets because of policy changes in the United States and cost as well as supply chain issues affecting projects in Europe, India and Japan.
The rapid increase in renewable energy capacity comes even as India's power grid faces growing operational challenges due to higher penetration of variable renewable energy.
Source: IANS
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