India Adds a Record 25 GW of Renewable Energy Capacity
India Records Breakthrough Year in Energy Transition
India has had a breakthrough year in its energy transition. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has announced a record 25 GW increase in installed renewable energy capacity for the fiscal year 2024/25. This represents a 35% growth compared to 18.57 GW the previous year. The driving force behind this growth has been the solar power sector, which alone accounted for nearly 21 GW of the new capacity—38% more than in 2023.
Solar Power Surge – Installed Capacity Exceeds 100 GW
Thanks to this exceptional growth, India’s total installed solar capacity has surpassed 100 GW. This achievement places the country among the global leaders in renewable energy investment, confirming its ambition to reach 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.
Looking at the numbers, India nearly doubled its photovoltaic (PV) module production capacity from 38 GW in March 2024 to 74 GW in March 2025. An even more impressive increase was seen in PV cell production, which tripled from 9 GW to 25 GW. The country also launched its first silicon wafer manufacturing plant (2 GW).
As part of the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) program for high-efficiency PV modules, ₹41 billion (about $500 million USD) has been invested, creating 11,650 new jobs.
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana Program Success
The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana program, which subsidizes household PV installations, has benefited over 1.1 million households. The government provided ₹54.37 billion (around $636 million USD) in subsidies to 698,000 beneficiaries, leading to approximately 3.29 GW of installed capacity on rooftops.
Green Hydrogen: A New Pillar of Decarbonization
The green hydrogen sector is also growing rapidly. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the government allocated:
- ₹22 billion for the development of electrolyzer production capacity (1,500 MW annually),
- ₹22.4 billion for the production of 450,000 tons of green hydrogen annually.
Additionally, the government financed:
- 7 pilot projects in the steel industry,
- 5 transportation projects, including 37 hydrogen vehicles and 9 fueling stations.
Record Results for the PM-KUSUM Program
The PM-KUSUM program, which supports farmers with solar-powered pumps, achieved impressive results:
- 440,000 pumps were installed under Component B, representing a more than fourfold year-on-year increase.
- 260,000 pumps were connected to PV under Component C, a 25-fold increase.
- Over a million solar pumps were installed nationwide.
Financial expenditures for this program reached nearly ₹2.7 billion, marking a 268% increase compared to the previous year.
IREDA: Strong Financial Support for Green Transition
The Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), a key financing body for renewable energy investments, approved funding of ₹474.53 billion (about $5.56 billion USD), a 27% year-on-year increase. Credit disbursements rose by 20%, exceeding ₹30 billion.
Mandatory Biogas Blending with CNG
As part of its transportation and household decarbonization strategy, the government announced mandatory biogas blending with compressed natural gas (CNG) and piped natural gas (PNG). Starting from the 2025/26 fiscal year, biogas will make up 1% of the blend, rising to 5% by the 2028/29 fiscal year.
India Close to Being a Global Renewable Energy Leader
According to the Minister of Renewable Energy, Shri Prahlad Joshi, India may already be ranked third in the world in terms of installed renewable energy capacity. The 222.86 GW figure is impressive and demonstrates that the country is steadily moving towards a clean, sustainable, and self-sufficient energy future.
Source: ibef.org