India a Key Driver of the Global Renewable Energy Surge; Records Highest-Ever 31.25 GW Non-Fossil Addition in FY 25-26
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy | Ministry of Power
The Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, announced that India is a key driver of the explosive global surge in renewable energy, having recorded its highest-ever addition of non-fossil capacity in the current financial year (FY 2025-26) at 31.25 GW. This record addition includes 24.28 GW of solar capacity.
Key Milestones and Global Context:
Historic Solar Growth: In the last 11 years, India’s solar capacity has increased by over 4,500%, surging from 2.8 GW to around 130 GW.
Global Contribution: The world added the second terawatt (TW) of renewable energy in just two years (2022–2024), and India contributed 46 GW to global solar additions in that period, making it the third-largest contributor globally.
Strategic Transition: Despite holding the world’s fifth-largest coal reserves and being the second-largest coal consumer, India is steadily balancing coal with renewable energy as the transition gathers pace. The shift towards renewable energy is now considered urgent and strategically important due to global mechanisms shaping industrial competitiveness.
Odisha’s New Initiative and Progress:
New Model: The Minister announced the approval of a consumer-owned Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana for installing 1.5 lakh rooftop solar systems (1 kW each) in Odisha.
Impact: This new model is designed to empower and benefit nearly 7–8 lakh people across the State, particularly those from economically weaker households.
State Progress: Odisha currently has over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, with clean energy accounting for more than 34 percent of its total installed power capacity.
The ULA model is a consumer-owned framework being implemented under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, where a utility (e.g., a state electricity distribution company) acts as the aggregator to facilitate the installation of large numbers of small-scale rooftop solar systems (e.g., 1 kW units). This model simplifies the process, ensures quality, and helps scale solar deployment, particularly for individual households in a standardized manner.
Policy Relevance
India’s record clean energy capacity addition and the strategic deployment of the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model in states like Odisha underscore a commitment to both national climate goals and energy equity. This expansion is crucial for maintaining industrial competitiveness globally and aligning the energy sector with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision by demonstrating strong Center–State cooperation and private investment confidence.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: What monitoring and financial support framework will the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy use to ensure the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model is adopted universally across all states to achieve solar capacity targets for economically weaker households?
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