BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 22. India added a record 22 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity in the first half of 2025 — a 57% increase from the same period last year — according to Rystad Energy, Trend reports.
The surge included 18.4 GW of solar, 3.5 GW of wind, and 250 megawatts (MW) of bioenergy, marking the country’s highest-ever addition in a six-month period.
This growth was largely fueled by developers fast-tracking projects to benefit from the government’s Interstate Transmission System (ISTS) charge waiver, which begins at 25% and will be phased out by June 2028, significantly reducing project costs.
India now has 234 GW of installed clean energy capacity, including large hydropower, edging closer to its goal of sourcing 50% of capacity from non-fossil sources. However, fossil fuels still dominate actual power generation, accounting for around 75% of electricity produced in the first half of the year.
Nuclear power is also gaining traction. A 700-MW reactor at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project was recently connected to the grid, and plans for the country’s first small modular reactor (SMR) have been approved in Bihar. Still, coal remains central, with 80 GW of new thermal capacity in the pipeline.
Battery energy storage is expanding rapidly, with 7.6 GW awarded in the first half of the year—5.4 GW for solar-plus-storage and 2.2 GW for standalone BESS. Tariffs are trending down, encouraging wider adoption. Key winners in recent auctions include Jindal Group, NTPC, ReNew, JSW Energy, Reliance Power, and Adani Green.
India’s western states continue to lead the renewable rollout, with Rajasthan (37.4 GW), Gujarat (35.5 GW), and Tamil Nadu (22.4 GW total) at the forefront. While renewable momentum is strong, India’s energy strategy remains focused on expanding total capacity—both clean and conventional—to meet rising demand and ensure energy security.
