While renewables installed capacity accounted for 45.4% of India’s total capacity, solar takes the major share within the renewables sector. (Photo Credit: Mercom) 
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Solar Accounts For Over 21% Of India’s Power Mix In Q4 2024: Mercom

India's solar generation capacity reached record highs in 2024, outpacing coal growth

Vikranth

  • According to Mercom, solar accounted for 21.2% of India’s total installed power capacity and 46.8% of total installed renewable capacity

  • India's installed solar capacity rose 10.5% QoQ and 57.2% YoY

  • Renewables comprised 45.4 % of the country's cumulative installed power capacity

According to Mercom, solar energy accounted for 21.2% of India’s total installed power generation capacity as of Q4 2024. The country's installed solar capacity rose 10.5% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) and 57.2% year-over-year (YoY). Renewables, including large hydroelectric power projects, comprised 45.4 % of the country's cumulative installed power capacity, at 209.7 GW as of December 2024.

India’s total installed power capacity increased 11.5 GW in the last quarter of 2024 to 462.2 GW, says Mercom. This compares to about 14.9 GW of new capacity installed during the whole of H1 2024 (see India Installed 15 GW New Solar Capacity During CY H1 2024, Says Mercom).

Conventional sources of energy, including nuclear, totaled 54.6% of the country’s total installed capacity, down from close to 58% in December 2023. Coal accounted for the majority of this total, at 45.9%. However, installed capacity for conventional sources rose 0.5% QoQ, driven by growing power demand. Coal capacity saw a 0.6% increase QoQ while nuclear capacity rose 9.4% during the year.

Wind energy installed capacity totaled 48.2 GW, or 10.4% of the total, growing 1.7% QoQ and 7.7% YoY. Large hydro accounted for 10.2% of the total with 47 GW of installed capacity. Biomass and small hydro stood at 10.7 GW and 5.1 GW, respectively, or 2.3% or 1.1% of the total, respectively.