India Solar Parks

• Government of India says it has sanctioned over 19 GW of capacity for 32 solar parks in 20 states
• The country is confident of achieving its solar target of 100 GW of grid connected capacity by 2022
• Current installed capacity of India is over 6.7 GW; 2016-17 official target is 12 GW
• Total share of renewable energy in power generation increased from 4.97% in 2012-13 to 5.7% by February 2016

India has so far sanctioned 19,400 MW solar power capacity for 32 solar parks in around 20 states. The Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Piyush Goyal said that a solar capacity of 20,000 MW has been targeted under the existing solar park scheme. The country is aiming for grid connected solar power capacity of 100 GW by 2022, out of which 60 GW is to come from large scale solar power plants.

India currently has an installed capacity of 6.7 GW (see India Overachieves target), and official records put the target for 2016-17 at 12 GW. Every single year counts for the country. However, the recent report India Solar Handbook 2016 expects total capacity addition in the current fiscal year to be 5.4 GW (see India Solar Handbook 2016).

Yet, the government seems confident of achieving the number. According to Goyal, the country exceeded the solar target by 116% in 2015-16 over the previous year and has already awarded solar projects of 11 GW. "With 21 GW of grid-connected new solar projects out in the market, India has signalled to the world that we're ready to lead," he said.

The country has increased the share of renewable energy in total power generation from 4.97% in 2012-13 to 5.7% as of February 2016. By 2022, it is aiming for the figure to touch 8%.