India’s 4.8 GW H1 Installations Top 2016 Additions

In the first half of 2017, India added 4,765 MW of new PV capacity, with 1,869 MW installed in Q2/2017, resulting in 13.6 GW total installed capacity

Solar installations in Q2/2017 comprised 1,639 MW of large scale solar and 230 MW rooftop solar capacity

Andhra Pradesh became the first Indian state to cross 2 GW of cumulative PV capacity

Mercom Capital Group expects India to install 10.5 GW of new solar power capacity in 2017

In the first half of 2017, India installed 4,765 MW of new PV capacity, which is more than the 4,313 MW installed the entire year of 2016.

A total of 1,869 MW was installed in Q2/2017 of which 1,639 MW was contributed by large scale solar plants, while rooftop solar added only 230 MW.

Conflicting statistics for rooftop solar

For rooftop solar, conflicting estimates have been shared by both government as well as consultancies in the recent past. In a National Review Meeting of State Principal Secretaries and State Nodal Agencies of Renewable Energy in January 2017, the government said the country's rooftop solar capacity by December 2016 was 506 MW.

However in October 2016, Bridge to India announced India had an installed solar rooftop PV capacity of 1,020 MW. In July 2017, Bridge to India stated in a report that India's rooftop PV segment had reached 1,396 MW by March 31, 2017.

Now, Mercom says rooftop solar installations have crossed 1 GW at the end of H1/2017.

Nonetheless, a Parliamentary Committee in India has asked the government to 'reconsider' its rooftop PV target of 40 GW by 2022 as it is 'unrealistic' (see Govt Panel Finds Rooftop Target 'Unrealistic').  

Andhra Pradesh crosses 2 GW solar capacity

In terms of states, Andhra Pradesh leads the rest as the only state to have installed over 2 GW of solar, followed by Rajasthan with 1.9 GW, Telangana with 1.87 MW, Karnataka with 1.28 MW, Gujarat with 1.17 MW and Madhya Pradesh with 1.16 MW. All these seven states have exceeded 1 GW of installed solar capacity.  

2017 expected to close with 10.5 GW of new installations

India's cumulative solar power capacity at the end of March 31, 2017 was 12,288.83 MW (see India Installed Over 5 GW In FY 2016-17). At the end of June, total installed capacity reached 13.6 GW, according to Mercom.

Utility scale projects of 12.2 GW are currently under construction and 6.3 GW of tenders are waiting to be auctioned. In 2017, Mercom expects India to install 10.5 GW of new solar power capacity compared to 4.3 GW installed last year.

Recently a report by ASSOCHAM in India warned that if India wants to achieve its 100 GW solar power capacity target by 2022, it must install over 15 GW every year from 2018 onward. For 2017-18, it could install 10 GW (see "India Must Install 10 GW In FY 2017-18").

"The Indian solar market had its best first half and is on pace to have its best year," said Raj Prabhu, CEO and Co-founder of Mercom Capital Group. "However, uncertainty around GST rates, utilities renegotiating to get better rates, and the recently initiated anti-dumping case have stalled momentum in the sector and could have a significant negative effect on installations in 2018."