MNRE: India’s Ground-Mounted Solar PV Potential Exceeds 3 TW

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) estimates the country’s feasible ground-mounted solar PV capacity at around 3,343 GW. This potential could be achieved by utilizing about 6.69% of the total identified feasible wasteland.

This is more than 300% higher than the 749 GW estimated in 2014, and will require a manifold increase from the 93.9 GW installed till the end of August 2025 out of more than 123 GW cumulative installed PV capacity of the country. 

The new figure comes from using advanced methods such as high-resolution GIS, satellite data with the help of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and improved land-use models. It integrated infrastructure and technical design factors, such as inter-row spacing, shading, and proximity of the solar assets to substations and road networks. 

In the report titled Solar PV Potential Assessment of India (Ground Mounted), which the ministry worked on along with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), the state with the largest potential is Rajasthan, with 828.78 GW. Other states with more than 200 GW potential are Maharashtra with 486.68 GW, Madhya Pradesh with 318.97 GW, Andhra Pradesh with 299.31 GW, Gujarat with 234.22 GW, Karnataka with 223.28 GW, and Tamil Nadu with 204.77 GW.

The ministry explains that India’s ground-mounted solar potential is not limited to the desert regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat alone, but is spread all across the country, even in the hilly regions of the Northeast. The state of Assam holds 19.17 GW potential, Meghalaya 14.67 GW, while Tripura can install 9.11 GW. It attributes this potential to favorable solar geometry and land-use efficiency. 

MNRE says that this updated, scientific, and ‘spatially resolved assessment’ provides a policy-linked, investment-ready framework to guide project siting, infrastructure development, and private sector participation.  

“The results are directly aligned with India’s Panchamrit commitments announced at COP26 and support the nation’s long-term goals of energy independence by 2047 and net-zero emissions by 2070,” added the ministry.  

India’s Panchamrit goals for 2030 are reaching 500 GW non-fossil fuel energy capacity, achieving 50% of its energy requirements from renewable energy, reducing total projected carbon emissions by 1 billion tons, reducing carbon intensity of the economy by 45% over 2005 levels, and achieving the net-zero emissions target by 2070. 

On the occasion of the report launch, India’s New and Renewable Energy Minister, Pralhad Joshi, also inaugurated the 1st training program on solar cell and module manufacturing at NISE. This is aimed at developing a skilled workforce in line with the country’s growing solar PV manufacturing capacity, which exceeds 100 GW for modules and over 15 GW for cells (see India Hits 100 GW Domestic Solar PV Manufacturing Milestone).