Record renewables: India goes greener and greener

Over a twelve-month period, the Indian subcontinent has written a historic chapter in its transition towards a sustainable energy model. Thanks to a package of investments worth around 22.3 billion dollars, the country has added over 50 GW in power generated by renewable sources (largely solar, with 35 GW), bringing its total non-fossil capacity to around 262 GW out of an overall value of 510 GW. This means that, with over 50% of its installed capacity coming from non-fossil sources, India has achieved its green target five years ahead of the goal set by the Paris Agreement. Moreover, this acceleration has rocketed India to the upper echelons of world rankings of nations with the highest proportion of renewables, behind the United States and China.

Energy in the context of a growing economy. The rapid expansion of renewables is part of a wider transformation in the Indian energy economy. However, this must rise to meet the challenges of growing demand, a dependence on coal and ambitious goals for 2030.
Today, India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a matching rise in the demand for energy. In fact, there are predictions that national energy needs could quadruple over the coming decades. However, in order to maintain competitiveness, reduce atmospheric pollution and honour its climate commitments, the country is significantly accelerating its adoption of clean energy.
Despite record-setting renewable efforts, coal continues to play a significant role in the production of electricity, particularly during peak times or when weather conditions limit solar and wind generation. This “paradox” of green growth alongside the heavy use of fossil fuels is pushing India to examine hybrid strategies, including energy-storing policies and new nuclear-friendly technologies.

Electricity grids: the “invisible” backbone. Electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure represents the beating heart of the transition: without strong, smart grids even the most ambitious expansion in clean sources risks proving ineffective or underused. Adding gigawatt after gigawatt of renewable capacity is not sufficient by itself if the energy produced cannot reach consumers. In India, many solar panels and wind turbines are installed in remote regions or located far from large consumption centres. This is where the transmission grid comes into play: it must be capable of transporting the energy generated, balancing variable loads and connecting far-flung systems in a reliable and competitive manner.
Reports from the sector have revealed that, despite the boom in new installations, the development of transmission grids is struggling to keep up with the growth in renewables, causing project delays and even “blockages” of capacity in certain areas due to congestion and a lack of dedicated transport lines.

Investments and planning for an increasingly innovative and integrated grid. In order to enable an effective energy transition, India is mobilising resources not just for generation, but also for the modernisation of the electricity grid, integrating digital technologies, storage and advanced management systems.
The grids of the future are not simply long-distance cables, but must be smart: capable of responding to fluctuating generation and demand in real time. This requires investments in technologies like battery storage, automated management systems and the capacity to integrate a variety of widely scattered sources. According to independent analyses, it is only with adequate storage systems and a modernised grid that India will be able to guarantee operational stability while aiming at the goal of 500 GW of renewables by 2030. This same principle guides many strategies for investment in energy infrastructure across the globe: clean energy must be transmitted, balanced and distributed with the same accuracy and reliability with which it is generated.