In Short : Pralhad Joshi, India’s Minister of Coal and Mines, has emphasized the nation’s ambition to become a global leader in green hydrogen production. He stated that India aims to leverage its vast renewable energy resources to drive the green hydrogen economy. The government is focusing on policy support, technological innovation, and infrastructure development to position India as a hub for green hydrogen, which is crucial for reducing carbon emissions and achieving energy security. Joshi’s vision aligns with India’s broader goal of sustainable energy transition and decarbonization.
In Detail : It has been an interesting year for the renewables sector in India, marked by landmark policy interventions aimed at driving a systemic transition to clean energy across all segments of society. From agriculture to residential areas and corporate entities, the push towards sustainable energy solutions has been evident in the past few years. Moreover, a variety of business models across various renewable energy segments are being explored to accelerate clean energy deployment. Taking charge as the minister of new and renewable energy this year, Pralhad Joshi has an exciting road ahead as India marches towards 500 GW of clean power by 2030. Against this backdrop, the minister discussed the country’s achievements in the renewables sector and emphasised the importance of global collaborations at recent events…
India has made notable progress in renewable energy, despite its per capita carbon emissions being one of the lowest in the world. Even our power consumption is very low, at almost one-third of the global average. Meanwhile, we are actively working to reduce our carbon footprint.
India has made significant strides in the renewable energy sector. The country’s installed renewable energy capacity has increased by 165 per cent over the past decade, rising from 76 GW in 2014 to 200 GW in 2024. The total renewable energy generation has also grown from 193.50 BUs to 360 BUs, registering a growth of 86 per cent. It has achieved most of its Nationally Determined Contributions well ahead of schedule. The target of 40 per cent installed capacity from non-fossil fuel and waste to energy sources was achieved in 2021, nine years ahead of schedule. Additionally, India reduced its GDP emissions intensity by 33 per cent in 2019, 11 years before the target.
As a global climate leader, India champions practical, affordable and sustainable solutions to meet its developmental needs. Witnessing a remarkable growth rate, solar energy has swiftly risen as the most promising clean energy technology in India. We are proud of our recent achievement of adding 14.9 GW of solar capacity in the first half of calendar year 2024. With this, we have achieved a 282 per cent increase compared to the first half of 2023. This is the highest half-yearly solar power installation recorded in the country till now. India’s cumulative installed solar power capacity stands at over 87 GW, with utility-scale projects making up about 87 per cent of the installations and rooftop solar accounting for over 13 per cent.
In order to further boost rooftop solar installation, India launched the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana this year, which I believe is one of the best schemes globally. The scheme aims to install rooftop solar plants in 10 million households, and I am quite confident our team is working exceptionally well to achieve that target within the stipulated timelines. India’s solar capacity has increased significantly with the introduction of the scheme. This initiative, one of the world’s largest in renewable energy, has already benefited more than 350,000 people. In a matter of a few months the number of registrations for this rooftop solar scheme crossed 13 million. These achievements are a testament to our effort towards fulfilling the COP26 commitment of reaching 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. States not only contribute to India’s vision of a greener future but also play a key role in attracting and nurturing investments in the renewable sector.
We are also committed to making India a world leader in the green hydrogen sector. This commitment sends a clear message about India’s aspirations for a leadership position in clean energy and underscores its emerging dominance in the green hydrogen sector. Through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, we aim to position India as a global hub for producing green hydrogen and its derivatives.
This mission has achieved significant progress, including the awarding of 3,000 MW of capacity for electrolyser manufacturing and 412,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) for green hydrogen production, and issuing tenders for 450,000 tpa of green hydrogen capacity and 739,000 tpa of green ammonia production. Pilot projects are likely to be initiated in the steel, shipping and mobility sectors. The government has also launched the research and development scheme with an outlay of Rs 4 billion to support research activities in the green hydrogen ecosystem. A tender for 750,000 tpa of green ammonia is currently live, with additional tenders for 450,000 tpa capacity also floated. These efforts are part of India’s broader strategy to award incentives for the production of over a million tonnes per annum of green hydrogen, demonstrating its capability and intent to scale up green energy production at an unprecedented pace. This mission not only has the potential to attract Rs 8 trillion in investments and generate 600,000 jobs but will also significantly reduce reliance on imported natural gas and ammonia, leading to savings of Rs 1 trillion.
In our pursuit, we must not forget our responsibility to empower communities lacking access to energy. Power, as we know, is essential for better quality of life. Even today, 675 million people worldwide remain in the dark without access to electricity. This situation had persisted in India as well, with around 18,000 villages lacking power connectivity till 2014. However, between 2014 and 2017, all 18,000 villages were connected to the electricity grid within 1,000 days.
As mentioned earlier, 670 million people worldwide remain without access to electricity, while twice that number face unreliable energy access. Thus, ensuring energy access for all is a priority and therefore we must expedite the shift to renewable energy sources. The International Solar Alliance (ISA) furthers this vision through the creation of an ecosystem to solarise underserved communities across the globe. As a founding member of the ISA, India is committed to supporting global efforts, especially in the Global South, ensuring an inclusive path to a sustainable future for all nations.
The ISA aims to stimulate entrepreneurship and drive solar deployment to address the gap in energy and investment. By encouraging these entrepreneurial ventures, it aims to unlock the full potential of solar energy, facilitating the transition towards a sustainable and low-carbon future. Further, guarantee mechanisms are an excellent medium to bring in private sector investment and I am glad to see that the ISA provides such guarantees in a limited manner to our member countries in Africa through the Affordable Finance at Scale programme. In partnership with financial institutions across the world, a global solar facility has also been established to bridge the investment gap for supporting viable solar projects in risk-induced and remote regions around the world.
India’s ambitious goal of reaching 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 is receiving widespread support from various key stakeholders, including states, utilities, developers, financial institutions and manufacturers. Developers have committed to an additional 570 GW of capacity, demonstrating strong industry confidence in the country’s renewable energy future. Meanwhile, manufacturers have pledged to significantly increase their production capacity for solar modules, solar cells, wind turbines and electrolysers. Moreover, banks and financial institutions have committed an additional $386 billion in financing by 2030, further bolstering the nation’s ambitious renewable energy goals.
This demonstrates the speed, scale and scope with which New India is progressing towards its vision. As we set the tone for the future of renewables, the journey ahead will be undoubtedly beset with challenges, but it is through our collective will and collaborative efforts that we will overcome them. Together, we can turn this vision into reality and harness the potential that India offers in the renewable energy sector.
