For the first time in India’s history solar power generation cross the milestone of 10 terawatt hours in a quarter. The milestone is a testament to the rapid increase in India’s solar power capacity over the last few years given the strong emphasis of the government on promotion of renewable energy technologies.
India’s coal-heavy thermal power generation sector left solar and wind energy sector behind in terms of new capacity added in the first quarter of this year. The decline in new capacity added in the renewable energy segment should ring alarm bells for the government as it seems to be falling behind its ambitious capacity targets for 2022.
Growth in India’s power transmission infrastructure seems to lag the pace at which wind energy capacity is being offered in tenders. This seems to be the case if one examines a recent report by India’s Central Electricity Authority that heads long-term power infrastructure planning in the country.
For a fourth consecutive quarter, India added more renewable energy and solar capacity than thermal and coal-based capacity. A net capacity of 2.2 gigawatts was added across India, across technologies with solar grabbing a share of 62%.
India’s largest power generator NTPC Limited achieved a unique feat that signals the company’s direction in the future. The company reported over 100 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar power generation in a month for the first time ever, achieved in August 2017.
From the quarters starting April 2016 and ending March 2017, India saw more renewable energy capacity added to its grid than thermal power capacity. This is perhaps the first time in India’s history when renewable energy capacity dominated thermal power capacity.
India added the least renewable energy capacity it has added in six quarters during Q2 2017, which is also 25% less than what was added during the same period last year.
