India crosses 300 GW of non-fossil power capacity, meets over 60% of 2030 target

India’s non-fossil electricity capacity has crossed 300 GW, with solar accounting for 164.59 GW and the country over halfway to its 2030 target.

Updated on: Aug 10, 2026, 09:13:08 IST

By Jasjeev Gandhiok, New Delhi

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India has crossed 300 GW (gigawatt) of installed non-fossil electricity capacity, the Centre said on Sunday, adding that this was yet another key milestone in the country’s green energy transition. This is over 60% of the 500 GW capacity target the government has set – to be achieved by 2030.

India’s non-fossil electricity capacity crossed 300 GW as of July 31, 2026, with solar power accounting for more than half of the total. (ANI Photo/ Image for representation)

Data shared by the ministry of new and renewable (MNRE) showed as on July 31, 2026, India’s total non-fossil electricity capacity stood at 300.50 GW, comprising 164.59 GW from solar power, 58.14 GW of wind power, 57.24 GW of large and small hydropower, 11.75 GW of bio-power and 8.78 GW through nuclear power.

“The share of non-fossil fuel electricity capacity in the country’s total electricity generation capacity (which is around 552 GW at present), has reached over 54%. Backed through the key policy enablers provided by the Government for this transformation, this monumental achievement highlights India’s rapid progress towards building an Aatmanirbhar energy ecosystem and securing the target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030,” the ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

Also read: For India to achieve sustainability, nuclear power must scale

Solar leads India’s non-fossil capacity growth

The rapid uptick has particularly been strong in the solar sector. India’s solar capacity has increased from just 2.8 GW in 2014 to 164.59 GW at present, while wind capacity has grown from around 21 GW to 58.14 GW over the same period.

“Renewable energy generation has risen from 190.96 billion units in 2014-15 to 477.79 billion units in 2025-26, demonstrating that the transition is being reflected not only in installed capacity but also in actual electricity generation. The pace of expansion continues to accelerate. During 2025-26 alone, India added a record 55.29 GW of non-fossil electricity capacity, including 44.6 GW of solar and 6 GW of wind capacity, the highest annual addition of non-fossil capacity recorded in the country,” the ministry added.

Also read: Bathinda MC to build Punjab’s first solar-powered, zero-waste civic office

Floating solar scheme targets 5,000 MW

While the transition has been led by key initiatives like the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana are to bring renewable energy to household rooftops and PM-KUSUM for the agriculture sector, the Union cabinet had on July 31 approved a new ‘Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana (PM-SSY)’ – a scheme to install floating solar panels across the country’s reservoirs and water bodies.

Also read: ‘100,000 houses installing solar systems a week under PM Surya Ghar’

The scheme envisages installing 5,000 MW of floating solar panels across the country, with each project mandatorily installing a minimum storage capacity of two hours (10,000 MWh).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jasjeev Gandhiok
Jasjeev Gandhiok is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times, where he covers environment, climate change, the clean energy transition and wildlife at the National Bureau. Gandhiok has over a decade of experience in journalism and is based in Delhi. He has reported extensively on Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR). This includes the region's air pollution woes, a polluted Yamuna and on urban wildlife still thriving in the region. He joined HT in October 2021. Prior to that, he had five-year stint at The Times of India in Delhi, where he also covered Delhi, with a focus on environment and wildlife. Gandhiok has covered some recent events around the Capital too, ranging from the farmers' protests, the northeast Delhi riots and the CAA-NRC protests, reporting from the ground on all of these. He also travels across the country to report on how environment and climate change impact everyday life, while also writing on endangered species. His reports in 2019 on toxic leachate from Delhi's landfills led to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) taking suo motu cognisance and ultimately asking the state government to start bio-mining to flatten and remove all three landfills in the capital. He also closely tracks the implementation of government policies on climate, renewable energy and environmental protection. His focus remains on impactful, public-interest journalism which explains how environmental decisions affect people's everyday lives.Read More

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