India’s Renewables Push: Solar Power Reliance Cuts Coal Dependence In Last Three Years

Last Updated:March 25, 2026, 12:21 AM IST

Data shows that solar has increasingly substituted coal power during daytime hours, while wind energy continues to support power generation during the night and early morning

India’s aggressive solar expansion has been a key pillar of the renewable energy push under PM Narendra Modi. (Image: AP/File)

At a time when the world is facing a major energy crisis due to the conflict in West Asia, India’s growing reliance on renewable energy, particularly solar power, has significantly reduced its dependence on coal-based thermal generation in the last three years.

According to data from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), solar energy has increasingly substituted coal-based power during daytime hours, while wind energy continues to support electricity generation during the night and early morning.

The CEA data shows that solar power generation has shown a steady rise during the period under review. India generated 102 billion units (BU) of solar energy in 2022-23, which increased to 116 BU in 2023-24 and further to 144 BU in 2024-25. This takes total solar generation over the past three years to 362 BU.

The data indicates that this surge in solar output has translated into substantial coal savings. Based on a normative coal requirement of 0.65 kg per unit of electricity generated, the coal needed for producing 362 BU would have been approximately 235 million tonnes (MT). As a result, the CEA estimates that nearly 235 MT coal has been saved in the last three years due to solar energy replacing thermal power generation.

India’s aggressive solar expansion has been a key pillar of the renewable energy push under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Flagship initiatives such as the National Solar Mission, large-scale solar parks, and the promotion of rooftop solar have driven capacity addition across the country.

India has also positioned itself as a global leader in clean energy through the International Solar Alliance, co-founded by New Delhi. The Centre has set an ambitious target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, with solar expected to play a central role.

The figures underline the growing role of renewables in India’s energy mix and their impact in reducing fossil fuel dependence, even as demand for electricity continues to rise.

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