Knowledge Nugget: India's ‘green' power capacity overtakes thermal — What you must know for UPSC Exam
India has reached a key climate milestone five years ahead of schedule — as of June 30, non-fossil fuel sources account for 50.1 per cent of the country's installed electricity capacity. When the Paris Agreement on climate change was signed in 2015, India had committed to reaching 40 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. This target was raised to 50 per cent in 2022.
1. The sources — which include nuclear, large hydro, and renewables — made up just 30 per cent of installed capacity in 2015 and 38 per cent in 2020, before rising sharply over the last five years, on the back of solar and wind power.
2. As of June, India's total installed capacity stood at 485 gigawatts (GW). Of this, renewables — including solar, wind, small hydro, and biogas — accounted for 185 GW, according to a press release by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
3. Large hydro capacities contributed 49 GW, and nuclear energy added 9 GW, taking the total non-fossil fuel capacity just over the halfway mark. Thermal power, mostly coal- and gas-based, made up the remaining 242 GW, or 49.9 per cent. In 2015, thermal's share was 70 per cent.
Installed Capacity
Thermal
Non-fossil fuel
Grand Total
Non-fossil fuel share (%)
Nuclear
Large hydro
Renewables*
June 2015
191.26
5.78
42
35.78
274.82
30.4
June 2020
230.9
6.78
45.7
87.67
371.05
37.8
June 2025
242.04
8.78
49.38
184.62
484.82
50.1
*Solar, wind, small hydro, biomass. (Source: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, CEA)
4. Notably, in 2024, India ranked fourth globally in renewable installed capacity, including large hydro, behind only China, the US, and Brazil.
5. The rise in contribution of renewables to India's energy mix marks a significant shift, driven by the rapid addition of solar and wind power in recent years. However, installed thermal capacity falling below the halfway mark does not mean India's reliance on thermal power has dipped below 50 per cent. On the contrary, since renewable sources such as solar and wind are intermittent and cannot generate power around the clock, thermal plants still produce over 70 per cent of the country's electricity.
6. Bringing down thermal's share in power generation — and hitting India's 500 GW non-fossil fuel target by 2030 — will require much more, starting with the stabilisation and strengthening of the grid.
With renewables now contributing 185 GW to India's total installed power capacity, let's understand what the different types of renewable energy sources are.
1. Solar Energy: Solar energy is harnessed from the sun's radiation. It can be transformed into electricity using solar panels (photovoltaic cells) or alternatively can be utilised to produce heat through solar thermal systems. Due to its abundance, solar power stands out as one of the most widely available renewable energy sources. China, the US, India and Japan are among the world's leading producers of solar power.
2. Hydropower: It is created by harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing water in rivers, dams, waterfalls, etc. It is one of the oldest and most widely used forms of renewable energy.
3. Biomass Energy: Biomass is produced from organic materials such as plant residues, animal waste, and wood. It can be heated or converted to liquid or gaseous fuels for consumption. Its usage includes heating, electricity generation, or biofuels for transportation. It is considered renewable because the materials used can be regrown or replenished.
4. Wind Energy: It is generated by converting the kinetic energy of wind into electricity using wind turbines. Onshore and offshore wind farms have become a significant contributor to the renewable energy mix in many countries like China, India and the US.
5. Geothermal Energy: This form of energy is derived from the Earth's internal heat. These can be naturally occurring hot water reservoirs or can be man-made. Occurring at various depths and varying temperatures below the earth's surface, these geothermal resources can be used for electricity generation and direct heating applications. Geothermal power plants which produce electricity, typically utilise steam or hot water from underground reservoirs.
6. Tidal and Wave Energy: It harnesses the movement of ocean water to generate electricity. Tidal energy relies on the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, whereas wave energy captures the energy of surface waves.
The Energy Transition Index (ETI) 2024, released by the World Economic Forum, ranked 120 countries based on their advancements towards a sustainable, affordable, and secure energy future. Here are the countries leading the way in energy transition, as reported by the World Economic Forum.
Source: ETI 2024, WEF
India has ranked 63rd out of 120 countries in the 2024 Global Energy Transition Index, which is an improvement from its previous position of 67th in 2023.
The Bottom 10 Countries in WEF's energy transition index:
Source: ETI 2024, WEF
1. On October 2, 2015, India submitted its first Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It became a signatory to the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement – an international treaty adopted in 2015, which operates on a five-year cycle of increasingly ambitious climate action plans known as NDC.
2. India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) initially included two main goals: First, to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level, and second, to achieve about 40 per cent of its total installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel energy resources by 2030.
3. In August 2022, India updated these targets: The goal for reducing the emissions intensity of GDP was increased to 45 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level, and the target for non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity was raised to 50 per cent by 2030.
4. In addition, India has set itself a target of achieving 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by the year 2030 (as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the COP26 summit in Glasgow, UK). Furthermore, India is potentially aiming for 1 TW (form 500 GW) by 2035. India has also set a target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
India has implemented various schemes to achieve its renewable energy targets. Some of the key schemes that have contributed to this include:
📌Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme (PM-KUSUM): This scheme promotes the installation of small grid-connected solar power plants, standalone solar pumps, and solarisation of existing grid-connected pumps in rural areas.
📌PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana: It is a government project aimed at providing free power to Indian families. Launched on February 15, 2024, the initiative would give homes with a rebate for installing solar panels on their roofs. The subsidy will pay for up to 40% of the cost of the solar panels. The plan is anticipated to benefit one crore households in India. The scheme will promote the use of renewable energy.
📌Grid Connected Rooftop Solar program (Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana): Under this scheme, solar PV panels are installed on the roof of a building to meet the electricity needs of the building. Surplus solar power units generated from the rooftop solar plant can also be exported to the grid.
📌Green Energy Corridor Scheme: The series of infrastructure projects under this scheme aimed at synchronising the power generated from renewable energy sources with the national grid of India.
📌National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM): The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) implemented the NGHM with a target to achieve a production capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen by 2030. This will support an addition of about 125 GW of renewable energy capacity in our country.
Consider the following statements about Solar Power (PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana):
1. The scheme was launched in 2022.
2. Under the scheme, households will be provided with a subsidy cover of 40 per cent to install solar panels on their roofs.
3. The scheme will promote the use of renewable energy.
How many of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
(Sources: India's 'green' power capacity overtakes thermal: Why it matters, the challenges posed, and what's next, Akshay Urja Day 2024: India making strides in advancing renewable energy,Top 10 countries leading energy transition 2024: Where does India rank on the ETI?)
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Roshni Yadav is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She is an alumna of the University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she pursued her graduation and post-graduation in Political Science. She has over five years of work experience in ed-tech and media. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. Her interests lie in national and international affairs, governance, economy, and social issues. You can contact her via email: roshni.yadav@indianexpress.com ... Read More
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At the same time, high borrowing costs have slowed imports, reducing demand for foreign currency. • The weakness of the US currency, whose index lost 6.6% since President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff announcement on April 2, has also helped the rouble. • Although the central bank says there is a freely floating exchange rate, it has been selling the Chinese yuan, its only major intervention tool, to support the rouble. When the rouble strengthens against the yuan, its rate against the dollar strengthens as well to avoid arbitrage. Do You Know: • The strength of the rouble means that dollar-denominated energy revenues generate fewer roubles for the Russian budget. A weaker rouble would boost budget revenues. The 2025 budget assumes an average rate of 94.3 roubles per dollar, but the current rate is around 78. If the rouble stays strong, analysts estimate the budget could lose 2.4% of its revenues this year. • Russian businesses also argue a strong rouble is making exports more expensive to buyers in dollars and other currencies. Exporters, from oil to metals to agriculture, are hurting. A stronger rouble makes their revenues shrink. Many officials and business leaders say they would prefer a rate of 100 to the dollar. • Analysts have warned for months that the rouble is overvalued, but the currency has defied their forecasts so far. The central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates at its upcoming meeting. If it does, market rates will fall as well, prompting savers to pull money from rouble deposits. That could weaken the currency. • A bigger test looms in early September, when a 50-day deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Russia to show progress toward peace in Ukraine expires. If new US sanctions targeting buyers of Russian oil follow, the rouble could come under renewed pressure. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Russia's ruble hits its lowest level since early in the war. The central bank plans to step in THE EDITORIAL PAGE Spell out LWE Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: Suhas Palshikar writes: While the law mentions LWE, these political acts are the common language of democratic mobilisation and as such practically any social worker can be booked for extending a verbal criticism of authorities. Key Points to Ponder: • Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill-Know its key features • What makes Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill stringent? • What is Urban Maoism? • How the term Urban Naxal came in to the picture? • Know the rationale and implications of Maharashtra's Special Public Security Bill in addressing 'urban Maoism.' • What are the key challenges in tackling urban ideological radicalisation as opposed to rural insurgency? • How legislative efforts like the Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill align with national strategies against Left Wing Extremism? • To what extent does urban Maoism pose a challenge to India's internal security? Key Takeaways: Suhas Palshikar writes: • The MHA portal says that LWE refers to organisations that are banned and listed as an appendix to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. But that hardly satisfies the test of what conceptually constitutes LWE. • In operational terms, the provisions refer to the use of violence for the overthrow of the state. But since the Maharashtra government now intends to incriminate Left Wing ideology, the onus is on the government to specify what it means by it. • In the absence of clarity, anyone can be accused of subscribing to Left Wing ideology, and then the police will be running from one library to another for material on what constitutes Left Wing ideas. The current dispensation in Maharashtra and nationally is allergic to the idea of the 'Left'. Therefore, it will do well to come forward and define for legal purposes which ideas are construed as Left and are hence liable to be proscribed. • Maoist violence in many parts of the country has invited a reaction of repulsion even among those who may have a leftward leaning. That repulsion is tactically utilised intellectually and cinematically by some who employ the term 'urban Naxal'. • The other problem with the Maharashtra law is that it incriminates a number of activities that are already proscribed by various laws and thus there is a vicious duplication of legal instruments giving the executive and the police unseemly discretionary powers on whether to book someone under this law, under UAPA or a more routine law penalising crime and violence. Do You Know: • Under this new law, 'unlawful' activities are defined as activities 'by act or words… or by sign or by visible representation'. In other words, freedom of expression, besides actual acts, is intended to be criminalised. As a member of the legislature publicly stated after the passage of the bill, holding seminars (purportedly on objectionable matters, in that lawmaker's view) will be punished by the new law. • The statement of objects and reasons of The Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPC) Bill, 2024, says the 'menace of Naxalism is not only limited to remote areas of the Naxal affected states, but its presence is increasing in the urban areas also through the Naxal front organisations'. • The Bill, which provides for punishment ranging from two to seven years in prison, defines 'unlawful activity' as 'any action taken by an individual or organization whether by committing an act or by words either spoken or written or by sign or by visible representation or otherwise, (i) which constitute a danger or menace to public order, peace and tranquility; or (ii) which interferes or tends to interfere with maintenance of public order; or (iii) which interferes or tends to interfere with the administration of law or its established institutions and personnel' – the Bill defines four other actions that constitute 'unlawful activity'. • Maharashtra becomes the fifth state to pass such a Bill. It will now be tabled in the upper house for further deliberations. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Maharashtra Public Security Bill: Vague and dangerous for civil liberties For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives. Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing. Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA). Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level. Qualification, Degrees / other achievements: Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ... Read More
The Hindu
13 hours ago
- The Hindu
Nod for Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster project in Kerala
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has given the go-ahead for a Hydrogen Valley Innovation Cluster (HVIC) in Kerala. The Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT), which proposed the project, said the HVIC is one of only four projects selected nationally, and the only one led by a State government agency in south India. MNRE has issued the administrative approval and sanction for the project. It has been cleared under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) on the basis of recommendations made by the Expert Panel Committee (EPC) formed by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, the Green Hydrogen Cell (GH2 Cell) of ANERT said. A hydrogen valley is a geographical region where the production of hydrogen, its storage, distribution, and use are integrated through pilot and demonstration projects. The HVIC project is aimed at 'building a local hydrogen ecosystem by connecting supply and demand across sectors like transport, industry, and energy, while also fostering research, innovation, and skills,' the GH2 Cell, ANERT, said. Key features of the HVIC project in Kerala include green hydrogen refuelling stations in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, pilot and demonstration projects in land and water transport and industrial sectors in addition to infrastructure such as electrolyser banks for green hydrogen production, hydrogen compression and storage. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Hydrogen Valleys serve as scalable, replicable hubs to accelerate India's clean hydrogen economy, ANERT said. For Kerala's HVIC project estimated to cost ₹133.18 crore, MNRE has approved a Central Financial Assistance (CFA) of ₹53.40 crore under NGHM. It has sanctioned the first tranche of ₹21.36 crore (40%), to be released to the not-for-profit company formed by ANERT for the purpose.
