An aerial view of solar panels are seen arranged in rows across a solar power plant on April 22, 2026 in Haryana, India. Photo Credit: Ritesh Shukla / Stringer via Getty Images
Environment IndiaClean Energy Keeps Power-Sector Emissions Stable
In India, record clean-energy growth has met rising electricity demand while keeping power-sector carbon emissions unchanged over two years.
“The additional power requirement of 63TWh was met entirely by clean energy,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Between the first half of 2024 and the same period in 2026, electricity generation increased by 7%, while clean sources added 70TWh of power, preventing additional demand from increasing fossil-fuel generation. India installed 77GW of solar capacity during the period, alongside 11GW of wind and 5GW of hydro, marking the first time in more than 50 years that coal generation recorded no growth over two years despite rising electricity demand. Imported coal use for power generation fell 38%, and gas use dropped 35%, while expanding energy storage and electricity networks could help sustain the transition as renewable capacity continues to grow.
