India’s Solar Capacity Surges Past 107.9 GW, Driving Renewable Growth

India has made significant progress in the renewable energy sector, particularly in solar power. As of the end of April 2025, the country had installed a total of 107,945.6 MW of solar photovoltaic capacity. This accounts for more than 61.44 percent of India’s total renewable energy capacity, excluding large hydroelectric power. This growth highlights the impact of falling solar panel prices, better technology, strong government support, and increased awareness about clean energy among the public.

During the financial year 2024–25, India added 23,832.89 MW of new solar capacity. This amount alone made up about 83 percent of the total renewable energy capacity added during the same time. In just the month of April 2025, India installed 2.299 GW of solar power, which was a 2.18 percent increase from March 2025. Compared to April 2024, when the country had 82.637 GW of solar capacity, there was a growth of more than 25.3 GW in just one year. This shows a strong push toward clean energy and reflects India’s focus on achieving long-term sustainability goals.

A major reason behind this steady momentum is government support for domestic solar manufacturing. The Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) have helped ensure quality and reliability. The ALMM policy, which was reinstated on April 1, 2024, requires certified solar modules for all government-related projects. This rule will also cover solar PV cells from June 1, 2026, which will raise performance and efficiency standards.

By April 2025, India’s total renewable energy capacity, not including large hydro, reached 175.7 GW. Of this, solar and wind energy together contributed 159 GW, or over 90.5 percent. Ground-mounted solar projects remained the biggest source, with 82.39 GW. Rooftop solar, with a capacity of 17.69 GW, continues to grow in popularity among households, commercial buildings, and industries because of cost savings and energy independence. Hybrid solar-wind systems have reached 2.89 gigawatts.

Off-grid solar solutions are also making a difference in rural areas by providing electricity where grid supply is limited or unavailable. These include solar lanterns, pumps for agriculture, and microgrids, which now have a total installed capacity of 4.98 gigawatts. They reduce the use of diesel generators, which are harmful and expensive.

However, challenges remain. A key issue is the lack of land for building large-scale solar parks. Another concern is how to integrate a growing amount of solar energy into the national grid without causing power instability. Solutions will need more investment in infrastructure, better technologies, and continued support for local manufacturing.

Crossing 107 GW of solar and 51 GW of wind power places India among the world’s leaders in clean energy. Government programs like solar parks and rooftop incentives have supported this success. If the country continues this path, India is likely to achieve its renewable energy goals and become a global leader in solar power.