India’s Energy Capacity Hits 521 GW With 14.77% Growth In Renewables In 2023-24

India is rapidly expanding its energy infrastructure to meet the growing electricity demand and to support its development goals. The country is committed to increasing access to reliable and affordable energy while focusing on cleaner and more sustainable sources. This effort aligns with global sustainability goals, especially Sustainable Development Goal 7, which aims to provide modern energy for all.

India’s total electricity generation capacity reached 521,310 megawatts (MW) by March 31, 2024, marking a 5.43% increase from the previous year’s 494,459 MW. This growth is driven by rising industrial activities, urbanization, and a growing population. Most of this capacity, about 84.78%, comes from utility-owned power plants, mainly run by large public sector companies. These public utilities play a vital role in meeting the country’s energy needs.

The energy mix in India is gradually changing. While thermal power, mainly from coal and natural gas, still forms the backbone of the system, renewable energy is growing much faster. In the year 2023-24, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources (excluding large hydro) increased by 14.77%. This rapid growth shows India’s commitment to reducing pollution and its carbon footprint. Solar power leads the renewable sector, making up 57% of the renewable capacity, followed by wind power at 32%, and biopower and waste-to-energy at 8%. Solar power capacity alone grew by 22.51% in the last year.

Among the states, Rajasthan and Gujarat are the leaders in renewable energy capacity. Rajasthan has the highest installed capacity with 26,693 MW, while Gujarat follows closely with 25,472 MW. Both states have strong wind and solar power installations. Karnataka leads in hydroelectric power with 3.63 gigawatts (GW). The western region of India has the largest share of installed electricity capacity at 34%, followed by the southern region at 28%, and the northern region at 27%. The western region also recorded the highest growth in installed capacity in 2023-24, growing 7.66% overall, with renewable energy capacity increasing by 23.40%.

In addition to grid-connected renewable energy, India is also seeing progress in off-grid or decentralized energy systems. These include solar street lighting, home lighting systems, and solar lanterns. Although these systems remained stable compared to the previous year, solar photovoltaic plants (SPV) showed a growth of 19.61%, indicating rising interest in smaller-scale solar solutions.

Besides electricity generation, India also focuses on improving coal quality through washeries, which had an installed capacity of 257.79 million tons per year as of March 2024. This improves coal efficiency and reduces pollution in power plants and industries.

In the oil sector, India operates 23 refineries, with 19 in the public sector and 4 in the private or joint ventures. The total refining capacity reached 256.8 million metric tons per year, up by 2,900 metric tons from the previous year. Public sector refineries, including companies like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), hold over 61% of this capacity. Crude oil processing also rose by 2.47%, reflecting higher demand for petroleum products.

Overall, India’s energy sector shows strong growth and a clear move toward cleaner energy sources. The country is balancing the need for more power with the goal of environmental protection and sustainability, keeping pace with global trends and its own development priorities.