India Reaches 50% Non-Fossil Fuel Energy Target: Solar Power Takes Center Stage
India has made significant progress in its transition towards a cleaner, low-carbon energy future, with 50% of its installed electricity capacity already coming from non-fossil fuel sources by mid-2025—five years ahead of the 2030 target outlined in its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
Solar power plays a central role in India’s clean energy strategy. As of June 2025, India’s installed solar capacity has reached an impressive 110.9 GW, making it a world leader in solar power deployment. Solar and wind power combined contribute around 10% of the country’s electricity mix, with solar power being the largest single renewable source. India aims to expand this capacity aggressively to reach 500 GW of non-fossil fuel installed capacity by 2030.
In addition to renewables, nuclear energy remains an important part of India’s energy portfolio. As of June 2025, nuclear power capacity stands at 8.8 GW, contributing to about 49% of the total non-fossil fuel electricity capacity together with renewables. The government continues to invest in enhancing nuclear capacity to provide reliable, low-carbon base-load power that complements intermittent renewables.
India has already installed 235.7 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by mid-2025, including 226.9 GW from renewable sources and 8.8 GW from nuclear. The country is channeling substantial public and private investments to scale up clean energy infrastructure, technological innovation, and energy storage solutions to maintain grid stability amid growing renewable shares.
One of the key drivers for accelerating clean energy capacity additions is meeting rising electricity demand, projected to peak near 370 GW in 2025 due to urbanization, electric vehicles, and digitalization. Efforts include creating a unified national power grid, rural electrification programs, and reforms to support efficient and reliable power access.
India is also focusing on a “just” transition ensuring affordable, secure energy supply as it advances toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2070 and a developed economy by 2047. The private sector plays a significant role in the nuclear ecosystem, particularly in the manufacturing, supply, and execution of nuclear power projects.
The RAPS-7 reactor (700 MW) was successfully connected to the grid on March 17, 2025, increasing the total number of operational nuclear reactors in India to 25, with a combined capacity of 8,880 MW. Once these projects are completed, India's total nuclear capacity is expected to reach 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
India's progress in clean energy transition is a testament to its leadership in climate action and its strong commitment to sustainable development. With solar power leading the expansion, strategic investments in nuclear energy, and grid modernization, India is poised to surpass its renewable capacity targets well before 2030, demonstrating a vibrant pathway toward a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.
[1] Paris Agreement, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 2015. [2] Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. [3] Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Government of India. [4] NITI Aayog, Government of India.
- To complement its solar power dominance, India is making strategic investments in nuclear energy, with government financing aimed at increasing nuclear capacity to provide stable, low-carbon base-load power that complements intermittent renewables.
- The investment in clean energy infrastructure extends beyond solar and nuclear, as India also channels funds towards technological innovation, energy storage solutions, and grid stability maintenance amid growing renewable shares.
- India's shift towards clean energy isn't just about renewables, as education and self-development are crucial components of its overall strategy, ensuring a well-informed populace that can contribute to the transition and support sustainable development.
- General news outlets report on India's robust clean energy policies and the progress made in the transition towards a cleaner, low-carbon energy future, with finance, science, and technology playing pivotal roles in driving this transformation.
- As India strives to meet its ambitious renewable capacity goals, it keeps a close eye on trends in biomass energy and other industries that could help the nation reach its net-zero emissions target by 2070 and achieve developed-economy status by 2047.
