Renewable Energy Accounts for 16 Percent of India’s Energy Mix

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Renewable energy generation in India continues to grow, accounting for ~16.10 percent of India’s energy mix. The country’s total installed power generation capacity is 315,369.08 MW with renewables accounting for 50,745 MW of it.

Hydro power makes up 14.01 percent, with 44,189.43 MW of the total power generated in the country. Nuclear power has a total capacity of 5,780 MW and making up 1.83 percent of the energy generation.

The solar sector is witnessing installations at a rapid pace. The recent solar auction at the Rewa solar park witnessed record low tariff of Rs.3.30/kWh, closing in on thermal power tariffs. Solar accounts for 9,235.24 MW of the total installed capacity and 2.93 percent of overall power generation, an increase of 0.06 percent over a month.

The wind sector recently successfully implemented competitive bidding process to develop wind power projects of 1,000 MW at record low tariff giving a boost to future wind auctions. Wind currently accounts for 28,871.59 MW of the total installed capacity and 9.15 percent of overall power generation, an increase of 0.01 percent over a month. The installed capacity of small hydro has increased slightly with 4341.85 MW of total installed capacity.

Coal-based generation capacity in India stands at 59.77 percent of the total installed capacity of 315,369.08 MW as of January 31, 2016, according to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA). The total thermal power generation stands at 68.07 percent with a capacity of 214,354.89 MW. Thermal power numbers are declining as no new projects are being commissioned and thermal project developers have inhibitions about developing new projects due to the draft electricity plan 2017-2022.

 

 

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