Introduction
In the past year, several advancements have been made in India's renewable energy sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has put forth a new objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070. The country's capacity for green power is on an upward trajectory.
India has a goal to establish a solar power capacity of 280 GW by the year 2030. Right now, India has already constructed solar plants that generate electricity of around 85 GW. In just the initial half-year period of 2024, an additional new solar capacity worth about 15 GW was integrated into their system.
In the year 2023, India went beyond Japan and turned into the world's third-biggest maker of solar energy. For the 2023-24 Union Budget, an amount of Rs 7,327 crore was put aside for the solar power sector. This is a 48% increase from the earlier budget of Rs 4,979 crore. In addition to this, The Finance Minister declared an allocation of INR 6,250 crore specifically for PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana - it is a scheme aimed at rooftop solar panels in residences and will be implemented in the financial year of 2024-25.
Several states across the country have taken the initiative to promote solar energy, leading to a surge in solar installations. In this blog, we will explore the top 5 Indian states that are at the forefront of the solar power revolution.
1. Rajasthan — 23 GW
Rajasthan's Solar Capacity- 13.58 GW
Rajasthan has a notable solar capacity of 23 GW, which makes up for 51% of its entire installed power capability. The State is aiming to establish an additional solar energy capacity amounting to 30,000 MW by the year 2025.
Bhadla Solar Park in Jodhpur, which spans over 14,000 acres and has a capacity for 2,245 MW of solar energy installed, is now recognized as the largest entirely functioning solar park worldwide. Rajasthan also proudly houses India's sole thermal power plant that uses a tower system and runs on solar energy.
The national government has revealed plans for an ultra-mega renewable energy plant with a capacity of 25,000 MW. In the initial phase of this project, there will be installation of solar power producing units that can generate up to 10,000 MW. This setup process across the state is expected to span over the next three years.
In the past months, the state has witnessed investments in major solar power projects.
During October 2022, Coal India along with ONGC shared their intentions to construct solar projects having the capacity of over 1GW. Following this, in January 2024, another project for solar energy generation of 1 GW was initiated by the Indian President at Bikaner located in Rajasthan state.
Also, in September 2023, the state government introduced the draft of Rajasthan Energy Policy 2050. Their goal is to build a combined wind and solar capacity of 90 GW by the year 2030.
2. Gujarat — 10.13 GW
Gujarat's Solar Capacity- 6.3 GW
The total renewable energy production of Gujarat is 19,414.8 MW, from which solar energy contributes around 10,133 MW. The state aims to increase its renewable energy capability up to 68,000 MW in the year of 2030.
Gujarat has just surpassed Karnataka to become the country's second biggest solar-producing state within the solar sector. It holds a 13% portion of India's overall solar capacity. More so, Gujarat leads in this field with its rooftop solar ability that reaches 3,818 MW. The Charanka Solar Park, located in Patan district and currently generating 600 MW, holds the record for being Gujarat's largest individual solar power production facility.
Recently, Gujarat identified a wasteland of 1,00,000 hectares in the Kutch district for constructing the biggest renewable energy park worldwide. It will have a capacity of 30,000 MW. This proposed project is set to combine solar and wind power sources.
3. Karnataka — 9.05 GW
Karnataka's Solar Capacity- 7.5 GW
Karnataka, which is located in the southwest of India, maintains its position as the third highest solar energy producer in the country. The installed capacity for solar power generation here is approximately 9050 MW - excluding potential projects that sum up to 1000 MW and are yet to be implemented.
Pavagada Solar Park, also known as Shakti Sthala, located in Karnataka state is the second-largest solar power plant in India. Earlier it was notable for being the world's largest with a production capacity of 2,050 MW. Moreover, there are plans by the Karnataka government to increase Pavagada Solar Park's capability further by 3 GW.
It is anticipated that three more ultra-mega solar power plants will be constructed in the districts of Bidar, Koppal, and Gadag. Each plant will have a capacity of 2,500 MW.
4. Tamil Nadu- 8.1 GW
Tamil Nadu's Solar Capacity- 4.8 GW
Tamil Nadu, a state in the south, possesses great potential for renewable energy. It can tap into many sources like wind power, solar power, biomass and biogas energy as well as hydropower among others. In terms of installed solar capacity which is 8,145.53 MW in total now making Tamil Nadu rank at number four throughout India.
Also, the company Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation has plans to set up solar power plants. These will have a combined capacity of 20,000 MW by 2030. For these projects, there is a need for total investment which amounts to Rs. 70,000 crores. The government of Tamil Nadu also has plans to construct solar parks at the district level, with Thiruvarur being the location for the initial one.
5. Maharashtra — 4.8 GW
Telangana's Solar Capacity- 4.5 GW
Based on the most recent information provided by MNRE, Maharashtra has now surpassed Telangana and holds the position of being India's 5th biggest state in terms of solar power. At present, Maharashtra boasts an installed capacity amounting to 4,870 MW.
In Maharashtra, there are around 250-300 days of sunshine and it gets an irradiation of 4 to 6 kWh for each square meter. As per the formal data, by utilizing this opportunity through solar photovoltaic systems, we could help Maharashtra generate up to 1.5 million units every megawatt annually.
Maharashtra leads the way in open-access solar arrangements. A fresh study from Mercom indicates that Maharashtra possesses the second highest installed capacity for open access across the nation. Also, during November 2023, to foster the adoption of renewable energy within industrial and commercial sections, the state government lowered the least approved load limit from 1 MW down to 100kW.
Furthermore, the government of Maharashtra has increased the net metering limit for rooftop solar projects to 5 MW.
Maharashtra is wonderfully hosting India's first completely solar-powered reserve, the Pench Tiger Reserve, as another achievement. Thanks to a welcoming policy atmosphere, the significant power corporation SJVN has begun building a 200 MW solar project in this state. The total investment for this undertaking amounts to 1000 crores.