New Delhi, July 10: India’s solar power journey has witnessed a staggering 4,000% growth in installed capacity over the past decade, significantly pushing the country’s renewable energy total to 227 GW. The announcement came from Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal at the 11th India Energy Storage Week (IESW), held in New Delhi on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, Goyal highlighted India’s strides in clean energy and affirmed that the country is on track to meet its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement — possibly ahead of other G20 nations. He pointed to Palli village in Jammu and Kashmir as a notable example, having achieved the status of the country’s first carbon-neutral panchayat.
The minister noted that India’s solar photovoltaic (PV) module production capacity has grown nearly 38-fold, while PV cell manufacturing has expanded 21 times since 2014. Flagship government initiatives such as the PM Surya Ghar Yojana and PM-KUSUM are key pillars in expanding rooftop solar and solar pump usage in agriculture, respectively.
Goyal also drew attention to the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund recently approved by the Union Cabinet. He underscored the importance of investing in battery innovation — including solid-state and hybrid storage systems — as energy storage becomes critical for achieving round-the-clock renewable energy supply.
A resilient and domestic clean energy supply chain, he said, must form the backbone of India’s strategy. This includes everything from raw material sourcing to battery packs, semiconductors, recycling, and integrated value chains.
He emphasized that reducing dependence on a few geographies for critical components is essential, and urged Indian industry to invest in battery-swapping, EV charging infrastructure, and circular economy models.
IESW 2025 is serving as a convergence platform for global stakeholders in clean energy — from policy thinkers to private innovators — to collaborate on India’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
“Energy security is a responsibility we owe to our people,” Goyal stated, quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The minister reiterated India’s ambition of reaching 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, calling for coordinated efforts across innovation, infrastructure, and industry to realize the country’s clean energy goals.
