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India’s renewable energy sector reached a major milestone in July, with clean power accounting for a record share of electricity generation, reducing coal’s contribution to its lowest level in a year, according to government data.
Renewable energy supplied 20% of India’s electricity mix in July, generating 36.25 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh)—a 30% increase from the same month last year. At the same time, coal’s share in the country’s power generation fell to 65.7%, down from 69% in June, marking its lowest monthly level in a year.
The growth in clean energy came as combined solar and wind power output exceeded 100 gigawatts for the first time. On July 13, renewable sources met a record 42.8% of India’s electricity demand, highlighting the increasing role of solar power during peak daytime consumption.
Energy analyst Manoj Kumar of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said the growing contribution of solar energy has shifted much of India’s peak electricity demand to daytime hours, boosting the share of renewable generation.
Despite the declining share of coal, coal-fired electricity generation increased 12.8% year-on-year to 119.4 billion kWh in July as lower hydropower output and persistent heat driven by El Niño raised electricity demand, particularly during nighttime when solar power is unavailable.
Hydropower generation declined for a second consecutive month due to reduced rainfall linked to El Niño, which has disrupted weather patterns and pushed temperatures above normal. CREA warned that weaker hydro generation and rising electricity demand could create a power generation gap of nearly 18 billion kWh, increasing reliance on coal-fired plants.
Overall, India’s electricity generation rose 10.4% year-on-year to 181.79 billion kWh in July.
The latest figures come as India has become the world’s third-largest country in installed renewable energy capacity, surpassing Brazil, according to the latest International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) statistics. India now ranks behind only China and the United States.
As of March 31, 2026, India had 283.46 GW of non-fossil fuel installed capacity, including 274.68 GW from renewable sources and 8.78 GW from nuclear power. During the 2025-26 fiscal year, the country added a record 55.3 GW of non-fossil capacity—its largest annual increase to date.
India also achieved its Paris Agreement goal of obtaining 50% of its installed power capacity from non-fossil sources in June 2025, five years ahead of schedule.
Solar energy continues to drive the country’s clean energy expansion, with installed capacity reaching 150.26 GW, while wind capacity climbed to 56.09 GW. Record additions in utility-scale projects, rooftop solar systems and government-backed schemes have strengthened India’s position as one of the world’s fastest-growing renewable energy markets.
