India is shining in energy transition by treading a strong renewable energy path post-2015 Paris Agreement as it witnesses a step-up in investments in solar energy. Additionally, there's a significant slowdown in investments in thermal power plants.

 

Just a few days ago, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy announced that the total installed renewable energy capacity in India, excluding large hydropower, has crossed the milestone of 100 GW or 100,000 MW, about 26 per cent of the total capacity, a turning point in the history of renewables as India is celebrating 75th Independence Day.

 

Coincidently, this milestone came at a time when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was launched citing the need for urgent climate actions collectively to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees.

 

The global surface temperature is already about 1.1 degrees higher today than in the period 1850-1900.

 

Responding to the accelerated renewable proliferation of India, the only G20 nation that is on track to achieve Paris commitments, International Solar Alliance Director Ajay Mathur that this is a huge accomplishment.

 

"You see India has gone from 10 GW to 100 GW in just 15 years, from 2005 onwards. It highlights the success that is achieved with simultaneous, strengthening availability of both equity and debt, of human and organisational capacity in the solar, financial and policy sectors, and of continuously tweaking business models in light of advances in solar technologies, investments, and markets."