The Rise of Solar Energy
Solar power has been growing rapidly in recent years, with each of the last five years adding the most capacity to the grid. In 2022, more new solar capacity was added for electricity than all other energy sources combined, increasing by 270 terawatt hours (TWh), or 26%, surpassing wind for the first time in history. In 2023, 53% of new electric capacity added to the grid will come from solar power, the first time in 80 years that a renewable energy resource has captured the majority of new capacity.
Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels convert sunlight into electricity and can be built in large plants or deployed on a small scale. This modular technology allows for a wide range of applications, from small residential roof-top systems to utility-scale power generation installations. The IEA expects solar PV installed electricity capacity to overtake coal by 2027.
India's solar installed capacity has seen a tremendous transformation in the last five years, increasing from 21,651 MW to 70,096 MW in 2023. The country has ambitious targets and policies such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) and aims to achieve 500 GW. Renewable energy capacity by 2030