New Delhi – India wasted a significant portion of its solar power generation in July and August due to persistent shortcomings in its transmission infrastructure, according to a recent report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The country curtailed approximately 1.46 billion units (1462 MU) of solar power during this two-month period, accounting for 4.2% of its total solar generation.
Infrastructure Fails to Keep Pace with Green Energy Growth
The CREA report highlights a critical challenge for India as it aggressively pursues its goal of increasing renewable energy capacity to 500 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, up from the current 304 GW. Despite being the world's third-largest solar power generator, India's grid and operational constraints are leading to substantial curtailment of green electricity.
During the second quarter of FY2026 (July and August), the total renewable energy generation curtailed reached 1.835 billion units (1835 MU), which included 1462 MU from solar and 373 MU from wind sources. This follows an earlier period, April to June, where government data indicated that 14% of solar power output was held back.
Impact Amidst High Demand and Energy Shortages
The curtailment of clean power occurred at a time when India faced record power demand, peaking at 270 GW in July, and experienced sharp declines in coal stocks at power plants. Nearly half of India's coal-fired plants had less than four days of coal supply early in the month, underscoring the nation's reliance on fossil fuels despite rapid renewable capacity additions. Coal remained the backbone of the power system, supplying roughly two-thirds of electricity during the quarter.
Further exacerbating the energy crunch, hydropower output saw a 20% decline, largely attributed to the El Niño weather pattern. This increased the country's reliance on fossil fuels even as renewable energy generation grew, making the unutilized solar power even more impactful.
The findings by CREA underscore the urgent need for India to upgrade and expand its transmission network to match the swift growth in green energy capacity. Without adequate infrastructure, the nation risks undermining its ambitious renewable energy targets and continuing to waste valuable clean power resources.