As global solar power deployment reaches unprecedented scales, the focus of the clean energy transition must evolve beyond mere capacity addition, according to Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Prahlad Joshi. He asserts that the next critical phase demands resilient grids, sophisticated energy storage solutions, enhanced local manufacturing, and innovative financing mechanisms.
India's Energy Transition Shifts Focus
Joshi, who also serves as the president of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly, highlighted India's significant progress. The nation now boasts 164 GW of solar capacity, and non-fossil fuel sources crossed 50% of the country’s total installed electricity capacity in June 2025, five years ahead of its initial target. This rapid expansion underscores India's commitment to a cleaner energy future.
Initiatives like the installation of 2.7 million pumps under the PM-KUSUM scheme and the deployment of rooftop solar at 5 million households via PM-Surya Ghar demonstrate how renewable energy can directly benefit farmers and domestic consumers.
BRICS Countries Drive Global Solar Expansion
Globally, renewable energy expansion is overwhelmingly led by solar power, with BRICS countries contributing a substantial share of new capacity. Joshi noted that 80% of all new generation capacity added worldwide last year came from renewables, and solar accounted for 80% of that renewable capacity. A staggering 80% of this new solar capacity was built within BRICS nations, affirming their pivotal role in shaping the global clean energy transition.
With BRICS accounting for nearly half of the global population and a significant portion of world GDP, this shift in the energy transition's 'center of gravity' presents a unique opportunity for the grouping to guide the developing world's move towards solar, storage, and flexible grids.
Six Key Priorities for the Next Phase
Joshi outlined six crucial priorities to sustain and accelerate the global solar journey:
- Digitalisation: Developing shared blueprints for distribution-level IT systems and AI applications, leveraging real-time monitoring and AI-based load forecasting for digitized grids.
- Storage: Investing in energy storage solutions, vital for ensuring round-the-clock availability of solar power. The world added 108 GW of batteries last year, including 20.5 GW behind the meter.
- Resilience: Building robust and resilient energy infrastructure capable of withstanding disruptions and adapting to changing demands.
- Interconnection: Promoting regional interconnection through initiatives like 'One Sun One World One Grid' to optimize energy sharing.
- Local Manufacturing: Increasing local value addition in clean-energy manufacturing and fostering cooperation on critical minerals.
- Finance: Addressing the significant financial challenges, particularly in developing and emerging economies.
Addressing the Finance Challenge
Finance remains a central hurdle across all these priorities. In 2025, developing and emerging economies received less than 15% of global clean-energy investment. Furthermore, the cost of establishing a clean energy plant can be almost twice as high in regions like Africa and Small Island Developing States compared to BRICS countries.
Joshi suggested innovative financing mechanisms such as first-loss support, junior equity, and local-currency risk mitigation to attract much-needed private capital. He emphasized that the International Solar Alliance (ISA), supported by over 129 countries, could collaborate with BRICS nations to scale clean-energy solutions across the Global South, ensuring that technology, financing, and grid solutions are tailored to individual countries' specific requirements.