In India, a Surge of Solar Is Keeping Coal Power in Check.
A Carbon Brief analysis by two Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air analysts found India's power-sector CO2 emissions did not grow between the first halves of 2024 and 2026, as clean energy met demand growth.
Carbon dioxide emissions from India's power sector were flat across the two years from the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2026, according to an analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta and Anubha Aggarwal of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, published by Carbon Brief. The authors say it was the first time in more than 50 years that India's coal power did not grow over a two-year period while electricity demand rose.
Total power generation increased by 7% over the period, or about 63 terawatt hours, which the analysis compares to the annual consumption of Switzerland. Clean sources added 70 terawatt hours: 44 from solar, 13 from wind, 8 from hydro and 7 from nuclear. India added 77 gigawatts of solar capacity, 11 of wind, 5 of hydro and 0.6 of nuclear. The authors describe this as the largest increase in non-fossil generation on record. Imported coal use for power fell 38% and gas use fell 35%.
Gujarat recorded both the largest drop in fossil-fuel generation and the largest rise in clean power, followed in clean-power growth by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Oil consumption also fell, by 1.3% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, and CO2 from oil and gas fell 7%. The analysis notes that India reached its 20% ethanol blending target in 2025-26, five years ahead of schedule.
The picture was mixed overall. India's total emissions grew 3.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by steel, cement and other sectors. Steel and cement emissions rose 8% and reached a 23% share of national CO2. The authors say Indian industry has the second-lowest electrification rate in the G20. Generators also added 8.5 gigawatts of coal capacity, which the analysis says meant fewer running hours and higher costs for consumers, and 43 gigawatts of coal capacity was under construction at the end of June.
The authors say continued clean-energy growth will require grid upgrades, faster energy storage buildout and more flexible coal plants. As of May 2026, the government had tendered about 272 gigawatt hours of storage, against current capacity of 7.5 gigawatt hours of batteries and around 60 of pumped hydro. Projects totaling 5.3 gigawatts missed completion deadlines, curtailment has emerged as an issue, and a coal flexibility plan has been delayed by more than a year.
At a Glance
- India's power-sector CO2 was flat from the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2026, per Carbon Brief.
- Clean sources added 70 TWh in two years, more than the 63 TWh rise in power generation.
- India added 77 GW of solar capacity over the two-year period.
- Total emissions still rose 3.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by steel, cement and other sectors.
- Imported coal use for power fell 38% and gas use for power fell 35% over the two years.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.