India’s clean energy ambitions are bold and necessary, but the country faces an uphill battle in turning them into reality. With a target of reaching 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030, the pace of renewable energy deployment must accelerate dramatically. Despite record breaking solar and wind installations in recent years, fossil fuels continue to dominate power generation, highlighting the complexities of India’s energy transition.

The challenge is twofold: increasing the share of renewables while ensuring energy security in a rapidly growing economy. The continued expansion of coal-fired capacity, projected to rise by 80 GW by 2031-32, signals a pragmatic but contradictory approach. Coal remains the backbone of India’s energy system, providing a stable base load supply that intermittent renewable sources cannot yet fully replace. However, if coal expansion continues unchecked, it could slow the transition to a cleaner energy mix and hinder climate commitments. One of the biggest roadblocks to scaling up renewables is infrastructure.........

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