India is making significant strides in developing renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power. The Adani Group is constructing a massive solar and wind farm near the border with Pakistan, which is expected to provide a significant portion of India’s electricity needs when completed.
The country’s renewable energy goals are ambitious, with plans to increase capacity to 500 GW by 2030. This is driven by concerns over air pollution and the need to reduce carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. However, the rapid growth in energy consumption presents a challenge, and the government estimates that 80 GW of new coal capacity may still be required by 2031.
India has several advantages for solar power development, including abundant sunshine and falling costs for solar panels. The government is also providing subsidies for rooftop solar installations and promoting electric vehicles to further reduce air pollution and energy dependence. However, barriers such as bureaucratic hurdles and competition from China, which restricts the export of solar equipment and dumps clean-tech goods on global markets, pose challenges to the country’s green ambitions.
