India’s renewable energy sector by the numbers

India’s total renewable energy potential is 150 GW. Despite this, India’s entire renewable energy sector contributes only 12% of India’s total power. About 65% of power from renewable energy sources comes from wind energy. Biomass accounts for 14%; small hydropower projects contribute 13% and solar energy 5%. Other sources contribute about 3%. The government intends to add 10 GW of solar energy by 2017 and 20 GW by 2022. India generates 1.8 GW of electricity from solar energy. India’s total installed power generation capacity stands at 223 GW, far less than the requirement. Demand for power is estimated to increase by 16 GW a year until 2020. The government plans to increase renewable capacity by 72 GW in the thermal sector; 11 GW in the hydro sector and 5 GW in the nuclear sector. Renewable energy sources contribute 29 GW of electricity. India expects to double this capacity to 55 GW by 2017. Solar energy generation alone will increase to 20 GW during this period under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar mission.