2021 Confirmed As Record Year For Solar Capacity With 11 GW Crossed

With the December numbers yet to be tallied, India has already added about 11.1 GW of solar capacity from January 2021 till November 2021, which is about 249% higher compared to the installations done in 2020, a new report by JMK Research & Analytics(JMK) says. These numbers are broadly in line with the industry figures SaurEnergy has also been collecting, as shared in a previous story by us. In fact, final figures for 2021 might just nudge 11.5 GW plus, considering key projects that are scheduled for  December close.

In terms of cumulative installations, according to the data released by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), till November 2021, India’s RE installation capacity reached ~104 GW, said the report.

The JMK report found that solar energy now contributes for approximately 47% share in the total RE segment now making it the largest contributor followed by wind energy (38%), Bio Power (10%) and Small Hydro (5%).

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“During Jan-Nov 2021 period, about 7 GW of utility scale solar is added. Rajasthan added the highest utility scale solar capacity of about 3,615 MW, followed by Gujarat (1,538 MW) and Uttar Pradesh (674 MW),” stated the report.

“In the rooftop solar segment, about 2605 MW of new capacity was added during January to November 2021 period. Gujarat ranks first among the states with a capacity addition of 660 MW, accounting for nearly 25% of the total rooftop installations during the analysis period,” it found.

“Next to Gujarat, Maharashtra (597 MW), Haryana (266 MW) and Rajasthan (225 MW) are the leading states with the maximum rooftop solar capacity addition,” it added.

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However, this might be a good time to put even these numbers into perspective. 2021 benefited from a one time pent up demand for projects that were delayed due to the pandemic, besides higher rooftop additions.

With 9 years to 2030 starting next year, the 2030 solar target of over 300GW plus still needs over 25 GW capacity additions each year till 2030. Considering the many looming speed breakers in 2022, not least of which is the vexed issue of starting BCD imposition, clearing legal roadblocks to projects in Rajasthan, and sorting out issues linked to low priced bids that have been tripped by the rising costs this year, the next record year for solar capacity, if it is indeed 2022, will be nothing short of a miracle , going by industry feedback.