India Records Highest-Ever 31.25 GW Non-Fossil Capacity Addition, 1.5 Lakh RTS Plan Unveiled for Odisha

At the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced that India has achieved its highest-ever annual addition of non-fossil energy capacity, totaling 31.25 GW so far in FY 2024–25. Of this, solar energy contributed a record 24.28 GW.

Speaking at the summit, the Minister highlighted that the world added its second terawatt (TW) of renewable energy capacity in just two years after crossing the first TW milestone in 2022. 

“In the last 11 years, our solar capacity has grown from 2.8 GW to nearly 130 GW, marking a staggering 4,500 percent increase. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, India added 46 GW of solar, ranking as the third-largest contributor globally,” he said.

Odisha’s Solar Expansion: 1.5 Lakh Rooftop Installations

Announcing a major initiative for Odisha, Joshi unveiled a consumer-owned Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under PM Surya Ghar to install 1.5 lakh rooftop solar systems of 1 kW each across the state. 

The program, designed to benefit around 7-8 lakh people - particularly from economically weaker sections - aims to make Odisha a leader in decentralized clean energy.

The state’s installed renewable capacity has reached 3.1 GW, now accounting for 34 percent of total installed power capacity. Under PM Surya Ghar Yojana, 1.6 lakh households have applied for rooftop solar, with 23,000-plus installations completed and over INR 147 crore in subsidies transferred directly to beneficiaries’ accounts.

Balancing Coal and Clean Energy

Referring to India’s broader energy strategy, Joshi acknowledged that the country remains the second-largest consumer of coal and holds the fifth-largest reserves worldwide. Joshi said that even with this abundance, India is steadily balancing coal with renewable energy as the transition gathers pace. With global mechanisms now shaping industrial competitiveness, India’s shift towards renewable energy has become even more urgent and strategically important, he added.

India’s robust renewable growth is attributed to ease of doing business, infrastructure enhancement, demand-led schemes, and investor confidence, the Minister noted. 

About GELS Puri 2025

The Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025, held from December 5–7 in Puri, Odisha, convenes Union and State Ministers, global policymakers, innovators, and industry leaders to accelerate India’s clean energy transition.