India ranked as the world’s third-largest producer of electricity from wind and solar energy in 2024, leaving behind Germany, according to a report released on Tuesday. The sixth edition of the Global Electricity Review by global energy think tank Ember said that wind and solar combined accounted for 15 per cent of the world’s electricity generation last year, with India contributing 10 per cent to its electricity mix.

Low-carbon energy sources, including renewables and nuclear supplied 40.9% of the world’s electricity in 2024, marking the first time the global power mix crossed the 40% threshold since the 1940s, according to Ember’s latest Global Electricity Review.

In India, clean energy sources make up 22% of electricity generation. Hydropower led with 8%, while wind and solar combined contributed 10%. Globally, renewables were the main driver of clean electricity growth, adding a record 858 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2024, a 49% increase over the previous high in 2022. Solar led the way for the third consecutive year, generating 474 TWh, and remained the fastest-growing power source for the 20th year in a row. In just three years, solar’s share in the global electricity mix has doubled to 6.9%.

India mirrored this global trend, with solar power accounting for 7% of its electricity in 2024, double the share in 2021. The country added 24 gigawatts (GW) of new solar capacity last year, more than twice the amount added in 2023, making it the third-largest solar market after China and the US. It also recorded the fourth-highest increase in solar power generation, adding 20 TWh.

“Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition,” said Phil MacDonald, Ember’s Managing Director. “Paired with battery storage, solar is set to be an unstoppable force in meeting the world’s growing electricity needs.”

The report includes data from 88 countries, representing 93% of global electricity demand, and features historical records from 215 nations. Asia’s shift to clean energy is speeding up, led by record growth in solar and other renewable sources, said Aditya Lolla, Asia Programme Director at Ember. He said that as electricity demand rises in the region, it’s important to build a strong clean energy market. This will improve energy security, support economic growth, and help developing countries benefit from clean energy.

Neshwin Rodrigues, Senior Energy Analyst at Ember, said India has made good progress in using renewables. However, the big challenge now is to grow clean power fast enough to meet the country’s increasing electricity demand.

In February, UN climate chief Simon Stiell called India a "solar superpower" and said that taking full advantage of the clean energy boom could boost India’s economy even more. India’s official climate goals, shared with the UN in 2022, include getting 50% of its electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. Back in 2021, India also announced a goal of reaching 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

Although this 500 GW target is not part of the updated climate plan, it still guides India’s energy planning, including in the 14th National Electricity Plan. A February report by Ember warned that India may fall short of the 500 GW goal if funding for renewable energy doesn’t increase by at least 20% each year.

You might also be interested in - India signs $2 million solar project deal with International Solar Alliance