Green energy revolution in India
A big news is coming from India’s energy sector. The country has slowed down the pace of coal production. The main reason for this is that huge reserves of coal have accumulated in the country and the demand for electricity has also decreased. The reason behind this change is the cooperation of the weather and the increasing dominance of green energy, which is a big sign of the country’s steps towards clean energy.
20.5 lakh tonnes of coal is being consumed
According to government sources, at present about 1000 lakh tonnes (100 million tonnes) of coal is lying at the coal mines (pitheads) waiting for use. Not only this, the country’s Thermal Power Plants (TPP) also have more than 21 days’ worth of coal in stock. At present, about 20.5 lakh tonnes of coal is being consumed every day to generate electricity. Officials say that this year the peak demand for electricity has been less than expected. A major reason for this is the increase in electricity production from renewable sources and the prolongation of monsoon. Due to rain, the temperature remained cool and the need for thermal power reduced.
Electricity demand was less than expected
How big this change is can be gauged from the fact that the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had estimated 277 gigawatt (GW) peak power demand in 2025. But, the actual demand was limited to only 240 to 245 GW, which is much less than the estimate. This shows that the mood of the country is changing rapidly on the energy front. Along with this, the government has also planned to phase out the use of imported natural gas for power generation. This step will reduce the country’s dependence on imports and there will be a major reduction in pollution.
Target accomplished 5 years ahead of time
Reducing dependence on coal is directly related to India’s green energy revolution. The country has achieved a historic milestone in its energy journey. India achieved 50% of its total installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in July itself. This target has been achieved 5 years before the deadline set under the Paris Agreement. India’s renewable energy capacity has grown explosively by more than five times in just the last decade. This has increased from 35 GW in 2014 to more than 197 GW by October 2025 (excluding large hydro projects).
Work going on on many renewable projects
At the beginning of FY 2025-26, work on 169.40 GW of renewable projects is underway and tenders for 65.06 GW have already been issued. According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), this growth in future will come from many new initiatives. These include large hybrid and RTC (round-the-clock) power projects, offshore wind and pumped hydro storage projects in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka. Also, solar energy is being promoted in villages through schemes like ‘PM Suryaghar’ and ‘PM-Kusum’. National Green Hydrogen Mission will also play an important role in making the industrial sector pollution free.