In 2024, India overtook Germany to become the third-largest producer of electricity from wind and solar energy, according to Ember’s Global Electricity Review.
Key Findings from Ember’s Global Electricity Review 2025
Ember’s Global Electricity Review
- It is an annual report released by Ember, a global energy think tank that aims to accelerate the clean energy transition with data and policy.
- Ember’s sixth Global Electricity Review offers the first detailed overview of 2024 global electricity generation based on reported data.
- The report covers electricity data from 215 countries, with 2024 data for 88 countries representing 93% of global demand.
- It includes regional analysis for 13 groupings like Africa, Asia, the EU, and the G7.
- Focuses on electricity generation, weather, and capacity data.
- The report deep-dives into the top 7 countries and regions responsible for 72% of global demand.
- Aims to empower independent analysis and accelerate the transition to clean electricity worldwide.
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Global Trends in Electricity Generation
- Wind and solar together generated 15% of global electricity in 2024.
- Low-carbon sources (renewables plus nuclear) provided 40.9% of global electricity, crossing the 40% mark for the first time since the 1940s.
- Solar remained the largest source of new electricity for the third consecutive year, adding 474 TWh in 2024.
- Solar has been the fastest-growing power source globally for the 20th year in a row.
- In just three years, the share of solar in the global electricity mix doubled to 6.9%.
India’s Performance
- India’s wind and solar generation accounted for 10% of the country’s total electricity output in 2024.
- Clean energy sources in India (including hydro) contributed 22% of total electricity, with hydropower alone providing 8%.
- India’s solar power contribution doubled since 2021, reaching 7% of the country’s electricity generation.
- India added 24 GW of solar capacity in 2024, more than twice the addition in 2023.
- India became the third-largest solar market after China and the US.
- India recorded the fourth-largest increase in solar generation globally, adding 20 TWh.
India’s Climate Commitments and National Goals
- Climate Targets (NDCs): Under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted to the UNFCCC in 2022, India committed to achieving 50% of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030.
- Renewable Energy Capacity Target: India announced a goal in 2021 to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.
- Although this target was not formally included in the updated NDCs, it remains a key reference point in national planning documents such as the 14th National Electricity Plan.
key solar power initiatives of Indian Government
- National Solar Mission (updated target 2022): Set a goal of achieving 100 GW of solar energy capacity.
- Solar Parks Scheme: Facilitates the development of large-scale solar parks with a target capacity of 40 GW.
- Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Solar PV (2021) : Supports domestic manufacturing of high-efficiency solar modules.
- Rooftop Solar Programme Phase II: Promotes solar installations on residential rooftops with subsidy support.
- PM-KUSUM Scheme (2019): Aims to install solar pumps and grid-connected solar power plants for farmers.
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