India has officially surpassed Germany to become the world’s third-largest producer of electricity from wind and solar sources in 2024, according to Ember’s sixth annual Global Electricity Review. The report states that wind and solar made up 15% of global electricity generation last year, with India contributing 10% to that total.
Clean sources — a mix of renewables and nuclear — provided a record 40.9% of global electricity, marking the highest share since the 1940s. In India, clean energy accounted for 22% of the power mix, led by hydropower at 8%, followed by wind and solar at 10%. Solar alone contributed 7% of the nation’s electricity, having doubled its share since 2021.
India added 24 GW of solar capacity in 2024—more than twice its 2023 addition—securing its position as the world’s third-largest solar market after China and the US. It also placed fourth in solar generation growth, contributing an additional 20 TWh. On a global scale, renewables reached a record 858 TWh in 2024, with solar energy expanding for the 20th year in a row, adding 474 TWh on its own.
While analysts praised India’s rapid expansion, they also cautioned that more aggressive progress is needed to meet rising electricity demand and climate goals. India aims to generate 50% of its installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources and achieve 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by the year 2030. However, Ember warned that the current trajectory may not be enough unless annual funding for clean energy increases by 20%.
