India’s solar energy generation has surged nearly 138 per cent over a four-year period, rising from 73.48 billion units in 2021–22 to 174.76 billion units in 2025–26, according to official data shared by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in a written response in Parliament on Tuesday.
It added that the share of solar energy in the country’s total electricity output expanded from 4.95 per cent to 9.50 per cent during this timeframe.
The upward trajectory has continued into the current financial year. Data sourced from the Central Electricity Authority shows that up to June 2026, in 2026–27, India generated 62.79 billion units of solar power.
This contribution accounted for 12.03 per cent of the total 521.82 billion units of electricity produced in the country during the period, while total renewable energy output stood at 137.81 billion units or 26.41 per cent of overall generation.
The ministry added that the share of renewable energy in India’s installed electricity generation capacity was 52.6 per cent as of June 2026, while its share in the country’s total electricity generation was about 26 per cent.
Explaining the structural reasons for this imbalance, Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy and Power, Shripad Yesso Naik, said in his written response that “The renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind, have lower capacity utilisation factors than conventional thermal power plants, because they are intermittent and weather-dependent”.
Total electricity generation across all sources rose from 1,484.36 billion units in FY22 to 1,840.11 billion units in FY26.
Over the same period, total renewable power generation, including wind, solar, biomass, bagasse, small hydro, large hydro, and other sources,increased from 322.53 billion units (21.73 per cent) in 2021–22 to 477.78 billion units (25.96 per cent) in FY26.
Solar output maintained consistent year-on-year growth, climbing to 102.01 billion units (6.31 per cent) in FY23, 115.97 billion units (6.69 per cent) in FY24, and 144.15 billion units (7.90 per cent) in FY25.
