How India makes its electricity
Solar capacity went from 32 MW to 150,000 MW in fifteen years. Renewables are now 42% of what India can generate.
This is India’s installed power capacity by source on 31 March each year, from the Central Electricity Authority.
In 2011, solar was 32 megawatts, less than a single medium-sized plant. In March 2026 it was 150,261 MW (150 GW), second only to coal. Coal & lignite grew too, to 229 GW, but its share of capacity fell from 54% to 43%. Solar, wind, small hydro and bio-power together now make up 42% of India’s 533 GW.
Capacity isn’t generation. Solar panels only produce during the day, so coal still supplies most of the electricity actually used. Switch to share of total to see how the mix has changed, or click a source to show it alone.