Govt revises India's solar potential to 3,343 GW from 2014's 749 GW

India's revised solar potential now stands at 3,343 GW with Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat contributing nearly half, while floating solar could add another 700 GW

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The government has upgraded India’s ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) potential to 3,343.37 gigawatt (Gw), up from 748.98 Gw estimated in 2014, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi said on Tuesday.

 

India’s solar potential could expand further to about 4,000 Gw when floating solar capacity of around 700 Gw is factored in, Joshi said while releasing a report by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE).

 

According to the report, Rajasthan has the highest solar potential among states at 828.78 Gw, followed by Maharashtra at 486.68 Gw and Gujarat at 243.22 Gw. Together, these three states account for more than 45 per cent of the national potential.

 

Among the Southern states, Andhra Pradesh has an estimated potential of 299.31 Gw, while Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana are assessed at 223.28 Gw, 204.77 Gw and 140.45 Gw, respectively.

 

The report said the revised solar potential is derived from a feasible wasteland area of 27,571.39 km square, which represents around 6.69 per cent of the total identified wasteland.

 

Unlike the 2014 estimates, which were based on static land-use assumptions and limited datasets, the updated figures use high-resolution GIS mapping, account for terrain and infrastructure constraints, and factor in variables such as shading, latitude-specific performance, and grid connectivity.

 

Accurate and reliable solar potential assessment is a prerequisite for informed policy, sound investment, and sustainable growth, the report said. Reliable data ensures that India’s solar expansion is rooted in scientific evidence and aligned with the country’s economic, environmental and security priorities, it added.

 

Joshi said electricity produced from renewables is cost-effective, and lower cost of power translates into higher investments and more green jobs while benefiting the environment.

 

Amid India’s push for increasing share of renewables in the energy mix, the country’s installed non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity has already reached 250 Gw. The government has set a target of scaling this up to 500 Gw by 2030.