India's Power Surge: Leading the Charge with Renewables

India ranks third in global power generation growth, driven by surging electricity demand and a push towards renewable energy. The country saw a major spike in investments, particularly in solar power, as foreign direct investment reached USD 5 billion in 2023, illustrating robust policy support.

India has rapidly transformed into the world's third-largest nation in terms of power generation growth over the past five years, a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report reveals. This puts India behind only China and the United States in this critical sector.

The report attributes India's burgeoning electricity demand to expanding commercial and residential spaces, a surge in household appliances and air conditioner ownership, and increasing industrial demand. In response, the nation has ramped up power generation across all energy sources, with renewable energy leading this expansion.

Significant investment in clean energy, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, has been a key driver. Solar PV accounted for over half of India's non-fossil energy investments over the past five years. In 2024, 83% of the power sector's investment was focused on clean energy, bolstered by India becoming the top recipient of development finance institution funding for clean energy projects, receiving USD 2.4 billion. Moreover, foreign direct investment in the power sector doubled to USD 5 billion in 2023, aided by policies allowing 100% FDI in most electricity and transmission sectors. Despite challenges in foreign portfolio investment, the overall growth outlook remains positive as India continues to excel in power generation and clean energy initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)