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India records highest ever non-fossil capacity addition of 31.25 gigawatts in current fiscal year

PURI: India has recorded its highest ever non-fossil capacity addition of 31.25 gigawatts (GW), including 24.28 GW of solar energy, in the current fiscal, said Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Saturday. Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day Global Energy Leaders Summit 2025 (GELS 2025) in Puri, Joshi also announced 1.5 lakh rooftop solar units for Odisha which would benefit over 7 lakh people in the state, particularly from the economically weaker sections. The units would be provided under the New Utility Led Aggregation Model under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana which is consumer owned. In the last 11 years, the countrys solar capacity has grown from 2.8 GW to around 130 GW, a rise of more than 4,500%. Between 2022 and 2024 alone, India contributed 46 GW to global solar additions, becoming the third-largest contributor, Joshi said. This ensured that India is a key driver of an explosive global surge in renewable energy. After taking nearly 70 years to reach 1 Terawatt (TW) of renewable energy capacity in 2022, the world achieved 2 TW by 2024, adding the second terawatt in just two years, the minister added. India holds the worlds fifth-largest coal reserves and is the second-largest consumer of coal. Even with this abundance, India is steadily balancing coal with renewable energy as the transition gathers pace. With global mechanisms now shaping industrial competitiveness, Indias shift towards renewable energy has become even more urgent and strategically important, he added. Odisha advances in renewable energy adoption With over 3.1 GW of installed renewable capacity, clean energy now accounts for more than 34% of the states total installed power capacity. Under the PM Surya Ghar Yojana, 1.6 lakh households have applied for rooftop solar installations. A total of 23,000 installations have been completed, and more than 19,200 families have received subsidies exceeding 147 crore directly into their bank accounts, he said. Joshi said the overall ecosystem created by PM Modi -- ease of doing business, investor confidence, infrastructure, demand-driven schemes and strong Centrestate cooperation -- has driven Indias renewable energy expansion. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi stressed upon the need for uninterrupted power, particularly for rural and poorer masses. Citing Odishas high percentage of more than six percent of the states GDP allocated to capital expenditure, he said, Odisha was investing in future generations and electricity was a top priority and critical infrastructure. An official release said the summit in Puri was the first step in building a vibrant Community of Practice that brings together policymakers, innovators and industry leaders to accelerate Indias clean energy transition. The focus of the summit is to shape the future of energy in the country. GELS 2025 will be the first pan-India initiative bringing together the Union, states, industry, researchers, institutions and global leaders, it added.