India Fulfils 150 GW of Renewable Energy Promise Made During Paris Agreement

Cop 26 hasn’t been the first time when world leaders of the most influential country’s have gathered together to talk about climate change and take vows to increase renewable energy and decrease emissions. 

Paris agreement which was the predecessor of the Cop 26 climate summit was another one of such summits. However, 6 years after the Paris agreement not many countries seem too inclined to fulfil their promises. 

India also had promised on obtaining 40 per cent of its installed electrical capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030 as part of its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris. And India has actually managed to achieve this promise by November 2021. With 156.83 GW of non-fossil-based installed energy capacity, it now accounts for 40.1 per cent of total installed electrical capacity.  

Indian Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said, "The country has achieved this target in November 2021 itself. The country's installed Renewable Energy (RE) capacity today stands at 150.05 GW while its nuclear energy-based installed electricity capacity stands at 6.78 GW. This brings the total non-fossil based installed energy capacity to 156.83 GW which is 40.1 per cent of the total installed electricity capacity of 390.8 GW". 

At the recently concluded Cop 26, meeting Prime minister Narendra Modi had vowed that by 2030, non-fossil fuel sources will account for 500 GW of installed electrical capacity.  

This might actually be achieved before time too as according to the report given On November 30 to the Rajya Sabha by the government a total of 213.64 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity had been completed or is in the process of being deployed. The Parliament was also informed that a total of 150 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed in the country so far, including huge hydropower projects. 

Furthermore, 63.64 GW of renewable energy projects are in various phases of execution, while 32.06 GW of renewable energy projects are in various stages of bidding.