India is struggling with skyrocketing energy demands, declining energy supplies, and peak load blackouts and shortages that limit energy access. The country’s recent economic growth has depended largely on fossil fuels, resulting in greater energy security concerns, higher electricity pricing, and increased pollution.

The Indian solar industry has been maturing at a rapid clip, growing more than a hundredfold in four years to reach over 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity in 2014.

The potential of renewable energy is not only limited to electricity generation, but also for a variety of applications (heating, cooling, mechanical and cooking) spanning across several sectors (residential, commercial and industrial).

This report focuses on the wind and solar sectors in India. It reviews Indian policies for raising the share of renewables in the energy mix within the context of multiple social, economic and technological objectives.

This report published by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water & Natural Resources Defense Council presents findings and recommendations of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission to scale grid-connected solar energy development in India.