**India Surpasses Germany as Third-Largest Producer of Wind and Solar Energy**
India has emerged as the world’s third-largest producer of electricity generated from wind and solar energy, surpassing Germany in 2024, according to a recent report released by the global energy think tank Ember. This significant milestone highlights India’s growing role in the renewable energy sector.
The sixth edition of Ember’s Global Electricity Review revealed that wind and solar energy collectively accounted for 15% of global electricity production last year, with India contributing 10% to this figure. The report also noted that low-carbon energy sources, including renewables and nuclear power, provided 40.9% of the world’s electricity in 2024, marking the first time this threshold has been crossed since the 1940s.
In India, clean energy sources now represent 22% of the country’s electricity generation. Hydropower remains the largest contributor at 8%, while wind and solar energy together account for 10%. The report emphasized that renewables led the charge in clean electricity growth, adding a record 858 terawatt hours (TWh) globally in 2024—49% more than the previous record set in 2022.
Solar energy has been the largest source of new electricity for three consecutive years, contributing 474 TWh in 2024 and maintaining its status as the fastest-growing power source for the 20th year in a row. Over the past three years, global solar power generation has doubled, now making up 6.9% of the electricity mix. In India, solar power generation has also seen rapid growth, contributing 7% of the country’s electricity in 2024, with generation having doubled since 2021.
India added 24 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in 2024, more than doubling its additions from the previous year, and positioning itself as the third-largest solar market globally, following China and the United States. The country also recorded the fourth-largest increase in solar generation worldwide, adding 20 TWh.
Phil MacDonald, managing director of Ember, stated, “Solar power has become the engine of the global energy transition. Paired with battery storage, solar is set to be an unstoppable force. As the fastest-growing and largest source of new electricity, it is critical in meeting the world’s ever-increasing demand for electricity.”
The report, which includes an open dataset on electricity generation in 2024, covers 88 countries that account for 93% of global electricity demand and provides historical data for 215 countries. Aditya Lolla, Ember’s Asia Programme Director, noted that the clean energy transition in Asia is accelerating, driven by record growth in solar and other renewables. He emphasized the importance of a robust clean energy market for the region’s energy security and economic resilience.
Neshwin Rodrigues, a Senior Energy Analyst at Ember, highlighted that while India has made significant strides in adopting renewable energy, it now faces the challenge of ensuring that clean energy generation keeps pace with rising demand.
In February, UN climate change chief Simon Stiell referred to India as a “solar superpower,” emphasizing that fully embracing the global clean energy boom could further accelerate the country’s renewable energy initiatives.
**FAQ**
**Q: What percentage of India’s electricity is generated from solar energy?**
A: In 2024, solar energy contributed 7% to India’s total electricity generation.