Clean Energy Meets India’s 7% Rise in Electricity Demand Over Two Years.

Solar expansion helped keep power-sector emissions flat despite rising electricity consumption. 
India’s rapid clean-energy expansion met the entire 7% increase in electricity demand between the first halves of 2024 and 2026, according to a Carbon Brief analysis based on research by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Clean power added around 63 TWh of generation during the period, while India installed 77 GW of new solar capacity, contributing about 60% of the increase in electricity demand.The analysis also found that coal-fired power generation recorded no growth over the two years, the first such occurrence in more than five decades. As a result, power-sector CO₂ emissions remained broadly flat between the first halves of 2024 and 2026. Oil and gas emissions also declined by 7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 However, India’s overall emissions increased 3.7% year-on-year, driven largely by higher emissions from steel, cement and other industrial sectors. The report said continued clean-energy growth will require stronger grids, greater energy storage and improved system flexibility. Files, images, and data analysis are unavailable until usage resets at 5:55 PM. Continue chatting with text only, or upgrade for more access.