CREA: India Curtailed Over 4% of Its Solar Output in July and August

India's solar power generation reached record levels in July and August, but curtailments became a significant issue due to grid and operational constraints. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reported that over 4% of the solar power generated during these months had to be curtailed. Solar power accounted for 58% of the increase in renewable electricity generation during Q2 of India's fiscal year 2026/2027, making it the primary driver of growth.

CREA's analysis showed that solar output increased by 39% year-on-year, compared to 29% for wind and 26% for nuclear. Hydropower generation declined by 20%. Despite record renewable energy generation, significant volumes continued to be curtailed. In July and August, about 1.835 billion units of renewable energy, mostly solar, was curtailed.

Coal and lignite installations made up 231 GW, or 42% of all power capacity, while renewable energy, excluding large hydro, grew to 243 GW, or 44% of India's capacity. The curtailments occurred as India's demand surged between July and September and coal plants faced critically low inventories. To address these issues, India plans to introduce a regulation from July 2027 requiring developers of solar and wind energy projects to install battery storage at their sites.