{
  "id": 5023535,
  "title": "India’s power demand is surging, but some solar energy is going to waste",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/indias-power-demand-is-surging-but-some-solar-energy-is-going-to-waste-5023535",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T05:14:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/indias-power-demand-is-surging-but-some-solar-energy-is-going-to-waste-1.500660157"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "BENGALURU, India: As India's power demand skyrocketed during the scorching summer months, the nation found itself grappling with unmet evening requirements due to prolonged air conditioner usage. Despite this escalated demand, certain renewable energy providers were instructed to curtail their output since the country possessed an abundance of clean electricity that its grid could not safely accommodate. Over the past 15 months, India has curtailed nearly 11 terawatt-hours of solar generation – a staggering amount of energy capable of powering approximately ten million homes, according to government data and research from energy think tank Ember. This surplus of solar energy went unutilized during the height of extreme heat and inadequate monsoon rains, which amplified the demand for power in India for cooling purposes and groundwater extraction for agricultural activities. India, being the world's most populous nation and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, is rapidly expanding its clean energy infrastructure, with a particular focus on solar power. Despite its rapid adoption of renewable energy, India is unable to fully harness the potential of its clean power generation due to insufficient transmission and storage capacity, as well as the technical challenges associated with transitioning between fossil fuel-based power and renewable energy sources. Energy experts argue that this conundrum highlights the next significant hurdle in India's energy transition. Simply constructing solar and wind farms is no longer sufficient; the country also needs to develop more transmission lines to distribute electricity across the nation, increase the storage of renewable energy for future use, and establish a more adaptable power system capable of swiftly adjusting to fluctuations in wind and solar output. \"We are presently facing the onset of some of the most formidable obstacles in renewables,\" stated Neshwin Rodrigues, an energy analyst at Ember. Despite generating more than 300 gigawatts of clean power capacity, which surpasses half of the country's total installed electricity capacity, India continues to rely predominantly on coal for electricity production. The primary reason for this persistent reliance on coal is curtailment – a situation in which a wind or solar plant possesses the potential to generate electricity but is compelled to reduce or halt its output due to the grid's inability to assimilate the additional power. Rodrigues noted that as solar generation peaks in the afternoon, it poses a challenge for coal units to decrease their output, primarily because these power plants are relatively inflexible. They cannot swiftly reduce their output without sacrificing efficiency, escalating costs, or encountering operational complications. Coordinating the adaptation of thermal power plants to accommodate the burgeoning supply from clean energy sources is akin to attempting to make an elephant dance, according to Vinay Pabba, CEO of Hyderabad-based renewable energy company Vibrant Energy. Pabba further explained that curtailment incurs losses for clean power developers, as they are compensated solely for the electricity they deliver to the grid. The concentration of renewable generation in the western part of India has also led to congestion in transmission lines in that region. The western states of Gujarat and Rajasthan collectively account for nearly 50% of India's solar power capacity. \"When solar generation peaks, typically during the afternoon, there is a limited pathway to transport it,\" said Pabba. Failing to construct storage facilities promptly could exacerbate the reliance on dirty energy sources. \"Without sufficient storage, India risks maintaining coal plants operational even when affordable renewable energy is readily available,\" stated Vibhuti Garg, South Asia director at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. While constructing a solar or wind farm may take as little as two years, developing new power lines can extend to a minimum of three years, according to energy experts. The Indian government has only managed to meet approximately 80% of its annual transmission construction targets over the past five years, as indicated by research conducted by Ember. To alleviate the pressure on congested transmission corridors and achieve a more balanced electricity supply throughout the day, experts recommend spreading renewable development across other regions of the country and incorporating additional wind and smaller local solar projects. According to Disha Agarwal, an energy analyst at the New Delhi-based Council on Energy, Environment and Water, the challenge is expected to intensify as renewable capacity continues to grow. India has set a target of achieving 500 gigawatts of clean electricity capacity by 2030 and anticipating that nearly 70% of its installed power capacity will derive from non-fossil sources by 2036. Although battery storage can help ensure the reliability of renewable power by storing electricity during periods of abundance and discharging it during high-demand periods, India's storage sector remains considerably smaller than what planners project will be necessary in the future. A recent study released by the India Energy and Climate Center at the University of California, Berkeley, revealed that renewable power augmented by batteries can provide electricity with reliability comparable to conventional power plants at a cost lower than new coal-fired plants. However, India's storage capacity currently stands at a mere 3 gigawatts of battery storage and 7.4 gigawatts of operational pumped-storage capacity. The government estimates that India's storage needs will reach approximately 74 gigawatts by 2032. \"If we fail to build high-quality energy storage projects, we will face curtailment despite substantial solar installations,\" emphasized Ankit Mittal, CEO of battery storage company Ingro Energy. Mittal underscored the simultaneous need for India to transform various components of its electricity system as power demand escalates. \"What was previously planned to occur over decades is now unfolding concurrently,\" he remarked. The Indian government announced in July that it possesses approximately 3 gigawatts of battery storage and 7.4 gigawatts of operational pumped-storage capacity. The government anticipates that India's storage requirements will escalate to about 74 gigawatts by 2032. \"If advanced energy storage projects are not developed, we could continue to face curtailment issues,\" concluded Mittal.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "India’s power demand is surging, but some solar energy is going to waste",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/indias-power-demand-is-surging-but-some-solar-energy-is-going-to-waste-4988015",
        "published": "2026-09-02T01:35:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "India’s power demand is surging, but some solar energy is going to waste",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/indias-power-demand-is-surging-but-some-solar-energy-is-going-to-waste",
        "published": "2026-09-02T01:53:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}