India's solar installations in 2021 surpass a record 10 GW capacity
POWER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

India's solar installations in 2021 surpass a record 10 GW capacity

According to Mercom India Research's recently released Q4 and Annual India Solar Market Update report, India installed a record 10 GW of new solar capacity in 2021, a huge jump of 210% year-over-year (YoY) compared to 3.2 GW installed in 2020.

In India, this is the highest annual capacity of solar installations ever.

Solar capacity installed to date totalled 49.3 GW. In addition, the country has a development pipeline of more than 53 GW.

India installed 2.6 GW of solar in Q4 2021, a 7% decrease from the 2.8 GW installed in Q3 2021. When compared to 1.5 GW in Q4 2020, the installations increased by 74% YoY.

According to the report, utility-scale projects accounted for 83% of total installations last year, with 8.3 GW added, a 230% increase over the previous year. Rooftop installations made up the remaining 17%, with nearly 1.7 GW of new installations, a 138% increase over 2020.

As the country slowly recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, a large number of projects were pushed from 2020 to 2021, contributing to the year's increase in installations.

In comparison to the 2.4 GW added in Q3 2021, 2.2 GW of utility-scale solar was added in Q4 2021. When compared to 1.2 GW installed in Q4 2020, utility-scale installations grew by 82% YoY. Rooftop solar capacity added fell by about 10% in Q4 2021, from 448 MW in Q3 2021 to 402 MW in Q4 2021.

Despite the challenges, including an increase in raw material prices due to supply chain disruptions and Covid-19-induced lockdowns, the industry remained resilient throughout the year, according to the report.

Solar accounted for 12.4% of total installed power capacity and 32% of total installed renewable capacity at the end of December 2021, according to the report.

The year also saw delays in the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) and a lack of clarity about the applicable duties, resulting in a 4.3% YoY decrease in solar tenders and a 2.6% decrease in auctions compared to 2020.

Image Source

Also read: India's solar generation surges by 18% YoY to 68.77 BU in 2021

According to Mercom India Research's recently released Q4 and Annual India Solar Market Update report, India installed a record 10 GW of new solar capacity in 2021, a huge jump of 210% year-over-year (YoY) compared to 3.2 GW installed in 2020. In India, this is the highest annual capacity of solar installations ever. Solar capacity installed to date totalled 49.3 GW. In addition, the country has a development pipeline of more than 53 GW. India installed 2.6 GW of solar in Q4 2021, a 7% decrease from the 2.8 GW installed in Q3 2021. When compared to 1.5 GW in Q4 2020, the installations increased by 74% YoY. According to the report, utility-scale projects accounted for 83% of total installations last year, with 8.3 GW added, a 230% increase over the previous year. Rooftop installations made up the remaining 17%, with nearly 1.7 GW of new installations, a 138% increase over 2020. As the country slowly recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, a large number of projects were pushed from 2020 to 2021, contributing to the year's increase in installations. In comparison to the 2.4 GW added in Q3 2021, 2.2 GW of utility-scale solar was added in Q4 2021. When compared to 1.2 GW installed in Q4 2020, utility-scale installations grew by 82% YoY. Rooftop solar capacity added fell by about 10% in Q4 2021, from 448 MW in Q3 2021 to 402 MW in Q4 2021. Despite the challenges, including an increase in raw material prices due to supply chain disruptions and Covid-19-induced lockdowns, the industry remained resilient throughout the year, according to the report. Solar accounted for 12.4% of total installed power capacity and 32% of total installed renewable capacity at the end of December 2021, according to the report. The year also saw delays in the signing of power purchase agreements (PPAs) and a lack of clarity about the applicable duties, resulting in a 4.3% YoY decrease in solar tenders and a 2.6% decrease in auctions compared to 2020. Image Source Also read: India's solar generation surges by 18% YoY to 68.77 BU in 2021

Next Story
Technology

Atlas Copco Unveils Innovation Centre in Pune for Smart Manufacturing

Atlas Copco Tools has inaugurated its first Smart Factory Innovation Centre in India, a cutting-edge facility in Pune designed to showcase advanced technologies powering Smart Integrated Assembly ecosystems. The centre will serve as a hub for businesses across automotive, aerospace, electronics, heavy machinery, and manufacturing sectors to explore automation and smart manufacturing solutions for zero-defect production.The Innovation Centre offers hands-on demonstrations of the latest torquing and dispensing technologies, highlighting software-driven solutions that optimize efficiency, enhance..

Next Story
Resources

Elite Elevators Unveils India’s First Fully Customizable Home Elevator

Elite Elevators, a leader in the premium home lift segment, has launched Elite Elevators Bespoke—India’s first fully customizable luxury home elevator. The launch event, held at the company’s Chennai headquarters, showcased how the new offering redefines residential mobility by integrating state-of-the-art technology with personalized design.Speaking on the launch, Vimal Babu, Founder and CEO, Elite Elevators, said, “At Elite Elevators, our mission has always been to revolutionize home mobility with world-class innovations. Through its enhanced customizable features, our Bespoke elevat..

Next Story
Real Estate

Under-Construction Homes Now Costlier Than Ready-to-Move Properties

Under-construction (UC) homes are now more expensive than ready-to-move (RTM) properties across major Indian metros, according to the latest insights from Magicbricks.In Delhi, UC homes are priced at Rs 25,921 per sq. ft., surpassing RTM properties at Rs 18,698 per sq. ft. Similarly, in Gurugram, UC homes cost Rs 17,185 per sq. ft., compared to Rs 14,617 per sq. ft. for RTM properties.Mumbai, India’s costliest real estate market, has also seen a sharp rise, with UC home prices soaring 33.4 per cent Y-o-Y in Q1 2025 to Rs 32,371 per sq. ft., while RTM properties stand at Rs 28,935 per sq. ft...

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?