India Adds Nearly 40GW of Solar and Wind in Nine Months

India added nearly 40 gigawatts of solar and wind capacity in the first nine months of 2026, according to Asian Power. The figure covers January through September and puts the country on track for another record year of renewable energy additions.

Solar made up the bulk of the new capacity. Wind followed, though at a smaller scale. The combined 40GW is roughly equivalent to the total power capacity of some mid-sized countries.

The build-out comes as India pushes toward its target of 500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. At the current pace, the country is adding renewable energy faster than many analysts expected. Grid operators have managed the influx without major disruptions, though challenges remain in integrating variable solar and wind into the network.

What's driving the growth

Falling module prices have helped. So have state-level auctions that have drawn in domestic and international developers. The government's production-linked incentive scheme for solar manufacturing has also expanded domestic capacity, reducing reliance on imports.

Wind additions have been slower than solar, but still contribute. States like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu continue to lead in wind installations, while Rajasthan and Karnataka dominate solar.

The 40GW figure for nine months is not a full-year total. If the current pace holds, India could add well over 50GW of solar and wind by the end of 2026. That would be a significant jump from previous years.

Challenges ahead

Land acquisition remains a hurdle for large solar parks. Transmission infrastructure often lags behind generation, leading to curtailment in some regions. And while module prices have dropped, financing costs for developers have risen with global interest rates.

Still, the direction is clear. India's renewable energy sector is growing at a scale that few predicted a decade ago. The country now ranks among the world's largest markets for solar and wind.

Asian Power reported the 40GW figure without breaking down the split between solar and wind. The outlet also did not specify the exact capacity added in each month.