India’s solar power capacity additions declined marginally in May 2026 from a year earlier, even as wind installations registered robust growth and overall renewable energy deployment continued to expand.
According to the latest data released by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the country added 2.81 GW of solar capacity during May 2026, down 2.7% from 2.89 GW added in the corresponding month last year.
The slowdown in solar installations comes despite the sector maintaining its dominant position in India’s renewable energy mix.
Solar accounted for nearly 88% of the 3.18 GW of renewable energy capacity added during the month, excluding large hydro projects.
India’s cumulative renewable energy capacity reached 282.75 GW as of May 31, 2026, while total non-fossil fuel installed capacity stood at 291.53 GW, including 8.78 GW of nuclear power.
Solar power continued to dominate the country’s clean energy portfolio with cumulative installed capacity touching 157.05 GW.
Of this, 118.79 GW came from ground-mounted projects, 27.88 GW from grid-connected rooftop systems, 4.06 GW from hybrid projects and 6.31 GW from off-grid installations.
