India's solar, wind power output grew over 25% as renewable surpass coal globally: IEA
IEA noted that the share of renewable energy in the electrical mix is expected to rise from 33 per cent in 2025 to 37 per cent by 2027
India's solar and wind electricity generation increased by more than 25 per cent in the first half of 2026, raising their share of the nation's power supply mix to 16.5 per cent from 14 per cent a year earlier, as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Renewables now surpass coal as the world's largest source of electricity generation.
In India, wind production increased by little fewer than 10 per cent between January and June, while solar generation increased by over 30 per cent. However, when the nation faced increased demand for power and a record peak load of 270.8 GW in late May, the growth was accompanied by a 3.5 per cent surge in coal-fired generation.
According to IEA, Gas-fired generation was more than 40 per cent below H1 2024 levels and dropped by roughly 15 per cent from H1 2025. India's energy consumption increased by about 6 per cent in the first half of the year due to increased industrial and service activity as well as heatwaves from mid-April to early June.
In May, solar power supplied 60 GW, or 22 per cent of the daytime peak, and demand increased 11 per cent year-on-year (YoY). India's full-year demand growth is predicted by the IEA to increase from 1.6 per cent in 2025 to 7 per cent in 2026.
“Renewables are overtaking coal as the world’s largest source of electricity generation,” the IEA said, after the two reached near parity in 2025.
IEA noted that the share of renewable energy in the electrical mix is expected to rise from 33 per cent in 2025 to 37 per cent by 2027, with an estimated 8 per cent growth in 2026 and an additional 9 per cent in 2027. The primary growth driver is still solar photovoltaic, whose output is predicted to increase by 610 TWh, or 23 per cent, this year.
With their cumulative contribution to global growth increasing from over 10 per cent in 2025 to roughly 17 per cent in 2026, India and other Asian economies will be more heavily involved in the solar build-out.
India's gas-fired generation, on the other hand, dropped 15 per cent in the first half and was more than 40 per cent below H1 2024 levels. Supply curtailments were caused by high pricing and disruptions to LNG supplies across the Strait of Hormuz, which mostly affected industrial and captive gas-based power, it added.
Furthermore, it is expected that global gas-fired generation would remain largely flat in 2026, as opposed to the steady rise seen over the majority of the previous ten years. Although geopolitical risks “may continue to weigh on the outlook,” output may increase by about 1.5 per cent in 2027.
