India’s Total Estimated Solar Potential Stands at 10,830 GW: TERI
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has reassessed India’s solar power potential at 10,830 GW which is over 14 times higher than previous estimates of 748 GW by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy in 2014. The new assessment incorporates innovations, such as floating solar, Agri-PV, and urban-integrated applications.
June 18, 2025. By Mrinmoy Dey
The report titled ‘Reassessment of Solar Potential in India: A Macro-level Study’ has identified new opportunities across both conventional and innovative applications of solar energy. New assessment identifies untapped solar avenues critical to achieving India’s 2070 net-zero goal and advancing its Paris Agreement commitments.
The report comes at a critical juncture as India accelerates its transition to clean energy in line with its updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, and its target of net-zero emissions by 2070.
The reassessment covers a wide range of categories, including ground-mounted solar PV on barren and unculturable land with an estimated potential of 4,909 GW, floating solar PV with 100 GW, rural and urban rooftop solar PV with a combined potential of 960 GW, Agri-PV for horticulture crops, coffee, and tea plantations with 4,177 GW.
The estimates for rail and road solar PV with 154 GW, building-integrated PV with 309 GW, and urban PV with 221 GW were taken from GIZ India’s study with CSTEP, EY and Fraunhofer for the potential of New and Innovative Solar Areas.
Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, said, “India’s energy landscape is poised for a paradigm shift. Solar is the cheapest form of clean energy available in India. While fossil fuel companies have done well, the debate needs to shift to the cheapest ways of clean energy and the myth around solar as a constraint must be dispelled.”
Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, remarked, “India is in a unique capacity with our sunny days to make it happen. The use of agrivoltaics can help increase the farmer’s income by enhancing the production of fruits and vegetables. Land is a finite resource, so we need to look at other options to produce more energy as the demand for electricity will go up.”
Dr. Mohammad Rihan, Director General, National Institute of Solar Energy, (NISE), stated, “By 2060 we need around 5,000 GW, and our climate is suitable for solar. There is no doubt that solar, being the leading source, will also be the dominating source in the grid. Therefore, potential assessment is important and necessary so that we can address the challenges in the sector.”
India’s revised NDCs, updated in 2022, target a 45 percent reduction in emission intensity by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels) and achieve 50 percent of installed electric power capacity from non-fossil sources. TERI’s earlier projections indicate that electricity demand could reach up to 9,362 TWh by 2070, thus highlighting the critical role of solar energy in decarbonizing India’s power sector.
Previously, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had pegged India’s solar potential at 748 GW (2014), based on 3 percent of identified wastelands. TERI’s reassessment takes a broader and more realistic approach, incorporating innovations, such as floating solar, Agri-PV, and urban-integrated applications, to present a more actionable roadmap.
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