Cheap clean energy to power India as leading renewable, green hydrogen player, says Pralhad Joshi
Expansion of transmission infra, expansion of PM Surya Ghar and green hydrogen scale-up are among the steps the government will take to meet its clean-energy targets, the new and renewable energy minister tells Moneycontrol
Union minister for new and renewable energy Pralhad Joshi.
India’s green energy rollout is poised for a sharp acceleration, with new and renewable energy minister Pralhad Joshi telling Moneycontrol in an interview that the government is targeting 50–55 lakh rooftop solar installations under the PM Suryaghar Muft Bijli Yojana by 2026, marking the scheme’s fastest nationwide expansion.
With renewable energy capacity expansion already happening at a rapid pace, the government’s focus for FY27 will be on setting up transmission infrastructure to optimally utilise India’s electricity assets, the minister said.
Joshi, who also oversees the consumer affairs and food & public distribution department, said the ministry is strengthening procurement and distribution systems while tightening oversight on e-commerce platforms, misleading ads and dark patterns. Edited excerpts of the interview:
India achieved major clean energy milestones in 2025. It emerged as the world’s third-largest solar power market and the fourth largest in renewable energy capacity. What are the key challenges India must address to achieve the target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power generation capacity by 2030?
Our 2030 targets were set several years ago and my priority now is to ensure they are implemented rigorously. We have already achieved 50 percent of the target five years ahead of schedule. The bottlenecks that remain — whether related to land availability or evacuation, meaning the transmission infrastructure needed to carry renewable power from project sites to the grid — and other state-level issues, I want to address (them) at priority. This is a commitment the Prime Minister has made to the world and we will work very hard to fulfil it.
But the real challenge seems to be achieving the 1,800 GW non-fossil fuel power target by 2047.The real challenge in achieving the 1,800 GW target by 2047 will be smooth execution on the ground. India has already grown from 2.4 GW in 2014 to over 250 GW today. Affordable clean energy will drive India’s rise as a leading renewable and green hydrogen player. With strong planning, policy support and continued investment, I am confident we will meet the target and emerge as a global leader in renewable energy manufacturing and deployment.