MNRE revises solar potential to 3,343 GW

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has released an updated assessment of India’s ground-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity and launched a new training initiative on solar manufacturing. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi announced the two programmes in New Delhi on 23 September 2025.

The report titled Solar PV Potential Assessment of India (Ground-Mounted) estimates a feasible capacity of about 3,343 gigawatts (GW). This marks a sharp increase from the 2014 estimate of 749 GW. The assessment was carried out by the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) using geospatial analysis, satellite datasets, and land-use modelling in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

The study indicates that potential is distributed across several states, including but not limited to Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. About 6.69 percent of identified feasible wasteland would be needed to achieve the estimated capacity. The ministry stated that the results will guide project siting, infrastructure planning, and private sector participation in line with India’s targets of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, energy independence by 2047, and net-zero emissions by 2070.

Alongside the report, the minister inaugurated the first training programme on solar cell and module manufacturing at NISE, Gurugram. The course is designed to provide practical training on manufacturing processes, quality standards, and industry practices. According to MNRE, this step complements India’s domestic capacity of over 100 GW in module manufacturing and more than 15 GW in solar cell production.