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India’s Solar Generation Jumps 47% In August As RE Gains Momentum Photograph: (AI)
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has now furnished data of renewable energy generation for the month of August 2026, in addition to the overall clean energy generation in the first five months of financial year 2026-27. The figures indicate that India’s renewable energy generation continued to gain momentum in August 2026, with solar emerging as the strongest growth driver as the country added more renewable capacity and increased its contribution to overall electricity generation.
According to renewable energy generation data for August 2026, solar power generation reached 18.63 billion units (BU) during the month, compared with 12.69 BU in August 2025, representing a 46.8% year-on-year increase. Wind generation also recorded a significant increase, rising to 17.82 BU from 12.89 BU, marking a 38.2% growth over the same month last year.
The stronger generation from solar and wind contributed to an overall increase in renewable electricity output. Total renewable generation, including large hydro, stood at 59.50 BU in August 2026, compared with 51.38 BU a year earlier, an increase of about 15.8%.
Solar and wind together accounted for more than 20% of India’s total electricity generation during August, with solar contributing 10.18% and wind 9.74%.
The trend becomes more pronounced when the first five months of FY2026-27 are considered. Solar generation during April-August 2026 reached 99.50 BU, compared with 67.78 BU during the corresponding period last year. This represents a 46.8% increase. Wind generation, meanwhile, rose from 62.34 BU to 69.88 BU, translating into a more moderate 12.1% increase.
As a result, solar’s cumulative generation during the period was about 42% higher than wind generation. Solar also accounted for 11.20% of India’s total electricity generation during the five-month period, compared with 7.86% for wind.
The generation figures come against a rapid expansion in India’s renewable capacity. As of August 31, 2026, India’s installed solar capacity had reached 168.04 GW, while wind capacity stood at 58.52 GW. Solar capacity additions during April-August alone amounted to 17.78 GW, compared with 2.43 GW of wind capacity.
The latest MNRE figures show that India’s total renewable energy capacity, including large hydro, stood at 295.55 GW at the end of August. Excluding large hydro, renewable capacity was 243.49 GW.
The acceleration in solar is also visible over the longer term. Government data shows that solar capacity has increased more than 53-fold from 2.82 GW in March 2014 to 150.26 GW in March 2026. Wind capacity increased from 21.04 GW to 56.09 GW over the same period.
While solar is expanding at a considerably faster pace on a cumulative basis, the August numbers show that wind generation is also gaining momentum. Wind generation increased by more than 38% year-on-year in August, substantially above its 12.1% cumulative growth during April-August. This suggests that monthly generation can vary considerably depending on seasonal wind conditions and the timing of capacity utilisation.
The capacity side is also showing renewed momentum. India added 6.05 GW of wind capacity in FY2025-26, its highest annual addition to date, compared with 4.15 GW in the previous year.
The latest figures point to a widening contribution from renewable sources in India’s electricity mix. Renewable generation, including large hydro, increased from 225.65 BU during April-August 2025 to 253.57 BU during April-August 2026, a rise of roughly 12.4%.
However, the composition of that growth is changing. Solar is increasingly becoming the primary source of incremental renewable generation, while wind remains an important second pillar of the renewable mix.
The shift is also reflected in India’s capacity structure. By July 2026, non-fossil sources accounted for more than 54% of the country’s installed electricity generation capacity, with solar at 164.59 GW and wind at 58.14 GW.
The August generation data therefore points to a continuing structural shift in India’s power sector: renewables are growing, with solar currently accounting for a larger share of the increase in generation, while wind is also contributing to the expansion.
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