India's Renewable Power Crosses 100 Billion Units in a Quarter as Coal Stocks at Power Plants Fall
In the July to September 2026 quarter (the second quarter, or Q2, of financial year 2026-27), India produced more than 100 billion units (BU) of electricity from renewable sources (solar, wind, small hydro, biomass) for the first time in a single quarter. One billion units means one billion kilowatt-hours (kWh). This was about 19% of all electricity produced.
The data comes from a quarterly energy report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), an independent research body. It used official data from Grid Controller of India (GRID-INDIA), the Ministry of Coal, the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and the National Power Portal.
Solar power grew 39% over the same quarter last year to 51 BU and, for the first time, made up 10% of total generation. Wind grew 29% to 45 BU. Electricity from all non-fossil sources (renewables, large hydro and nuclear) reached a record 177 BU, about 33% of the total.
Total generation rose 11% to 536 BU. Peak demand (the highest electricity use at any one moment) hit a record 270 GW on 16 July 2026. Coal and lignite still produced about 66% of the electricity (351 BU).
Coal stocks at power plants fell sharply. By 30 September 2026 plants held only 21 million tonnes, which is just 36% of the 58 million tonnes they are expected to hold under official norms. The number of plants holding less than 25% of their normal requirement rose from 32 (22 August) to 84 (30 September).
India's installed capacity reached 555 GW by end-August 2026, with about 55% from non-fossil sources. Batteries for storing power were around 9.1 GWh, and about 1,835 million units of solar and wind power were "curtailed" (wasted because the grid could not take it) in July and August.
India's Renewable Energy and Non-Fossil Fuel Capacity Targets
India has set itself clear goals to produce more of its electricity from clean sources like the sun, wind, water and nuclear power, and less from coal. The biggest ones are to build 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030 and to get 60% of its power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2035. These targets are part of India's climate promises under the Paris Agreement, and they guide how India plans its whole power sector.
Crossing 100 billion units of renewable electricity in one quarter shows that India's big capacity additions are now turning into real generation, led by solar. But coal still produced about two-thirds of the power, which shows the gap between capacity targets and actual generation. The wasted (curtailed) solar and wind power also shows why grids and storage are now as important as new plants.
Plant Load Factor (PLF): Measuring How Hard a Power Plant Works
Plant Load Factor, or PLF, tells us how much electricity a power plant actually produced compared to the most it could have produced if it ran at full power all the time. It is written as a percentage. If a plant has a PLF of 70%, it produced 70% of its maximum possible output in that period. PLF is the standard way to judge how well a power plant, especially a coal plant, is being used.
Coal PLF in July to September 2026 was 68%, higher than a year ago because peak demand hit a record 270 GW while hydro output fell. At the same time, coal stocks dropped to 36% of the norm, which could limit how hard coal plants can run in the coming months. With solar now giving 10% of electricity, coal plants are increasingly being used as flexible, balancing plants rather than round-the-clock ones.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
A Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is a large set of rechargeable batteries connected to the power grid. It stores electricity when there is extra supply, such as solar power at noon, and gives it back when supply is short, such as in the evening. You can think of it as a giant power bank for the grid. Most BESS today use lithium-ion batteries. Storage is measured in MWh or GWh, which tells how much energy can be stored.
About 1,835 million units of solar and wind power were wasted in July and August 2026 because the grid could not absorb them at the time they were produced. More battery storage would let India store this daytime power and use it at night, reducing dependence on coal for evening peaks.
- Q2 FY27 (July to September 2026): renewable generation (excluding large hydro) crossed 100 BU for the first time, about 19% of total generation
- Total generation: 536 BU (up 11% year on year)
- Record peak demand: 270 GW on 16 July 2026 (up 18% from 230 GW)
- Solar: 51 BU (up 39%), 10% of total generation for the first time; daily record of 705 million units on 30 September 2026
- Wind: 45 BU (up 29%); nuclear generation up 26%; large hydro down 20% year on year
- Non-fossil generation: record 177 BU, about 33% of total
- Coal and lignite: 351 BU, about 66% of total; coal PLF 68%
- Coal stocks at plants: 21 million tonnes on 30 September 2026 against a norm of 58 million tonnes (36%); 84 plants below 25% of norm
- Installed capacity (end-August 2026): 555 GW; non-fossil about 55%; renewables 243 GW (44%); solar 168 GW; wind 59 GW; large hydro 52 GW; nuclear 8.8 GW; coal and lignite 231 GW (42%)
- Q2 FY27 additions: about 7 GW renewable vs 0.8 GW thermal; 648 MW thermal retired
- Coal under construction (August 2026): 44 GW, about 90% less than half complete
- Battery storage operational: about 9.1 GWh; renewable curtailment in July and August 2026: about 1,835 million units