India to miss 100GW solar target in 2022 by 27%: report

This is due to the slow pace in the installation of rooftop solar, the IEEFA and JMK Research found.

India will likely miss its 2022 target to install 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity by 27% due to the slow installation of rooftop solar, a report found.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK research noted that the cumulative installed solar capacity as of December 2021 stood at 55GW, largely from utility-scale projects (77%). Rooftop solar and mini or micro off-grid projects contributed 20% and 3%, respectively.

India has so far installed about 50% of the its target with only eight months left. Some 19GW of additional capacity is expected to be added in the remaining part of the year, of which 15.8GW will be from utility-scale and 3.5GW from rooftop solar.

“Even with this capacity addition, about 27% of India’s 100GW solar target would be unmet,” co-author Jyoti Gulia, Founder, JMK Research, said.

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The report projected that by December 2022, India will see a 25GW shortfall in the 40GW rooftop solar target, compared to just 1.8GW in the utility-scale solar target.

“Utility-scale solar capacity addition is on track. India is set to achieve nearly 97% of its 60GW target,” Gulia said.

“This makes it imperative to have a more concerted effort towards expanding rooftop solar.”

India’s 100GW target for 2022 consists of 60GW utility-scale, and 40GW rooftop solar.