News & Media

India recently conducted a simple market test: can renewable energy and storage deliver reliable, round-the-clock power resembling a thermal power plant? The market’s answer was remarkable. In a landmark auction, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) sought 1,000 MW of “thermal-mimic” power. Sixteen companies competed, and winning tariffs were ₹5.25–5.26/kWh (~$55/MWh), fixed for 25 years.

India’s next phase of steel expansion could lock the country into more than US$1 trillion in coking coal imports, increasing energy import dependence, foreign-exchange exposure, and vulnerability to carbon border measures in export markets. Our analysis finds that green steel, produced through hydrogen-based direct reduced iron with electric arc furnaces (H2-DRI/EAF), can become cheaper than new blast-furnace steel by 2030.

Over the last 15 years, India has seen ten of the fifteen warmest years on record. In February 2026, several cities saw temperatures 3–5°C above normal, signaling early arrival of summer heat. As cities, states and the central government get into the annual rhythm of heat preparedness and response, technology-backed assessments and solutions will be key for long-term adaptation and heat mitigation.

India’s clean-energy transition continues to accelerate. The country has crossed a major milestone—over 50% of installed power capacity now comes from non-fossil sources, five years ahead of schedule. Renewable additions remain strong: India installed 30 GW of new RE capacity in 2024 and has already added 28 GW in 2025 through October.

Data centers may be a significant source of electricity demand in the coming years, with some estimates as high as 40 TWh/yr by 2030. Most cloud players are demanding clean energy, and several Indian states are offering incentives for green-powered data centers.