India Achieves Rare Emissions Pause as Clean Energy Surges
What Happened
India’s power-sector emissions remained unchanged between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2026, as rapid growth in clean energy generation met all of the country’s rising electricity demand. According to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), clean energy supplied an additional 63 TWh of electricity, enough to cover the entire 7% increase in demand over the period. It was also the first time in more than 50 years that India’s coal power generation did not grow over a two-year span.
Key Takeaways
The findings highlight the growing impact of solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power in India's energy mix. However, overall national emissions still rose 3.7% in the first half of 2026 due to higher emissions from steel, cement and other heavy industries, underscoring the need to decarbonise industry alongside the power sector.