India's power-sector emissions stay flat for two years as clean energy absorbs demand growth
A new Carbon Brief analysis finds India's power-sector CO2 emissions unchanged for two years running as record clean-energy growth absorbs all new demand.
Carbon dioxide emissions from India's power sector have not grown for two straight years, according to a new analysis for Carbon Brief by researchers at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. It's the first time in more than 50 years that India's coal-fired power generation has failed to grow over a two-year span, even as electricity demand kept rising.
Between the first halves of 2024 and 2026, India's power demand grew 7%, adding the equivalent of Switzerland's total electricity consumption. Clean energy covered all of it: the country added 77 gigawatts of solar capacity plus wind, hydro and nuclear, together contributing 70 terawatt-hours of new generation. Oil and gas consumption also fell for a second consecutive year, easing the impact of the Hormuz Strait crisis on India's import bill.
Even so, India's overall emissions rose 3.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by steel and cement output, which grew 8% and 9% respectively and now account for 23% of the country's total CO2. The analysts say sustaining the power sector's progress will require major upgrades to the electricity grid, faster buildout of storage and greater flexibility from coal plants, while heavy industry remains India's fastest-growing source of emissions.
This brief is based on analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta and Anubha Aggarwal for Carbon Brief. Read the original: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-indias-power-sector-emissions-flat-for-two-years-due-to-clean-energy-surge
This article was produced with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed by an editor before publication.
