Union Minister lauds Goa's growing role in nation's renewable energy transition

Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi addresses the media during the Global Wind Day Conference 2026 on Monday.

PANAJI

Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi on Monday said Goa hosting the national Global Wind Day celebrations reflected the State’s growing role in India’s renewable energy transition.

He also appreciated the active participation of the Goa government in advancing the country’s green growth agenda.

Addressing the media during the Global Wind Day Conference 2026 in the State, Joshi said that India’s clean energy transition is driving the nation’s journey towards Viksit Bharat and that the country’s wind energy sector is entering a new era of global leadership powered by innovation, exports and energy security.

Joshi said that India’s wind sector has witnessed unprecedented growth, with annual wind turbine manufacturing capacity increasing from 10 GW in 2014 to 24 GW today, reflecting the success of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

He informed that India recorded its highest-ever annual wind capacity addition in 2025-26, crossing 6 GW in a single year, representing nearly a 46 per cent increase over the previous year and reaffirming India’s position among the world’s fastest-growing wind energy markets.

Emphasising the importance of wind energy in the evolving energy landscape, the Minister said that wind energy is no longer merely a source of power generation but is increasingly becoming a reliability resource.

The future of renewable energy, he noted, lies in integrated systems combining wind, solar energy, energy storage and advanced forecasting technologies to deliver affordable and reliable 24x7 clean power.

Joshi pointed out that a wind-rich power system could potentially save the country nearly Rs 2.3 lakh crore, demonstrating the economic benefits of wind energy beyond electricity generation.

He further highlighted that India’s wind energy potential remains enormous and largely untapped. At a hub height of 150 metres, the country’s estimated wind energy potential stands at nearly 1,164 GW, making it one of the largest renewable energy opportunities in the world.

The Minister informed that India is targeting 100 GW of installed wind energy capacity by 2030 and 156 GW by 2036, making wind power a critical pillar of the country’s clean energy transition.

Highlighting key achievements in the power sector, he stated that India’s total installed power generation capacity has increased from 442.85 GW in March 2024 to 538 GW, adding nearly 100 GW in just over two years. During the same period, non-fossil fuel-based installed power capacity rose from about 198 GW to more than 292 GW, registering an addition of approximately 93 GW.

The Minister said that over the past decade India has transformed from being one of the “Fragile Five” economies to the world’s fastest-growing major economy and from a power-deficit nation facing frequent outages to a power-surplus nation. He also highlighted that India achieved 50 per cent non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity in 2025, meeting its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) target five years ahead of schedule.

Joshi observed that India has moved from discussing possibilities to delivering measurable outcomes and is today emerging as a global leader in clean energy and sustainable development.

Minister of State for New and Renewable Energy Shripad Naik, Minister for New and Renewable Energy Sudin Dhavalikar, and Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Santosh Kumar Sarangi, were present during the news conference.