India faces solar curtailment and grid challenges amid renewable energy expansion

India is facing challenges in its transition to renewable energy, with a report from Kearney revealing that more than 8 TWh of solar power generation was curtailed between April and June 2026. Grid congestion has been identified as a primary driver for this loss of energy. To meet the national goal of 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, experts suggest the power transmission network requires significant modernization and digitalization to move away from a system designed for thermal-led generation.

Addressing the need for infrastructure, the Inter-State Transmission System rolling plan estimates that an investment of INR 4.85 lakh crore will be required by FY2030–31 to add over 67,000 circuit kilometers of transmission lines and substantial transformation capacity. Currently, annual transmission additions have frequently missed targets set by the National Electricity Plan.

On a micro level, the industrial sector is increasingly adopting decentralized solutions to manage costs and reliability. In Kanpur, a plywood factory recently commissioned an 897 kW rooftop solar system executed by Grun Power. The installation is expected to generate between 1.25 and 1.34 million units of electricity annually, potentially saving the facility between ₹10 million and ₹10.8 million in yearly power costs.