Renewable Power Pathways: Modelling the Integration Of Wind And Solar By 2030

This report has charted a cost-effective and feasible pathway for India’s power system to achieve high levels of wind and solar electricity generation by 2030. Under this scenario, additional investment in coal-fired power beyond the current pipeline would be neither necessary from a system adequacy point of view nor financially justified, given the rapid cost declines in renewables plus storage and broader grid integration strategies. This would put India’s power system on a pathway to almost zero emissions by 2050. The analysis presented in this report demonstrates that such a pathway is both technically feasible and economically affordable. However, the challenge is considerable. India’s power system has many advantages and many achievements already, not least its huge and integrated grid. But more than the achievement of renewable capacity addition targets, the focus of policy and regulation should shift to how to make the Indian power system more flexible and fit for purpose in the new paradigm of increasing shares of variable renewables.