India has ground-mounted solar potential of 3,343 GWp: Report

Report provides a comprehensive analysis of India’s ground-mounted solar PV potential, building on earlier estimate of 748.98 GWp in 2014

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: India has potential to have about 3,343 GWp ground-mounted solar PV from 27,571 square km of wasteland across the nation, a report by National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) said on Tuesday.

NISE is an autonomous specialised institute under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), mandated for research and development, solar component testing and certification, capacity building, and development of solar products and applications. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of India’s ground-mounted solar PV potential, building on the earlier estimate of 748.98 GWp in 2014.

The study integrate: advanced geospatial datasets and refined methodologies, accounting for key development constraints such as terrain (slope and aspect), sustainable land use, solar irradiance, and proximity to roads and electrical substations.

It identifies feasible ground-mounted solar potential of 3,343 GWp across India, derived from 27,571 sq km of wasteland. The report shows that apart from well-known desert regions in

Rajasthan and Gujarat, several states have very high potential for ground-mounted solar PV.