Article 2: Building bridges
Why in news: India hit record power demand with high solar contribution, but low daily and evening supply exposed storage gaps, rising curtailment, and urgency to integrate batteries amid weak monsoon outlook.
Key Details
- Peak vs Reality Gap: Solar performs strongly in daytime but fails to meet evening demand, limiting reliability
- Capacity–Generation Mismatch: Rapid rise in installed solar capacity is not matched by proportional output
- Storage Deficit: Lack of battery infrastructure prevents utilisation of surplus solar energy
- Economic Burden: Curtailment leads to wasted power and compensation costs on public finances
- Climate Pressure: Forecast of below-normal monsoon may increase demand, making solar efficiency more critical
Record Peak vs Daily Reality
- India achieved a record peak electricity demand of 256.1 GW on April 25
- Solar energy supplied 21.5% of afternoon demand — a historic high
- However, over the full day, solar contributed only 10.8% of total generation
- After sunset, solar met just 0.1% of evening demand
- This highlights the day–night imbalance in solar power utilisation
Rising Capacity, Limited Output
- Solar share in installed capacity rose from ~15% (2022) to ~28% (2026)
- Yet, actual generation increased modestly from 5.6% (2022) to 10.8%
- Indicates a gap between installed capacity and effective output
- Growth in infrastructure has not translated proportionately into supply
- Reflects limitations in grid integration and storage
Storage Bottleneck & Grid Constraints
- Core issue is lack of battery storage, not land or solar panels
- Excess solar power cannot be stored for later use
- States are sometimes forced to curtail solar supply to maintain grid stability
- Leads to underutilisation of renewable energy potential
- Highlights urgent need for energy storage systems
Curtailment & Economic Costs
- In 2025, India curtailed 2.3 TWh of solar energy
- Equivalent to 18% of average monthly solar output
- Around 0.9 TWh wasted in October alone
- Producers are still compensated, creating a burden on public finances
- Results in paying for electricity that was never used
Way Forward: Storage & Execution Focus
- Battery storage costs are falling (₹2.21 lakh → ₹1.48 lakh per MW/month in 2025)
- But installed storage remains low: 0.7 GWh (2025), 2 GWh expected by 2026
- Need to shift from policy announcements to actual implementation
- Ensure solar projects are paired with storage systems
- Without storage, solar capacity remains a “half-built bridge”
Conclusion
India’s solar expansion marks significant progress, but without adequate storage, its full potential remains unrealised. Bridging the gap between generation and utilisation is essential for energy security and grid stability. Falling battery costs offer an opportunity, yet execution must accelerate. Integrating storage with solar projects and improving grid management will be crucial to ensure sustainable, reliable, and cost-effective clean energy transition.