Guided story
Is India's electricity going green? The data behind the transition
India's grid is slowly getting cleaner: renewables hit 24.1% in 2025. But coal still dominates at 70.8%. Here's what the data says about the shift, the growth of solar and wind, and the challenge of rising demand.
How much of India's electricity comes from coal?
Start with the biggest fact. In 2025, coal generated 1,474.15 TWh of India's electricity. That is 70.82% of total generation, according to Ember. To understand that number, you need to know what a TWh is. A terawatt hour (TWh) is a unit of energy equal to one billion kilowatt-hours. Think of it as enough electricity to power 100 million LED bulbs for a year. Coal's share has been around 70% for many years. That is the problem: the grid is still mostly coal. The chart shows coal's share over time, and it has stayed stubbornly high. Why? Because as demand grew, coal expanded to meet it. The one visible pattern in this data is that coal's share dipped slightly in the 2010s when renewables started growing, but then recovered as demand surged again.
How much of India's electricity comes from coal
Ember · Coal as a share of electricity generation
2025 · latest point
Coal generated 70.82% of India's electricity in 2025, making it the dominant source by far.
This chart shows coal's share of total generation over time. In 2025, coal produced 1,474.15 TWh out of a total generation of 2,082.82 TWh. The line has stayed high for decades, rarely dipping below 65%. The reason is simple: coal is cheap and abundant in India. The share has remained stubbornly high even as renewables grew, because demand also grew. The chart uses Ember data, which defines coal as including lignite and derived gases.
How have India's CO₂ emissions per person changed?
Now, why does coal matter? Because burning it releases CO₂. India's CO₂ emissions per person have gone from essentially zero in 1858 (0 tonnes) to 2.2 tonnes in 2024, according to OWID. That is an almost unimaginable rise. Per person means the total CO₂ divided by the population. So each Indian on average is responsible for 2.2 tonnes of CO₂ per year. Not all of that comes from electricity, transport and industry also contribute. But electricity is a big part. The trend line in the chart shoots up sharply after 2000. That is when India's economy and power use took off. Rising emissions make the case for cleaner electricity urgent. The chart shows the long view: from near-zero for centuries to a sharp climb in recent decades.
India's CO₂ emissions per person
Our World in Data · CO₂ emissions per capita
2024 · latest point
India's per capita CO₂ emissions have risen from near zero in 1858 to 2.2 tonnes in 2024.
This chart shows the long-term trend in emissions per person. The number was essentially zero in 1858 (the earliest data point). It remained low until the mid-20th century, then started climbing. After 2000, it shot up as the economy grew and electricity use expanded. In 2024, it reached 2.2 tonnes per person. This is total CO₂ from all sources, not just electricity. But electricity is a large contributor because of coal. The trend matters because it shows the environmental cost of growth.
What is renewables' share of India's electricity?
So, how much of our electricity comes from renewables? In 2025, renewables made up 24.1%, according to OWID. That number includes hydro, solar, wind, biomass, and other renewables. In 1985, it was 27.8%. So the share today is actually lower than 40 years ago. Why? Because hydro's share has shrunk as coal grew. But since 2000, renewables have been climbing again, driven by solar and wind. The chart shows a dip in the 1990s and a steady rise after 2000. This is the direct answer to whether India is going green: yes, but the share is still modest and has not yet surpassed the peak of the mid-1980s. The one visible pattern is that the share fell for two decades before recovering, meaning the current green push is essentially catching up to where we were.
Renewables' share of India's electricity
Our World in Data · Renewables
2025 · latest point
Renewables made up 24.1% of India's electricity in 2025, down from 27.8% in 1985.
This chart shows the percentage of electricity from renewables (hydro, solar, wind, biomass) over time. In 1985, it was 27.8%. It then declined as coal and gas grew faster. It reached a low of around 14% in the 2010s. Since then, solar and wind have pushed it back up to 24.1% in 2025. So the share has recovered but not yet surpassed the 1985 level. The dip in the middle shows that renewables were not keeping up with demand growth. The recent rise is a sign of progress.
How does India generate its electricity, by source?
Looking at absolute generation tells a fuller story. In 2025, clean sources (including nuclear) generated 554.81 TWh. Fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) generated 1,526.79 TWh. Clean includes hydro, solar, wind, nuclear, and bioenergy. The chart shows each source's generation over time. Clean generation is growing steadily. Fossil generation is also growing, but more slowly in recent years. Coal alone is 1,474.15 TWh. Clean is 554.81 TWh. So clean is not replacing fossil; it is adding to total supply. The transition is happening, but it is an addition, not a replacement. The chart shows that both lines are rising, but clean is rising faster after 2015.
How India generates its electricity, by source
Ember · generation_twh
2025 · latest point
Clean generation reached 554.81 TWh in 2025, but fossil still generated 1,526.79 TWh.
This chart shows absolute generation in TWh for clean (including nuclear) and fossil (coal, gas, oil) over time. In 2025, clean was 554.81 TWh, fossil 1,526.79 TWh. The lines show that both have grown, but clean has grown faster in recent years. Fossil generation plateaued after 2019 while clean continued rising. However, the gap is still huge: clean is only about one-third of fossil. Coal alone is 1,474.15 TWh, dwarfing clean. The trend shows that clean is adding capacity, but not yet replacing fossil.
Are solar and wind India's fastest-growing power sources?
Within clean, solar and wind are the stars. They have grown from almost nothing to a significant share. In 2025, clean generation (which includes nuclear and hydro, but solar and wind are the main drivers) was 554.81 TWh. The chart shows the steep upward slope of solar and wind lines, especially after 2015. Their growth rate is much faster than any other source. But they started from a tiny base. So while they are growing fast, they are still small compared to coal. The chart makes this clear: the lines for solar and wind are rising sharply, but they are still far below the coal line. The one visible pattern is that solar's growth has been explosive in the last decade, driven by falling costs and government targets.
Solar and wind: India's fastest-growing power
Ember · electricity generation
2025 · latest point
Solar and wind have grown faster than any other source, driving the increase in clean generation.
This chart highlights solar and wind generation over time. They have gone from negligible amounts to a significant portion of clean generation. In 2025, clean total was 554.81 TWh, of which hydro contributed 177.97 TWh, nuclear 53.83 TWh, bioenergy 23.04 TWh, and the rest from solar and wind. The growth rate of solar is especially sharp, with capacity additions booming after 2015. The line for solar is steep while coal's line is relatively flat. This shows the shift in investment.
Is clean energy catching up to fossil fuels?
The race between clean and fossil is the key dynamic. In 2025, clean generation was 554.81 TWh; fossil was 1,526.79 TWh. The gap is 972 TWh. That is huge. But look at the trend: clean grew faster than fossil in recent years. The chart shows clean's line rising steeply, while fossil's line is flatter. In percentage terms, clean is growing faster. But in absolute terms, the gap is still enormous. For clean to catch up, it would need to grow much faster. The chart is a visual of the race. It shows progress but also the distance still to go. The related trend is that fossil generation plateaued after 2019, while clean continued rising, suggesting the gap may start narrowing faster.
Clean energy is chasing fossil fuels
Ember · electricity generation
2025 · latest point
Clean generation is growing faster than fossil, but the absolute gap was still 972 TWh in 2025.
This chart puts clean and fossil generation on the same scale. In 2025, fossil was 1,526.79 TWh, clean was 554.81 TWh. The lines show clean's faster growth rate in recent years, but the gap remains massive. The chart illustrates the race: clean is catching up in percentage terms, but in absolute terms, it has a long way to go. The gap is narrowing, but slowly. For clean to overtake fossil, it would need to grow at an even higher rate while fossil growth slows further.
Where did India's power come from last year?
Let's look at the latest snapshot. In 2025, the mix was: coal 70.82%, clean 26.65% (hydro 8.55%, nuclear 2.59%, bioenergy 1.11%, with solar and wind included in clean), gas 2.33%, net imports 0.06%. The stacked bar chart shows each source's share. Coal dominates. Hydro is the second largest single source at 8.55%. Solar and wind together make up the rest of clean. The chart is a quick visual of the current reality: coal is king, but there is a growing patchwork of other sources. One visible detail is that gas and nuclear are roughly equal in size, each around 2.5%, highlighting that the non-coal, non-hydro sources are still small.
Where India's power came from last year
India · 2025
Coal provided 70.82% of India's electricity in 2025, followed by hydro at 8.55%.
This stacked bar chart shows the share of each source in 2025. Coal: 70.82%, Clean: 26.65% (hydro 8.55%, nuclear 2.59%, bioenergy 1.11%, solar/wind (included in clean)), gas: 2.33%, net imports: 0.06%. The chart gives a quick visual of today's mix. Coal is the giant. Hydro is the next biggest single source. Solar and wind together are still small. The chart is a snapshot that makes it easy to see the dominance of fossil fuels.
How fast is India's electricity demand growing?
The big challenge: demand is growing very fast. In 2000, India's electricity demand was 572.69 TWh. By 2025, it had reached 2,082.82 TWh, nearly quadruple. Per person, demand went from 0.54 MWh to 1.42 MWh. That means every additional person and every new factory needs power. The chart shows a steady upward line. Demand growth means that even if clean generation grows rapidly, coal may still need to increase to meet total needs. The pressure on the grid is immense. This is why the transition is hard: you have to build clean capacity fast enough to cover new demand and eventually replace existing coal. The chart's steep slope after 2010 shows the acceleration.
India's electricity demand
Ember · demand_twh
2025 · latest point
India's electricity demand has nearly quadrupled from 572.69 TWh in 2000 to 2,082.82 TWh in 2025.
This chart shows total electricity demand over time. In 2000, demand was 572.69 TWh. By 2025, it had risen to 2,082.82 TWh. Per person, demand grew from 0.54 MWh to 1.42 MWh. The line is steadily upward, with no sign of slowing. This demand growth puts enormous pressure on the grid. Every year, India needs to add new generation just to keep up. It means that even if renewables grow fast, coal may still be needed to meet all needs. The chart explains why the transition is a race: demand is a moving target.
How dirty is each unit of India's electricity?
Finally, let's look at the cleanliness per unit. Carbon intensity measures how many grams of CO2 are emitted per kilowatt-hour of electricity. In 2000, India's intensity was 740.04 gCO2/kWh. By 2025, it had fallen to 670.13 gCO2/kWh. That is a drop of about 9.4%. The chart shows a downward trend, especially after 2010. This means each unit of electricity is getting cleaner. But the intensity is still high because coal dominates. The decline shows progress, but total emissions keep rising because total generation grows. The chart is a good news story per unit, but the overall picture is more complex. One visible pattern is that intensity fell faster in the last five years, likely due to solar additions.
How dirty each unit of electricity is
Ember · emissions_intensity_gco2_per_kwh
2025 · latest point
Carbon intensity fell from 740.04 gCO2/kWh in 2000 to 670.13 gCO2/kWh in 2025.
This chart shows the grams of CO2 emitted per kilowatt-hour of electricity. In 2000, it was 740.04 gCO2/kWh. By 2025, it had dropped to 670.13 gCO2/kWh. That is a 9.4% decline. The line started high and has been trending downward, especially after 2010. The drop is because the share of clean energy (solar, wind, nuclear) has increased, reducing the average dirtiness of each unit. However, the intensity is still high because coal dominates. The chart shows progress per unit, but total emissions have risen because demand grew even faster.