The renewable energy sector in the country has added close to 12 GW of new capacity during the first 11-months of calendar year 2017. It is expected to end the year with the largest-ever annual capacity addition.

A total of 11,788 MW of grid-connected power generation capacity from renewable energy sources has been added during January-November , according to Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

The solar segment has been the driver of capacity addition in the renewable energy sector, while the wind power sector has been struggling to bring in new capacity from April this year due to some challenges in tariff, though it accounts for a major share in the total installed capacity of the sector.

During January-November, the solar segment added 7.6 GW. In 2016, solar installations stood at about 4 GW (as against 2.3 GW installed in 2015).

Mercom Capital Group, a global clean energy communications and consulting firm, projected new capacity addition of about 9 GW in the solar segment for 2017.

At present, a little less than two-thirds of India’s solar pipeline is concentrated in four Southern States — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Also, Telangana has surpassed Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to become India’s top state for solar capacity addition, according to solar energy consulting company Bridge to India. As of November 30, 2017, the total installed renewable power capacity in the country stood at 62,054 MW.

The total installed capacity of wind power stood at 32,747 MW. Solar was the second major segment with total capacity of 16,612 MW, which includes 864 MW of solar rooftop capacity.

Bio power occupied the third position with 8,182 MW. Small hydro and waste-to-power accounted for 4,399 MW and 114 MW, respectively.

Of the total installed capacity of 62 GW, about 27 GW was added since May 2014 and 11.79 GW installed from January 2017.

The Centre has set a target of 175 GW from the renewable energy sector by 2022. In this, solar power is expected to account for 100 GW, wind 60 GW, 10 GW from biomass power and 5 GW from small hydropower.