India adds 3GW solar capacity in Q1 2022; installed capacity now 52 GW

India added 3 GW or 3,000 megawatt of solar capacity in the first quarter of 2022, a 50% increase from the same period of last year. With this, India's total installed solar capacity has reached 52GW, says a research report from global solar industry research firm Mercom India.

Solar capacity additions in the country were affected in the last two years due to the Covid-19 stalemate and recovery was seen only in the last 2-3 quarters. The capacity added in the first quarter of 2022 was 21% more than the 2.6 GW added in the fourth quarter of 2021. Of the total power capacity added by the country in Q1 of 2022, renewable energy accounted for about 81%. Solar accounted for 68% of the total new capacity additions.

Large scale solar accounted for 85% of the installations and roof top solar accounted for the remaining 15%. With the basic customs duty (BCD) applicable from April 1, 2022 on solar cells and modules, the first quarter saw a significant jump in imports. Developers procured almost 10 GW of solar equipment in the first quarter, says the report.

Rajasthan became the first state in the country to cross 10GW of cumulative large scale solar installations, with over 10GW accounting for 24% total installations, followed by Gujarat, the report adds.

Multiple implementing agencies announced about 5GW of tenders in Q1 2022, a decrease of 52% compared to the same period of the previous year and 18% less than the 6 GW tendered in the last quarter of 2021, it says.