India's installed solar energy capacity has reached 66.7 gigawatts (GW) as of 2023. However, the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a prominent think tank, has issued a stark warning about the environmental impact of this rapid growth. The study reveals that the expansion of solar power has already produced approximately 100 kilotonnes (kt) of solar waste, a figure expected to escalate to 340 kt by 2030.
The report comes as India strives to meet its ambitious goal of deriving 50 percent of its installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, as outlined in its updated nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Solar energy is anticipated to be a key component in achieving this target.
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CEEW’s study highlights that, as India aims for net-zero emissions, the cumulative waste from solar energy infrastructure—both existing and new installations between FY24 and FY30—could reach up to 600 kilotonnes by 2030. This amount of waste is roughly equivalent to filling 720 Olympic-size swimming pools.
The report also identifies that approximately 67 percent of this waste will be concentrated in five states: Rajasthan (24 percent), Gujarat (16 percent), Karnataka (12 percent), Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh.
