I ndia has doubled down on clean energy, yet the power you plug into today is dirtier than it was five years ago. This is a paradox that is at the heart of our energy transition.

As of June 2025, non-fossil fuel sources account for about 50% of India’s total installed capacity. However, India’s grid emission factor (GEF) — a measure of the carbon intensity of electricity — has increased from 0.703 tCO₂/MWh in 2020–21 to 0.727 tCO₂/MWh in 2023–24, according to the Central Electricity Authority. This is a striking reversal: more renewables should mean a cleaner grid. Why is India’s grid getting dirtier instead?

The capacity–generation mismatch

The answer lies in the distinction between capacity and generation. While renewables now account for a large share of installed capacity, they del

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