India installed 4.8 GW of open access (offsite) solar in the first nine months (9M) of calendar year 2024, almost 69% up compared to 2.8 GW installed in 9M 2023, according to Mercom India’s Q3 2024 India Solar Open Access Market Report. The capacity addition in the first nine months of 2024 surpassed annual installations in any of the previous years.
Mercom said the inventory of low-cost solar modules, procured before the reimposition of the Approved List of Models & Manufacturers (ALMM) order, fueled capacity additions in the first half of 2024, leading to record installations in 9M 2024.
In the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, India installed about 1.1 GW of open access solar capacity, over 36% less compared to 1.7 GW installed in Q2 2024. Installations dropped 6.5% year-over-year (YoY) compared to over 1.1 GW added in Q3 2023.
Capacity additions during Q3 were hampered by delays in several projects, primarily due to limited transmission infrastructure and challenges in land acquisition. Additional factors such as delays in grid connectivity approvals and the higher costs of ALMM-enlisted Indian modules than imported ones further contributed to the slowdown.
“Industries and commercial enterprises are pressing forward with decarbonization, undeterred by execution challenges and rising costs. Though infrastructure and regulatory issues pose challenges, solar energy continues to thrive as the most affordable alternative to traditional power sources,” said Priya Sanjay, managing director at Mercom India.
In Q3 2024, Maharashtra led solar open access capacity additions, accounting for nearly 27% of installations. Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh followed, accounting for almost 24% and over 15% of the projects commissioned.
India’s cumulative installed solar open access capacity stood at 17.8 GW as of September 2024.
Karnataka remained the top state for cumulative open-access solar installations, accounting for about 29% of solar open access capacity at the end of 9M 2024. Maharashtra and Gujarat ranked second and third, accounting for over 14% and 11% of cumulative installations through the end of Q3 2024.
The pipeline of solar open access projects under development and in the pre-construction phase was 24.1 GW as of September 2024. More than 80% of pipeline projects were located in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
Adani Green was the leading seller in the Green Day-Ahead Market (G-DAM), accounting for over 36% of electricity sold. Punjab was the leading procurer from G-DAM, contributing to almost 23% of electricity purchased.
