The record
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- India's power-sector emissions stayed flat from the first half of 2024 to the first half of 2026, according to a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
- The analysis says coal power did not expand over these two years for the first time in more than 50 years, even as overall electricity demand grew by 7 per cent.
- Clean energy met all of this demand growth, adding 63 terawatt-hours through solar, wind, nuclear and hydro power.
- India's total emissions still rose by 3.7 per cent year-on-year in the first half of 2026, driven by steel, cement and other industries.
- The findings matter because they show clean energy can curb power-sector pollution, but rising industrial emissions remain a growing challenge for India's climate goals.
What to watch next
- Whether India upgrades its electricity grid, builds energy storage and makes coal power more flexible to sustain clean-energy growth.
- Plans by the fossil-fuel industry to add new coal-power capacity, convert coal to chemicals and boost domestic coking coal production.
- Trends in steel and cement emissions, which now make up 23 per cent of India's total carbon dioxide output.
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Named India · Anubha Aggarwal · Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air · Lauri Myllyvirta
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