India Sees Sharp Drop in Solar Open‑Access Additions in Q1 2025

India Sees Sharp Drop in Solar Open‑Access Additions in Q1 2025

June 4, 2025

India installed only 1.1 GW of solar open‑access capacity in Q1 2025, marking a steep fall of 48% from 2.1 GW installed in the previous quarter, which was Q4 2024.

This slump also represents a 47% fall year‑on‑year when compared to the over 2 GW added in Q1 2024. Solar open-access projects contributed to just 19.8% of the total large-scale solar installations recorded in the quarter.

According to sources, the slowdown is largely due to a shortage of domestically produced solar modules-a result of a year-end rush to commission projects before the close of the financial year-alongside delays in transmission infrastructure readiness and slow clearance of connectivity approvals.

Of the open‑access capacity added in Q1 2025, about 67.4% was contributed by standalone solar installations, 32% by wind–solar hybrid projects, and the remaining 0.6% by floating solar systems. On a geographical basis, Maharashtra accounted for close to 29% of the total in the quarter’s additions, while the top five states accounted for more than 89% of all open‑access installations. Meanwhile, as of March 2025, the nation’s cumulative solar open‑access capacity stood at 21.5 GW, with Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu being the top three states based on accumulated capacity.