Punjab has a considerable dependence on thermal sources for meeting its energy demand. In financial year (FY) 2025, Punjab’s total installed generation capacity stood at 14,861 megawatts (MW), of which, thermal (including gas) constituted the largest share (56% or 8,370 MW), followed by hydro (23% or 3,398 MW), solar and wind (17.6% or 2,609 MW), other NCEs (1.9% or 287 MW), and nuclear (1.3% or 197 MW). While the state has been assigning an increasingly important role to renewable energy (RE)—especially solar—in its energy strategy, the consistent surge in energy consumption, driven by a high demand from industrial, agricultural, and residential sectors, makes clean energy transition challenging for the state.
The power sector of a state plays a crucial role in enabling its transition to clean energy. Therefore, Punjab must focus on strengthening its power sector for adequately supporting the agricultural, industrial, and urban energy needs through sustainable generation sources. For this, Punjab needs to craft an action plan that can propel it towards a greener energy future. This is particularly significant in view of India’s goals of achieving net-zero emissions and installing 500 GW of RE capacity by 2030.
In this context, the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) conducted a study for developing a clean energy transition roadmap for Punjab till FY 2036. The roadmap would aid the state in navigating the unique challenges posed by its relatively lower solar and wind potential, diversifying its energy mix, and reducing the dependency on thermal sources, while enabling a smooth shift towards a clean energy economy.
