India is a global forerunner in renewable energy. With over 130 gigawatts (GW) of installed renewable energy capacity and a goal of
500 GW by 2030, the scope of growth is evident.
Still, a lesser-known issue is that invisible success is transmission.
We are generating sustainable energy at unprecedented levels, but we are not always able to deliver it to the necessary locations.
Gujarat and Rajasthan have vast reserves of solar energy, while Tamil Nadu and Karnataka lead in wind energy. These production regions are not aligned with consumption regions.
The emerging markets heavily rely on Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi as they sit hundreds of miles away. Additionally, there is no infrastructure available to fulfil the energy requirements.
The Green Energy Corridor Plan Phases I and II have proposed to tackle this problem with the construction of thousands of kilometres of new lines. It is a massive step forward, but progress has been sluggish.
Funding shortfalls, project alignment difficulties, and delays all plague the projects. While most corridors concentrate on intrastate transfers, interstate delivery remains the holy grail.
India’s transmission strategy needs a mindset shift. Not incremental improvement — but systemic change.
1. Plan Generation + Transmission Together: Consider transmission a co-equal pillar rather than a post-mortem. Dynamic grid planning based on renewable energy growth estimates is crucial.
2. Fast-Track Approvals: Ease RoW clearances, incentivise states to align with national goals, and use tech for route optimisation.
3. Leverage Private Capital: Models like TBCB (tariff-based competitive bidding) can bring efficiency and funding, if supported by stable regulation.
4. Modernise the Grid: Invest in digital grid management, real-time balancing, and battery storage to handle RE intermittency.
5. Launch a “National Transmission Mission”: Make this a mission-mode, high-visibility initiative with leadership, accountability, and funding at the top.
Every day we delay transmission upgrades, we lose:
As energy consultants and strategists, we’ve worked across the spectrum, from solar developers navigating grid delays to policymakers balancing state vs. central priorities.
The insight is always the same: generation is not the challenge anymore, delivery is.
India’s energy transition will succeed not just because we build more plants, but because we build the infrastructure to connect them to the grid — and to the people who need the power.
Transmission lines may not make headlines. But they’re the invisible threads that will hold India’s clean energy future together.
We have the sunlight. We have the wind.
We even have the ambition.
Now we need to construct the lines that will transport the dream.
1 MW of solar energy is enough to power ~300–400 Indian homes. Produces 4,000–5,000 kWh/day.
No. In solar, MW = power. In chemistry, MW = molecular/molar mass.
Total panel wattage ÷ 1,000 = MW capacity.
High-quality parts, clever design, proactive monitoring, and predictive maintenance guarantee solar reliability.
