Environmental commitments drive economic growth, says Vice President at Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026

Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan on Thursday said India’s renewable energy expansion had demonstrated that environmental commitments could accelerate economic growth while reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

Addressing the valedictory session of the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, he said India’s clean energy transformation offered a model for the Global South and called for wider public participation to turn the transition into a people’s movement.

V-P Radhakrishnan said India’s non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity capacity had crossed 300 GW. The country achieved a 50 per cent share of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil sources in 2025, five years ahead of its commitment, he noted.

Solar capacity had increased from less than 3 GW to over 170 GW in a decade, he said. Once several times more expensive than coal-based electricity, solar power was now among India’s cheapest electricity sources, reflecting policy support, private enterprise and the efforts of states and citizens.

The Vice President said progress over the past decade supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s view that environmental commitments could drive development by expanding energy access, reducing industrial costs, creating jobs and lowering import dependence.

He also expressed confidence that scientific and technological advances would make hydrogen energy increasingly affordable.

Calling for stronger collaboration between industry and academia, V-P Radhakrishnan said, “The technologies of 2040 will come from the laboratories and start-ups of today.”

He said more than 65 lakh households had joined the solar movement under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, while nearly 30 lakh farmers had benefited under PM-KUSUM.

Solar pumps helped farmers reduce diesel expenditure and earn additional income, enabling them to become “Urjadatas”, or providers of energy as well as food, he said.

V-P Radhakrishnan highlighted efforts under PM-JANMAN and the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan to extend electricity access to remote tribal areas where conventional grid connectivity might not be feasible.

Access to electricity expanded opportunities in education, healthcare, communication and livelihoods, he said, adding that energy solutions must respond to the differing needs of cities, villages and remote settlements.

Describing the clean energy transition as a “Jan Andolan”, the Vice President urged teachers, students, entrepreneurs and citizens to participate. Public involvement would accelerate adoption, create livelihoods and promote household prosperity, he said.

Invoking Mission LiFE, he called for energy efficiency, mindful consumption and responsible disposal, saying individual actions could collectively make a substantial contribution to sustainability.

V-P Radhakrishnan said the coming decade would be crucial to global climate goals. Reiterating India’s ambitions of becoming a developed nation by 2047 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, he said electricity demand could rise nearly seven-fold by 2070.

Meeting that demand would require clean, reliable and affordable power alongside environmental protection, he added.

“Turn discussions into projects, and projects into power,” V-P Radhakrishnan urged participants, calling for international cooperation to translate the summit’s deliberations into action.

The Vice President presented the Excellence in Renewable Energy Awards and PM Surya Ghar Awards to leading states, government departments, vendors, brand owners and public sector banks.

Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi, Minister of State Shripad Yesso Naik, Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood and New and Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi attended the session, along with international representatives, policymakers, investors and industry leaders.

(PIB)

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