India curtailed approximately 11 terawatt-hours (TWh) of solar electricity over a 15-month period spanning 2025 and 2026 due to inadequate transmission and energy storage infrastructure, according to energy think tank Ember.
The curtailed electricity could have supplied approximately 10 million households, highlighting the extent of infrastructure-related challenges facing the country’s renewable energy sector.
The situation reflects a growing gap between the expansion of renewable energy generation and the availability of infrastructure required to transmit and store electricity. While India continues to add large-scale solar capacity, limitations in grid connectivity and insufficient storage facilities are preventing some of the available electricity from reaching consumers.
Transmission constraints are particularly significant in renewable energy-rich states, where large solar and wind projects are often located far from major electricity consumption centres.
Moving electricity from these locations requires dedicated transmission corridors, high-capacity substations and an efficient grid network. When these facilities are unable to accommodate the available generation, power producers may be required to reduce output.
Energy storage is another important part of addressing this challenge. Battery energy storage systems and pumped storage projects can help store surplus electricity generated during periods of high renewable output and release it when demand increases.
This can improve the utilisation of solar and wind power while reducing pressure on conventional generation sources during peak-demand periods.
The findings underline the need for better coordination between renewable energy project development and transmission infrastructure expansion. Investments in high-voltage transmission lines, substations, battery storage and grid-modernisation technologies will be important to reduce electricity curtailment.
