There will be nonlinear adjustment in India’s shift to renewables.

As India’s energy demand grows, efficiency must become a core part of how the country plans its grid, shapes markets and builds industry.

Despite dramatic declines in clean-energy costs, more than $1 trillion investments in new coal and gas plants is under consideration worldwide, largely because conventional plants are assumed to be the only economical way to provide reliable, round-the-clock power, such as that required by data centers.

A recent 1,000 MW round-the-clock renewable-energy auction (FDRE-RTC-V) by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) discovered a tariff of ₹5.25 per kilowatt-hour, fixed in nominal terms for 25 years. The auction establishes a new benchmark for firm renewable power in India and closely mimics the operating profile of a typical thermal power plant—delivering the most electricity during the evening, night, and early morning while backing down during solar-rich midday hours.