Crossroads 9

India’s clean-energy transition continues to accelerate. The country has crossed a major milestone—over 50% of installed power capacity now comes from non-fossil sources, five years ahead of schedule. Renewable additions remain strong: India installed 30 GW of new RE capacity in 2024 and has already added 28 GW in 2025 through October.

Crossroads 8

Data centers may be a significant source of electricity demand in the coming years, with some estimates as high as 40 TWh/yr by 2030. Most cloud players are demanding clean energy, and several Indian states are offering incentives for green-powered data centers.

Crossroads 7

The IECC team is collaborating with India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on accurate extreme heat warnings for outdoor workers, and science-based solutions to protect them during heatwaves. We’ve also demonstrated that enhanced AC efficiency standards could avoid a third of projected additional load due to ACs.

Why India’s AC energy efficiency matters in a rapidly warming world

Despite launching the India Cooling Action Plan in 2019, India’s ACs remain among the least efficient globally. We speak to researchers Nikit Abhyankar and Jose Dominguez from UC Berkeley to understand why India’s star ratings lag, what it means for energy demand, and how smarter cooling can support both thermal comfort and climate goals.