Delhi Metro's Revolutionary 5 MW Solar Initiative and India's Renewable Energy Surge

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched a groundbreaking 5 MW rooftop solar project across its Phase-IV network, marking a significant milestone in India's urban transportation sustainability revolution. This comprehensive initiative, valued at ₹19.54 crore, represents the latest phase of DMRC's commitment to becoming one of the world's most environmentally sustainable metro systems.

The tender, designated as Contract DE/SPV-06, encompasses the design, engineering, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar photovoltaic systems across multiple Phase-IV corridors. Bids must be submitted by July 31, 2025, with the project expected to be commissioned within 18 months of contract award.

Project Scope and Technical Specifications

The 5 MW solar installation will be strategically deployed across DMRC's Phase-IV network, including:

• Line-08 Extension (Krishna Park Extension to Deepali Chowk and Majlis Park to RK Ashram Marg)

• Line-10 (Saket G Block to Tughlakabad - the Golden Line)

• Depot extensions at Shastri Park and Yamuna Bank

• Receiving Sub-Stations (RSS) at RK Ashram, Vasant Kunj, and Ambedkar Nagar

The project operates under the RESCO (Renewable Energy Service Company) model, where the selected developer will handle all aspects of the solar installation and provide comprehensive operations and maintenance services for 25 years. This approach eliminates upfront capital investment from DMRC while ensuring guaranteed power supply and performance.

Financial Structure and Bidding Requirements

The tender requires a tender security of ₹19.54 lakhs and a document fee of ₹23,600. Bidders must quote a maximum tariff of ₹5 per kWh and provide a performance bank guarantee of up to 10% of the estimated project cost. The rooftop solar systems will be installed at 15 elevated metro rail stations across the Phase-IV network.

India's Renewable Energy Capacity Reaches Historic Heights

India has achieved a remarkable milestone in renewable energy deployment, with total renewable capacity reaching 226.74 GW as of May 2025 - a 17.13% year-over-year increase from 193.58 GW in May 2024. This extraordinary growth underscores India's accelerating transition toward clean energy and its commitment to achieving the ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

India's Renewable Energy Capacity Growth from May 2024 to May 2025

Solar Power Leading the Charge

Solar energy has emerged as the dominant force in India's renewable expansion, with solar capacity growing by 31.49% to 110.83 GW in May 2025, compared to 84.28 GW in May 2024. This represents the most significant contributor to India's renewable energy portfolio, accounting for approximately 49% of the total renewable capacity.

The solar sector's remarkable performance is attributed to several key factors:

• Declining module prices in the second half of 2024

• Accelerated deployment following MNRE's 2023 mandate for 50 GW of annual tender issuance

• Strong momentum in the green open access market driven by corporate decarbonization initiatives

• Policy support through schemes like PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

Wind Energy Recovery and Growth

Wind power capacity demonstrated steady recovery, reaching 51.29 GW in May 2025 - a 10.49% increase from 46.42 GW in May 2024. Wind energy now constitutes approximately 23% of India's total renewable capacity. The wind sector added 4.15 GW in FY2025, representing a 28% increase compared to the previous year.

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat collectively accounted for 82% of India's wind installations in FY2025, consolidating their leadership in wind power development.

Comprehensive Renewable Energy Portfolio

India's renewable energy mix demonstrates remarkable diversity, with the following composition as of May 2025:

India's Renewable Energy Capacity Composition as of May 2025 (Total: 226.74 GW)

• Solar Power: 110.83 GW (48.9%)

• Wind Power: 51.29 GW (22.6%)

• Large Hydro: 49.89 GW (22.0%)

• Bio Power: 11.34 GW (5.0%)

• Small Hydro: 3.39 GW (1.5%)

Record-Breaking Capacity Additions in 2025

From January to May 2025, India successfully added 16 GW of renewable energy capacity, including 12,970 MW of solar and 3,129 MW of wind capacity. This brings India's cumulative renewable energy capacity to 226.7 GW, demonstrating unprecedented momentum in clean energy deployment.

Monthly Performance Highlights

May 2025 witnessed the addition of 3,123 MW of combined solar and wind capacity, though this represented a 5.9% decline compared to the previous month. Despite this minor monthly fluctuation, the overall trajectory remains strongly positive, with India maintaining its position as the world's third-largest renewable energy producer.

State-wise Performance Leaders

Rajasthan continues to dominate utility-scale solar installations, adding 6,431 MW in FY2025, followed by Gujarat (3,268 MW) and Maharashtra (2,146 MW). In the rooftop solar segment, Gujarat leads with 1,649 MW of new installations, followed by Maharashtra (1,227 MW) and Kerala (515 MW).

Policy Framework and Investment Commitments

India's renewable energy success is underpinned by robust policy support and substantial investment commitments. The government has received investment commitments of ₹32 lakh crore from financial institutions and private developers for renewable energy projects. Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have pledged ₹10 lakh crore, contributing one-third of the required investment for achieving the 500 GW target.

Annual Capacity Addition Strategy

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has mandated 50 GW of annual renewable capacity additions for the next five years (2023-24 to 2027-28) to achieve the 500 GW target. This structured approach includes:

• Minimum 10 GW of wind capacity annually

• Accelerated solar deployment across utility-scale and distributed categories

• Enhanced transmission infrastructure to support large-scale renewable integration

Manufacturing and Self-Reliance

India's solar manufacturing capacity has nearly doubled from 38 GW in March 2024 to 74 GW by March 2025. Solar PV cell manufacturing capacity increased threefold from 9 GW to 25 GW, supporting the Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) initiative. The country's first ingot-wafer manufacturing facility began production with a 2 GW capacity.

DMRC's Broader Sustainability Vision

Delhi Metro's 5 MW solar project represents part of a comprehensive sustainability strategy. DMRC currently derives 35% of its total energy from renewable sources and aims to increase this to 50% by 2031. The energy mix includes:

• 30% from offsite renewable sources (Rewa Solar Plant in Madhya Pradesh)

• 4% from rooftop solar plants

• 1% from waste-to-energy plant in Ghazipur

Phase-IV Solar Infrastructure Development

All 27 elevated metro stations in Phase-IV are being constructed with future-ready solar plant infrastructure, including reserved spaces for inverters, panels, and necessary equipment. The target is to establish 10 MW of solar capacity at Phase-IV stations, potentially generating approximately 1 crore units of solar energy annually.

Previous Solar Achievements

DMRC has successfully implemented multiple solar projects under the RESCO model, including:

• 3.5 MW Phase-IV Part-I installation (completed in 2024)

• 2 MW depot solar project contracted to HFM Solar

• 1.8 MW multi-station installations commissioned in 2023

• 500 kW pioneering rooftop installation at Dwarka Sector 21

Technology and Innovation Drivers

Energy Storage Integration

India is increasingly focusing on solar-plus-storage projects to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy. The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has issued 3.2 GW of solar-plus-storage tenders in June 2025, including a 2 GW solar project with 4 GWh of storage and a 1.2 GW project with 3.6 GWh of storage capacity.

Grid Integration and Transmission

The National Electricity Plan (Transmission) outlines a ₹9.15 lakh crore investment in transmission infrastructure to support 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. This includes adding over 1,91,000 circuit kilometres of transmission lines and 1,270 GVA of transformation capacity.

Economic and Environmental Impact

Job Creation and Investment

The renewable energy sector has generated direct employment for approximately 11,650 individuals through the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules, which has attracted ₹410 billion in investments.

Rooftop Solar Expansion

The PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana has benefited more than 1.1 million households by March 2025, with ₹54.3 billion disbursed as Central Financial Assistance to 698,000 beneficiaries. The rooftop solar segment added 5,148 MW in FY2025, representing a 72% year-over-year increase.

Green Hydrogen Initiative

India's Green Hydrogen Mission has allocated ₹22.2 billion in incentives for electrolyser production capacity of 1,500 MW annually and ₹22.3 billion for 450,000 tonnes per annum of Green Hydrogen production.

Future Outlook and Projections

2030 Targets and Trajectory

India requires approximately 50+ GW of non-fossil fuel capacity additions annually to achieve the 500 GW target by 2030. Current projections suggest India will add 30 GW of solar capacity and 5 GW of wind capacity in the fiscal year ending March 2025.

Investment Requirements

Achieving the 500 GW target necessitates ₹33 lakh crore in total investment, with financial institutions pledging $386 billion for renewable projects by 2030. Clean energy developers have committed to boost India's non-fossil capacity by 570 GW, exceeding the official target.

Technology Evolution

The renewable energy sector is witnessing rapid technological advancement, including:

• Improved efficiency of solar panels and wind turbines

• Advanced energy storage solutions for grid stability

• Smart grid technologies for better integration

• Hybrid renewable projects combining solar, wind, and storage

Conclusion

Delhi Metro's 5 MW solar initiative and India's achievement of 226.74 GW renewable capacity by May 2025 represent pivotal moments in the country's clean energy transition. The remarkable 17.13% year-over-year growth in renewable capacity, led by solar power's 31.49% expansion, demonstrates India's unwavering commitment to sustainable development.

The convergence of policy support, technological innovation, substantial investment commitments, and institutional leadership exemplified by DMRC's solar projects positions India as a global leader in renewable energy deployment. With 16 GW of new capacity added in the first five months of 2025 alone, India is well-positioned to achieve its ambitious 500 GW target by 2030.

The success of the RESCO model in projects like DMRC's solar installations provides a replicable framework for large-scale renewable energy deployment across India's infrastructure sectors. As the country continues to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability, these achievements serve as a testament to India's potential to lead the global energy transition while meeting its rising energy demands through clean, renewable sources.

This comprehensive transformation not only supports India's climate commitments but also establishes a sustainable foundation for long-term economic growth, energy security, and environmental stewardship. The integration of renewable energy into critical infrastructure like urban transportation systems demonstrates how India is embedding sustainability into the fabric of its development strategy, creating a model for other developing nations to follow.