State-Level Variations in Renewable Energy Implementation: Insights from India

As the world's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, India faces the dual challenge of achieving economic development while mitigating climate change. Coal-dominated electricity production accounts for the majority of India's emissions, prompting the adoption of ambitious renewable energy targets through the National Action Plan on Climate Change (2008) and subsequent Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. India's 2022 NDC commits to achieving 50 percent of cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. While existing literature extensively examines national-level implementation and potential barriers, gaps remain in understanding the substantial disparities in renewable energy deployment across Indian states. Despite operating under the same national policy framework and targets, states demonstrate markedly different performance levels in installing renewable energy capacity. This study addresses this research gap by analyzing the factors driving state-level variation in renewable energy implementation. Understanding these sub-national dynamics is essential for effective policy design and achieving India's climate commitments, as states serve as crucial implementation units in India's federal structure. This research contributes to both climate policy literature and federalism studies by examining how national targets translate into divergent outcomes at the sub-national level.