The Government of Maharashtra has approved a new renewable energy and storage policy targeting 65% of the state’s electricity demand from renewable sources by FY2035-36, local media reported.
The policy also mandates that electricity distribution companies procure energy storage equivalent to at least 10% of their demand, with at least 85% of stored energy sourced from renewables annually.
Maharashtra currently has about 31.3 GW of installed renewable energy capacity, with renewables accounting for roughly 15% of total electricity generation, indicating significant expansion will be required to meet the new targets.
To achieve the 65% goal, the state will need around 100 GW of renewable capacity, along with approximately 100 GWh of daily energy storage, or about 20 GW of storage capacity assuming five-hour duration systems.
The policy mandates that new solar, wind and hybrid projects include co-located storage equivalent to at least 50% of renewable capacity, with a minimum duration of two hours for projects commissioned by FY2030 and four hours thereafter.
Distribution companies are required to procure at least 10 GW of such hybrid capacity by FY2030, rising to 25 GW by FY2036, as part of efforts to improve grid stability and manage variable renewable generation.
The policy also expands access to Green Open Access, lowering eligibility thresholds and offering incentives such as electricity duty exemptions for projects integrating storage, particularly targeting MSMEs and industrial consumers.
In addition, the state plans to develop renewable energy industrial zones, targeting at least 10 zones by FY2030 and 15 by FY2036, supported by ₹500 crore in budgetary allocation.
The policy includes provisions for setting up a dedicated renewable energy R&D and startup centre, with funding support of ₹100 crore annually for three years.
The move comes as electricity demand in Maharashtra continues to rise, with peak demand increasing significantly over the past decade and further growth expected in the coming years.
The policy signals a stronger push toward integrating renewable energy with storage systems, reflecting a broader shift in India’s power sector toward reliability-focused clean energy deployment.
