A new study published in Nature Sustainability revealed that air pollution significantly reduced India’s solar power generation in 2023, highlighting the growing impact of aerosols and poor air quality on renewable energy efficiency.

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• A study published in Nature Sustainability found that air pollution reduced India’s solar power generation by 9.6% in 2023.
• The loss was equivalent to nearly 15 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity generation from solar energy.
• India recorded one of the highest pollution-related solar energy losses globally, especially in heavily polluted northern regions.
• Aerosols and particulate matter in the atmosphere block and scatter sunlight, reducing the efficiency of solar panels.
• The study stated that the global average solar power loss due to pollution was around 5.8% in 2023, much lower than India’s level.
• Between 2017 and 2023, pollution-related losses from existing solar installations averaged nearly 74 TWh annually worldwide.
• Researchers noted that pollution is becoming a major challenge for countries rapidly expanding renewable energy capacity.
• Regular cleaning of solar panels and stronger air pollution control measures were highlighted as important steps to improve solar energy output.