India Surpasses China as World's Largest Energy Demand Growth Source by 2035: IEA Report

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India's rapid economic growth has propelled it to become the world's largest source of energy demand growth, surpassing China and Southeast Asian countries combined, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). By 2035, India's energy demand is expected to rise significantly, driven by its growing population, urbanization, and increasing energy needs. The IEA's World Energy Outlook report highlights India's remarkable progress in renewable energy, with non-fossil sources accounting for over 50% of the country's installed generation capacity. This is expected to rise to 60% by 2030 and 70% by 2035, with solar PV and wind power generation projected to increase from 11% in 2025 to over 25% by 2030 and nearly 40% by 2035. The report also notes that India's carbon intensity is expected to decrease by nearly 45% by 2035, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and aligning with its long-term net-zero emissions goal. However, the IEA warns that rising energy demand and increasing reliance on variable renewables will bring new challenges, including the need for investment in storage and transmission infrastructure. To address these challenges, India has launched a National Critical Mineral Mission to secure supplies of critical minerals, which are essential for its energy transition. The report highlights the growing importance of energy security and the need for governments to balance competing policy goals, including affordability, access, competitiveness, and climate change. As India continues to drive energy demand growth, it will require massive investment in domestic infrastructure to meet this demand cleanly and efficiently.