Mumbai, July 2 -- The investment of two per cent of capital expenditure in climate resilience across India's planned renewable energy pipeline could halve potential losses from USD 55 bn to USD 27 bn, the report said. This targeted expenditure would result in an estimated saving of USD 28 bn, equating to a sixfold return on investment. The analysis was prepared by Zurich Kotak General Insurance in partnership with Zurich Resilience Solutions, the risk advisory division of Zurich Insurance.
The report noted that India has become the world's third-largest holder of renewable energy capacity in 2026, with installed non-fossil capacity reaching 283.5 gigawatts (GW) in March. Renewable generation is expanding at about 11 per cent annually, keeping the country on track towards its 2030 target of 500 GW of non-fossil capacity. The study examined 871 planned renewable generation sites across 10 states and Union territories, representing around 90 per cent of planned capacity.
It found that nearly 90 per cent of planned renewable generation capacity could face high or critical climate risk exposure by 2030, with a 15-30 per cent likelihood of experiencing a major climate event. The findings highlighted a material risk to the build-out as climate hazards intensify and infrastructure remains vulnerable. The authors argued that addressing resilience now would protect investments and reduce systemic loss potentials.
The report recommended mandatory climate risk screening during project planning, stress-testing of high-risk assets and incorporation of hazard-specific resilience standards into procurement. It further advised strengthening supporting infrastructure and quantifying resilience benefits to improve access to capital for developers, lenders and insurers. Policymakers were urged to consider these measures to safeguard the renewable energy expansion and its role in emissions reduction.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.