The Task Force–Sustainable Just Transition, Government of Jharkhand and the Center for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), jointly released a pathbreaking report titled ‘Powering Progress: Unlocking Renewable Energy and Storage Potential Assessment in Jharkhand’ today. The first-of-its-kind high-resolution assessment maps renewable energy potential across all 24 districts, covering 264 blocks of the state. The report offers a transformative opportunity to augment a low-carbon future and aims to support evidence-based policy planning and strategic decision-making in the state. The report was released by the Secretary–Forest, Environment and Climate Change, Secretary–Industries, Secretary-Planning and Development, Chairperson, Task Force-Sustainable Just Transition, and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest-CAMPA, in the presence of stalwarts of industries, public sector undertakings, think tanks, experts, and civil society.
Lauding the effort, Aboobacker Siddique P, IAS, Secretary, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Dept, Government of Jharkhand, stated that Jharkhand’s abundant natural resources offer a unique advantage for accelerating energy transition through renewables. By unlocking locally available renewable sources, the state can position itself as a leader in sustainable development, enabling an inclusive energy ecosystem anchored in long-term prosperity.
Arava Rajkamal, IAS, Secretary, Industries Dept, Government of Jharkhand, stressed that establishing a robust manufacturing ecosystem for renewable energy — from construction and installation to operations and maintenance — can leverage the state’s industrial and MSME strengths. A thriving ecosystem needs to be scaled up to attract private capital and investment while ensuring local entrepreneurs and communities are active participants in the transition.
Emphasising long-term planning, Mukesh Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Planning and Development Dept, said that Jharkhand’s untapped resources call for optimisation and better utilisation through robust planning to support greener infrastructure and a greener economy. The report makes a strong case for the state to emulate renewable energy success stories from India’s western and southern regions.
With Jharkhand’s current renewable capacity standing at only 434 MW (7.2%) as of mid-2025, the estimated 46 GW renewable energy potential is a remarkable feat. The findings highlight solar energy as the largest contributor, with 41 GW potential across multiple segments: 17.2 GW utility-scale solar, 6.2 GW rooftop solar, 9.4 GW agrivoltaics, 6.2 GW floating solar, and 2 GW concentrated solar power (CSP). Other opportunities include 4.1 GW of hydropower, 715 MW of wind, and nearly 1 GW of bioenergy from crop residues, forest biomass, and municipal solid waste. It also emphasises the game-changing role of pump-hydro energy storage and identifies Jharkhand as a frontline state in India.
Elaborating on the intent behind the study, A.K. Rastogi, IFS (Retd), Chairperson, Sustainable Just Transition, Jharkhand, stated that rising energy demand driven by industrial expansion, urbanisation, and emerging needs such as cooling and digital infrastructure makes renewable development urgent. By enabling the planning process, the report will support the development of a green infrastructure, cleaner industrial ecosystems, create green jobs, and promote environmentally conscious socio-economic growth to support energy transition in the state.
Speaking on the occasion, Ravi Ranjan, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest-CAMPA, Jharkhand, said, climate impacts necessitate a shift towards environmental sustainability that prioritises resource optimisation and reducing carbon footprint for economic gain and broader social goods.
Applauding the state government’s initiative, Ramapati Kumar, CEO of CEED, noted that Jharkhand is rightly poised for a transformative journey. By embracing its renewable potential, the state can ensure energy security, economic diversification, and climate resilience while setting a benchmark for Eastern India’s clean energy future. CEED is proud to provide steadfast support to the Task Force and the state government in pursuit of low-carbon development pathways.
The launch ceremony also featured a technical session on Energy Transition Pathways with distinguished speakers, including Dr. Manish Ram (Director–Energy & Climate, CEED), Vibhuti Garg (Director, South Asia – Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis-IEEFA), Sachin Singh (Fellow & Associate Director, TERI), NGR Kartheek (Senior Program Manager – Industrial Decarbonization, WRI India) and Manoj Kumar Karmali (Executive Director–Operations, Jharkhand Urja Sancharn Nigam Ltd.). The key recommendations that emerged from the discussion were creating a conducive atmosphere for investment, financing and regulatory changes, promoting research and innovations, undertaking techno-feasibility studies, pilots and demonstrations on novel projects, linking energy projects with socially beneficial outcomes, and bringing all stakeholders on a common forum to realise the energy transition in the state.
The conference also witnessed a public discussion on the Framework for Sustainable Just Transition — a pioneering framework by any state in India and developed by the Task Force and CEED, which was officially released by the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 24 July. The dialogue brought together diverse stakeholders ranging from panchayati raj institutions, trade unions, workers, livelihood-based grassroots organisations, and community leaders, in support of Jharkhand’s journey towards the sustainable just transition, where no one is left behind.
