Laying the Foundation for a Bright Future: Assessing Progress Under Phase 1 of India's National Solar Mission

From tentative beginnings, India's solar energy market is picking up steam. From 17.8 megawatts (MW) in early 2010, cumulative installed capacity reached 506.9 MW at the end of March 2012. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (NSM or Mission), launched in 2010, has catalyzed much of this growth. Even with 300 sunny days a year in most regions, creating a new solar energy market in India is no easy task. This report presents findings and recommendations to scale grid-connected solar energy development. The report draws from extensive individual and group stakeholder discussions as well as research and analysis of national, state, and international programs.