Budget 2026: Renewable Sector Demands Manufacturing, Storage, Green Hydrogen Support

• India's renewable energy sector seeks a policy reset in Budget 2026 to focus on manufacturing, storage, and green hydrogen, moving beyond just capacity addition.
• The sector saw significant growth in 2025, adding 44.5 GW of renewable energy, and rooftop solar adoption under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana gained traction with 27 lakh households.
• Industry leaders emphasize the need for deeper support for vertically integrated manufacturing (solar, batteries, energy management systems) and flexible viability frameworks for large-scale storage.
• Green hydrogen is highlighted as a strategic pillar for clean energy transition, with calls for demand-side policy signals to unlock investments and manufacturing.
• Challenges include limited viability support for utility-scale storage, DCR bottlenecks for rooftop solar, and lack of demand certainty for green hydrogen projects.

Why It Matters: Budget 2026 is crucial for India's renewable sector to boost manufacturing, storage, and green hydrogen.