# Solar surge cuts midday coal use by 10 GW in three years: Ember 2026-08-12T18:51:18+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet India’s rapid solar capacity addition has cut midday fossil fuel generation by 10 GW in three years, equivalent to the output of about 15 modern coal units, according to a new Ember report. Fossil generation at 1 pm fell from 135 GW in the first half of 2023 to 125 GW in H1 2026. However, evening coal use has risen sharply: fossil generation between 5 pm and 7 am averaged 168 GW in H1 2026, up 22 GW from three years earlier, as coal plants ramped up to meet post-sunset demand. Ember says battery storage is key to extending solar benefits beyond daylight. Global battery installations in 2026 could theoretically shift 34 per cent of new daily solar generation to evening hours, up from 4 per cent in 2021. For India, faster battery deployment and electricity market reforms are needed to reduce evening coal reliance and improve grid flexibility. ## Coverage - energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com Tags: battery storage, coal generation, electricity demand, Ember report, grid flexibility, solar energy Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/solar-surge-cuts-midday-coal-use-by-10-gw-in-three-years-ember/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/solar-surge-cuts-midday-coal-use-by-10-gw-in-three-years-ember/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.