Renewable Energy (Environment & Ecology).
Syllabus: UPSC Pre GS1: Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change; Mains GS3
Renewable energy for UPSC: solar, wind, hydro and bioenergy potential, the 500 GW target, PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar, solar parks, storage, grid…
Green hydrogen for UPSC: grey, blue and green hydrogen, electrolysers, National Green Hydrogen Mission and SIGHT, India's standard, uses, costs and PYQs.
A PIB backgrounder of 19 October 2026 explains how pumped storage projects (PSPs) will store solar and wind power for India’s grid. India runs 7.43 GW of pumped storage today, is building 15.87 GW more and has an assessed potential of 345.38 GW. A roadmap aims to add about 100 GW between 2025-26 and 2035-36.
UPSC angle: Prelims: PSP types, CEA, ISTS waiver, IRENA ranking. · Mains GS-III: storage and the clean energy transition.
19 Oct 2026
The oil marketing companies have kept sugar out of India’s ethanol programme for the coming year. The tender issued on 16 October 2026 seeks about 11 billion litres of ethanol for the 2026-27 supply year, but asks for none made from sugarcane juice, sugar syrup or B-heavy molasses, because the Government wants sugar diversion for ethanol cut to zero. Grain must now carry the load, and even the maize incentive has been cut. Read this as a live example of the food-versus-fuel trade-off.
UPSC angle: Prelims: E20, NPB 2018, molasses grades, feedstocks. · Mains GS-III: energy security vs food security; farm incomes.
18 Oct 2026
Scientists from S.N. Bose Centre Kolkata, INST Mohali and SRM University Amaravati made a metal-free porous organic catalyst, TTT-DHTD, for the oxygen reduction reaction in zinc-air batteries. It reached about 96% of commercial platinum's performance and stayed stable for 120 hours. Replacing platinum could cut the cost of zinc-air batteries and fuel cells.
UPSC angle: Prelims: battery chemistries. · Mains GS-III: energy storage, indigenous research.
7 Oct 2026
On 1 October 2026 the Petroleum Minister launched GOBARdhan, a Central Sector Scheme for compressed biogas (CBG) approved by the Cabinet on 6 August 2026 with ₹23,731 crore. It runs from 2026-27 to 2035-36 and aims to raise domestic CBG output nearly 10-fold to about 5 MMSCMD through assured offtake, a fixed price, capital aid and pipeline support.
UPSC angle: Prelims: scheme type, outlay, target. · Mains: CBG as a circular-economy solution.
1 Oct 2026
On 30 September 2026 the Union Cabinet approved Green Energy Corridor Phase-III, with an outlay of ₹1,86,405 crore by 2032-33. It will strengthen intra-State transmission to carry up to 135 GW of renewable energy and add 50 GWh of battery storage. Central financial support is ₹54,082 crore, to keep transmission charges and power costs down.
UPSC angle: Mains: Why transmission and storage, not generation, now limit renewable growth.
30 Sep 2026
A PIB backgrounder of 27 September 2026 shows how Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 turns organic waste into energy. Prayagraj's bio-CNG plant takes 343 tonnes of waste a day, a Gwalior gaushala makes compressed biogas from dung, and a Hyderabad market runs its streetlights on vegetable waste.
UPSC angle: Prelims: anaerobic digestion; by-products. · Mains: Waste-to-energy's promise and pitfalls in Indian cities.
27 Sep 2026