Current affairs
News for UPSC, SSC and defence exams, with the reason it matters.
July 2026
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Cabinet approves PM Surya Sarovar Yojana for 5,000 MW of floating solar with storage
- The Cabinet approved the PM Surya Sarovar Yojana with an outlay of ₹5,070 crore.
- It targets 5,000 MW of floating solar projects on reservoirs and ponds.
- Each project must have batteries storing at least two hours of power.
Why it matters
[Environment] Floating solar panels sit on water, so they need no farmland. The water also cools the panels and cuts evaporation. Storage lets the power be used after sunset.
ONGC completes two deep geothermal wells at Puga, Ladakh, for India’s first geothermal power project
- ONGC Energy Centre completed two geothermal wells, GT-02 and GT-03, at Puga Valley in Ladakh.
- Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena unveiled a plaque at the site on 17 July 2026.
- The wells will feed a planned 1 MW pilot plant. It is meant to be India's first demonstration-scale geothermal power project.
Why it matters
[Environment] Geothermal energy uses heat from inside the Earth. Unlike solar and wind, it can give power all day and night. Puga sits high in the Himalayas, near the meeting zone of two tectonic plates.
Clean energy meets over half of India’s power demand again, on 6 July 2026
- Clean sources met over 50% of India's electricity demand on 6 July 2026, said Minister Pralhad Joshi.
- CEEW says this happened at 11:46 am, when demand stood at 221.5 GW.
- It is the second straight year that India has crossed this mark.
Why it matters
[Environment] Clean energy here means solar, wind, hydro and nuclear power. India reached 50% non-fossil installed capacity in 2025, five years ahead of its 2030 target. Daytime solar now pushes the share above half at peak hours.