Skills shortage hampers India’s clean energy aspirations

STORY: Rows of solar panels in India’s northwest symbolize the country’s mighty aspirations for renewable energy.

But its plans to expand domestic manufacturing in the solar industry are coming up short.

That’s according to experts, who say India is grappling with inadequate government funding and a major skills shortage.

This will potentially jeopardize its clean energy targets: to hit net zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” program has allocated $3 billion as incentives for local manufacturers.

Yet, industry leaders say India – a major greenhouse gas emitter – must significantly step up funding and training programmes to reach its environmental goals.

Analysts estimate the need for 1.7 million skilled workers by 2027, with the industry seeing a skills gap of 1.2 million already.

Aditya Sehgal is the CEO of Alpex Solar.

“Now that we’re hiring at an exponential rate, we’re hoping the government is able to introduce or push universities and schools in India to have a larger focus on manufacturing in the renewable sector, you know, so being able to provide hands-on training to students on how to maybe run machines, how to maintain machines, right?”

A shift in the direction of renewables could be really impactful for India.

Many manufacturers said that this skill shortage could also limit India’s plans to expand solar module exports…

Which touched $1.9 billion last fiscal year, mainly to the U.S. market.