India to Generate Over 330,000 Jobs in Renewable Energy Sector by 2022

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): A report titled ‘Can Renewable Energy Jobs Help Reduce Poverty in India?’ released Wednesday by the World Resources Institute (WRI) predicts immense job opportunities in renewable energy sector in India.

According to the report, the country is likely to generate over 330,000 jobs during the next five years until 2022. This is mainly on account of the big push in connection with efforts to achieve the ambitious target of generating 160 gigawatts (GW) of wind and solar power by 2022. Some of these jobs are likely to have direct impact on poverty reduction.

The study report notes that successful implementation of the ambitious targets are likely to result in transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy sources. Apart from environmental benefits, the growth in the sector has potential to create hundreds and thousands of new jobs, mostly for semi-skilled and unskilled workers. This will ensure steady incomes and healthcare benefits to rural population, thereby helping to alleviate poverty among rural communities.

Bharta Jairaj, lead author of the report, noted that wind and solar energy growth could be a win-win opportunity for the country. In order to tackle rural poverty, decision makers need to act in such a way that necessary training programmes are offered to rural workers, especially to poor and less educated people in imparting sector-related skills. In addition, the study recommends that local training programs must target women, by tailoring programs to their need.

Incidentally, India has laid out ambitious plans to expand renewable energy sector with goals to install 100 GW of solar energy, 60 GW of wind energy, 10 GW of bioenergy and 5 GW of small hydro by 2022.