India’s renewable energy sector is fast emerging as one of the country’s most significant employment generators, driven by rapid capacity expansion and ambitious clean energy targets.
Strong Job Creation Momentum
India has achieved a landmark milestone: 50% of its installed electricity capacity now comes from non-fossil fuel sources, surpassing its 2030 Paris Agreement commitment five years ahead of schedule. This shift marks a structural transformation in the country’s energy mix and signals long-term workforce expansion.
By 2030, the renewable energy sector is projected to generate over 3 million jobs in India, with 1.7 million new opportunities expected in the next three years alone. Direct job growth projections suggest that by 2027, the industry could create 5–6 lakh direct jobs across solar, wind, storage, and associated value chains.
These estimates cover both direct roles — engineering, operations and maintenance (O&M), and project execution — as well as indirect employment across supply chains, component manufacturing, and logistics. Scaling toward the 500 GW non-fossil capacity target by 2030 will remain a key structural driver of workforce mobilisation.
Current Workforce Landscape
As of Jan 2026, India’s total installed power capacity reached 520.5 GW, with approx 272 GW (~52%) coming from non-fossil sources, including solar, wind, hydro, biogas, and nuclear energy. Globally, renewable energy jobs stand approximately at 16.6 million, with India emerging as a major hub. Within the country, hydropower accounts for the largest share of renewable employment (over 450,000 jobs), while solar and wind continue to drive strong job growth as installations accelerate. With capacity addition gathering pace, workforce expansion is expected to intensify as India advances toward its 2030 clean energy goals.
Workforce Gaps and Challenges
Despite positive hiring momentum, the sector faces persistent skill shortages. Critical gaps exist in technical and operational roles such as:
- Solar PV technicians
- Site engineers
- Storage operators
- System integrators
- Digital and analytics professionals
Geographic imbalances further complicate talent availability. States such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu lead in project activity but face uneven workforce distribution, particularly in Tier-2 and Tier-3 regions. To address these challenges, companies are expanding vocational skilling initiatives, apprenticeship programs, and on-the-job upskilling models. Localised training hubs near project clusters, structured career pathways, improved retention programs, and stronger welfare measures are increasingly seen as necessary to reduce churn. Staffing firms are also playing a growing role by offering flexible deployment models and pre-trained talent pools for rapid project ramp-ups.
Salaries and Career Progression
Industry benchmarks indicate that:
- Entry-level PV technicians and site operators typically earn INR 2.5–3.0 lakh per annum.
- Entry-level engineers and supervisors earn INR 3.5–5.0 lakh per annum, depending on location and employer scale.
- Mid-level professionals in operations or engineering management earn INR 6–10 lakh per annum, with growth driven by experience, certification, and exposure to digital energy systems.
Attrition: A Structural Concern
Attrition remains high, ranging between 30–40% annually. A significant portion of the workforce, particularly contractual staff, remains short-tenured due to the project-based and seasonal nature of renewable work.
Key contributors to attrition include project mobility, wage competition from adjacent sectors, and limited long-term career visibility. Companies are responding through retention bonuses, improved safety and welfare measures, and transition pathways from contractual to permanent roles.
Skills in Demand and Upskilling Costs
The renewable energy industry increasingly requires a blend of technical, digital, and project management capabilities. High-demand skills include:
- Solar PV installation and maintenance
- Storage system operations
- Equipment handling and safety compliance
- Automation support
- Data analytics and remote monitoring
Short-term certification programs (2–6 weeks) typically cost INR 8,000–30,000 per trainee, while advanced technical or digital programs range from INR 30,000–1,00,000, depending on infrastructure and certification level.
Balasubramanian A, Senior Vice President, TeamLease Services, “Policy initiatives such as the National Green Hydrogen Mission, Solar PLI, and PM-KUSUM schemes are further expanding manpower demand. Staffing and skilling firms are becoming integral to project ecosystems, bridging demand-supply gaps with compliant and trained talent. Workforce needs are steadily evolving from traditional thermal and field operations toward smart grid, automation, and clean energy roles. As this transition accelerates, renewable energy is emerging not only as a sustainability driver but as one of India’s most dynamic engines of formal and contractual job creation.”