Training people in skills required at renewable energy plants seems to be the next wave in the Indian solar movement.
About six lakh jobs would be created in the next four years from projects coming under the solar mission alone. On an average, about 35 people are involved in the installation of 1 MW of solar plant— including manufacturing and installation of the final plant.
Colleges across the country are cashing in on the need to train students in renewable energy technology. Players across the value chain are engaging in conducting courses in renewable energy in partnership with colleges to offer diploma courses, certificate courses and full-time M.Tech courses.
Product testing and certification company TUV Rheinland India, for instance, is planning to set up two training institutes in partnership with universities from Mumbai and Coimbatore to promote training in operational skills and encourage research in renewable energy.
The company, jointly with Jain University, has been conducting courses in Renewable Energy for the past three years. It has trained about 200 people, and absorbs several students into its facility in India.
“We will be involved in creating blue-collared jobs in this sector,” Mr Enrico Ruhle, Managing Director of TUV Rheinland India, told Business Line . The ecosystem in India needs to be developed, he pointed out. The company expects to double its revenues from its training business next year.
According to Mr Debasish Paul Choudhury, President, SEMI India, several colleges have evinced interest in taking renewable energy as electives in colleges. “Amity University, for instance, has a full-time course in renewable energy,” he pointed out.
SEMI India has been involved in skill training for renewable energy projects. It works out of IIT Bombay in collaboration with some professors there to conduct classes for engineering students, academia and industrialists. “Over 250 students were trained at IIT Bombay last year,” Mr Choudhury said.