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Employment in the Indian renewable energy sector reached an estimated 1.02 million (10.02 lakh) in 2023, highlighting the country’s growing leadership in clean energy and its focus on creating green jobs that drive economic growth, the government said on Friday.  

Hydropower was the largest employer in the renewable sector in India, providing around 453,000 jobs, and accounting for 20 per cent of the global total, second only to China.

The solar PV sector in the country employed about 318,600 people in both on-grid and off-grid systems. India added 9.7 GW of solar PV capacity in 2023 and ranked fifth globally for new installations and cumulative capacity, which reached 72.7 GW by the end of the year.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the global renewable energy workforce grew to 16.2 million, up from 13.7 million in 2022, with India making a notable contribution to this rise. The report was developed in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

"As renewable energy continues to grow in India, it is not only boosting the economy but also creating sustainable livelihoods for millions," said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

As per the report, India's operational module manufacturing capacity stood at 46 GW in 2023, and is expected to grow to 58 GW in 2024. Similarly, cell manufacturing capacity was 26 GW in 2023 and is projected to reach 32 GW in 2024, making India the second-largest PV manufacturer globally after China. The IRENA report estimates that in 2023, India had 238,000 jobs in grid-connected solar PV, an 18 per cent increase from 2022. Around 80,000 people worked in the off-grid solar sector.

It further stated that India had a cumulative installed wind power capacity of 44.7 GW in 2023, ranking fourth globally. The country added 2.8 GW of wind capacity in 2023, marking a significant increase after five years of slower growth. "The Indian wind sector provided employment to approximately 52,200 people in 2023, with around 40 per cent in operations and maintenance and 35 per cent in construction and installation," the report mentioned. In addition, liquid biofuels provided 35,000, and solid biomass accounted for 58,000 jobs. The solar heating and cooling sector employed 17,000 people, while biogas created 85,000 jobs, showcasing the diverse employment landscape within the sector, as per the report.