A Women's Front to Boost Green Energy

India is expanding its renewable energy sector at a fairly rapid clip with new capacity expected to increase significantly enough by 2026 for it to outpace many major economies.

- Lalita Panicker

India is expanding its renewable energy sector at a fairly rapid clip with new capacity expected to increase significantly enough by 2026 for it to outpace many major economies. But do we have enough skilled manpower to keep up this trajectory? We do not. One answer would be to get women to enter the green workforce in greater numbers which will not only empower them but also ensure that India achieves its green energy goals.

There are many sectors in which women can play a significant role, from waste management to climate adaptation. By 2030, experts estimate that India will need at least 3.5 million people working in the green energy sector; at present, it is about a third of that. This is an industry where skilled workers will be needed more and more and where we need much greater gender focus. Women, with their capacity for innovation and responsiveness to on-ground realities, could be a great asset in energy transition, ensuring greater inclusion in the workforce and reducing the gender gap in green energy jobs.