Manoj Kumar and Sethuraman N R of Reuters report that India’s solar industry is grappling with inadequate government funding and a skilled worker shortage. They write:
India’s ambitious plan to expand domestic manufacturing is coming up short in the solar industry which is grappling with inadequate government funding and a skills shortage, potentially jeopardising its clean energy targets, industry leaders said.
The hurdles faced by manufacturers of solar panels, cells and storage batteries are raising costs and delaying projects, threatening India’s ability to reduce its carbon footprint and meet international climate commitments, they said. […]
Modi’s government has imposed 40% tariffs on Chinese solar panels and 25% on cells, allocating about $3 billion in production-linked incentives for local manufacturers as part of a plan for net zero carbon emissions by 2070. […]
“I had never seen a solar panel during my three-year electrical engineering course, and received all training on the job,” he said while operating a panel manufacturing machine.
Sharma said a job in a panel factory offered higher pay compared to textile or auto factories, allowing him to send 20,000 rupees a month back home.
“I am now waiting for an overseas training and higher increments.”
Read more here.
