Women In The Solar Workforce

It is important to evaluate where we are in terms of women’s participation in the renewable energy (RE) workforce. While there is a consensus regarding lower female participation in the RE workforce, the efforts towards the achievement of SDGs 5 and 7 are invisible due to their presence in the informal sector. In this article, Arunima Hakhu discusses the gender and employment in the RE sector and highlights that women self-help groups are crucial for the uptake of solar solutions in the informal sector.

- Arunima Hakhu

The Indian energy sector is experiencing changes in line with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The ambitious target of a 33–35% emission intensity reduction with the conditional target of 40% power generation capacity by non-fossil fuels has enablers in the domestic policy sphere. Policies and missions such as the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, National WindSolar Hybrid Policy, and National Policy on Biofuels have been adopted along with National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency. As a result, while the share of renewable capacity grew at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 19% during 2010–19 (CEA, 2010, 2019), the emission intensity dropped by 21% (MoEFCC, 2018).

In addition, India is committed to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 5 and 7, that is, Gender Equality and Affordable and Clean Energy, through various schemes and policies. While efforts such as the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana are targeted at SDG 7 and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana and National Policy for Women are in line with SDG 5, both SDG targets are touched upon by the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. On the face of it, the transition to LPG seems to be the only intervention targeting SDGs 5 and 7 simultaneously. This article argues that there are efforts already underway visà-vis the achievement of both goals. It scrutinizes existing reports on gender-disaggregated employment creation in the renewable energy (RE) sector. Further, this article argues that while there is a consensus regarding lower female participation in RE workforce, the efforts towards achievement of SDGs 5 and 7 are invisible due to their presence in the informal sector.

Gender and Green Jobs