Despite representing only 11 per cent of the renewable energy sector workforce (as per data by the British Safety Council India), 60 per cent of women respondents have called for gender-responsive policies to boost India’s humongous 500 GW renewables target by 2030, says a report by the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).
The study spanned 26 states and highlighted the demands made by women respondents in forging a stronger policy and regulatory framework that bolsters their participation in a sector that is growing by leaps and bounds.
According to data released by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, installed solar energy capacity recorded an average annual growth of 38 per cent between 2022-23 and 2024-25; while wind energy capacity grew by 35 per cent. As of May 2025, total cumulative installed capacity stood at 110.8 gigawatts (GW) for solar energy and 51.3 GW for wind energy.
Central schemes and initiatives such as the PM Surya Ghar, PM KUSUM, and National Green Hydrogen Mission have also helped strengthen the arena.
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But, while women are now leading from the frontlines in green jobs, the sector remains heavily male-dominated. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data, the percentage of male workers in green energy generation using solar energy in the year 2023-24 was 98 per cent, while that of women was a meagre 2 per cent.
Even more surprisingly, this was a drop from their representation in the sector in 2022-23, when women workers were 17 per cent of the workforce. We look at the reasons and their solutions.
Social norms and underrepresentation
A progressive 21st century society may have witnessed many a glass ceiling being broken, yet, there remain industries in which women’s participation is viewed as unconventional – the green energy sector being one such.
The British Safety Council India study says women make up only 32 per cent of the global renewable energy workforce, while in India, there are only 11 per cent of them in this sector.
This large disparity is rooted in social norms, patriarchal mindsets that manifest as gender biases in STEM fields, as well as limited access to training and education in this area.
Additionally, remote locations of renewable energy sites may be a deterrent for women to apply for jobs here, while perceptions that these jobs are physically demanding set them back further.
Lack of skill-training
A 2023 study by India's Skill Council for Green Jobs found that 85 per cent of green skill-training opportunities were taken up by men, while over 90 per cent of women surveyed believed societal norms hindered their participation.
Not only do fewer women enroll in Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) that offer disciplines preferred by the renewable energy industry, such as electrical, electronics, civil, mechanical, fitter, instrumentation, welding, the women who do enter the sector are concentrated in non-technical administrative roles such as keyboard operators, office clerks, sales workers and administration managers since they may have gained non-formal technical or vocational training through on-the-job learning.
Typically, technical and engineering-related jobs employ only men, especially as machinery mechanics, repairers, managing directors, chief executives, electrical equipment installers and electro-technology engineers.
In terms of employment quality, the latest PLFS data (2023-24) shows that women employed in these sectors usually have a written job contract and are eligible for paid leave, provident fund, pension or gratuity and health or maternity benefits.
The need for greater exposure
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) asked the NCAER to conduct a National Skill Gap Study for High Growth Sectors (2025) that identified additional job roles in green electricity generation and recognised the potential for women’s participation in the sector.
Women are starkly absent in on-site roles at solar and wind farms, especially when work entailed staying away from home for days, such as for operation and maintenance (O&M) jobs.
Help is at hand
While there has been noticeable rise in firms treating applications from men and women on par, the creation of prevention of sexual harassment (POSH) policies and committees and providing crèche facilities at corporate offices, there need to be more jobs created for women across roles, including technical ones.
Resource assessment, forecasting, design and project management roles may be popular among women, but the introduction of lifts for turbine access and automation as well as remote diagnostics are increasingly opening up the sector for women.
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