The Green Energy Revolution Is Here—But Where Is the Workforce?

By-Chandra Kishore Thakur

The global race to decarbonise is not only about technology and infrastructure—it is fundamentally a workforce revolution. As clean energy investments surge, the greatest challenge of 2025 is no longer whether renewables will dominate the energy mix, but whether nations can cultivate the skilled human capital to sustain that future.

Global Momentum, Local Gaps

In 2023, the energy sector added 2.5 million jobs, taking total employment to over 67 million. The sector’s growth rate of 3.8% outpaced the global average of 2.2%, buoyed by record investments amid the energy crisis. With green infrastructure spending surpassing $2 trillion in 2024, the International Energy Agency expects renewable energy jobs to expand steadily through 2030.

Yet, a widening skills gap threatens to slow this momentum. Between 2023 and 2024, global demand for green skills rose 11.6%, while supply increased only 5.6%. The World Economic Forum estimates that 40% of the global workforce will need to be reskilled within three years to meet the twin forces of digitalisation and decarbonisation.

Specialised sectors are under particular pressure. The maritime industry alone may need to retrain nearly 450,000 seafarers by 2030 for zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia—a figure that could rise to 800,000 by the mid-2030s. Similar demands exist across power systems, construction, and advanced manufacturing.

India’s Human Capital Challenge

India is at a critical juncture in its green transition. By October 2024, renewables accounted for 203 GW—or 46%—of installed electricity capacity, growing 13.5% year-on-year. The sector’s workforce demand rose 23.7% in FY24, driven by solar, wind, and battery storage deployment.

But the country faces a looming skills shortfall. India will need 1.2 million additional trained workers for solar manufacturing and deployment alone. Without intervention, the shortfall could exceed 26% by 2027. Attrition compounds the challenge. While industry-wide attrition declined modestly to 33.5% in late 2024, many firms continue to grapple with critical talent losses, recruitment costs, and project delays. Workforce stability, therefore, remains as critical as workforce expansion.

Some states have begun responding. Andhra Pradesh, for instance, launched a demand-driven green skilling roadmap in August 2025, engaging over 250 stakeholders across industry and academia. The programme emphasises inclusivity, with targeted training for women, tribal youth, and micro-entrepreneurs in solar and wind. Other states and public sector institutions must adopt similar forward-looking strategies to build a robust talent pipeline.

Creating a Future-Ready Workforce

Closing the skills gap requires systemic change. This means expanding vocational training, certification programmes, and hands-on learning in solar, wind, hydrogen, and smart grid technologies. Public-private partnerships should co-create training pathways and apprenticeships, while employers embrace skill-based hiring and micro-credentials.

Equally, digital fluency must be embedded across the workforce. Predictive maintenance, smart grid analytics, and AI-driven modelling are becoming core skills. Global firms like IBM and PwC are already integrating AI into sustainability training, signalling the strategic role of digital tools in climate action.

Just as important is ensuring a just transition. Workers in fossil fuel industries must be offered reskilling opportunities, social protection, and pathways into green jobs. Inclusive hiring—particularly of women and marginalised communities—can both expand the talent pool and make the transition equitable.

From Infrastructure to Inclusion

The success of global decarbonisation will not be judged by megawatts alone, but by the strength of the workforce behind it. Clean energy jobs may be growing faster than ever, but reskilling is the cornerstone of a sustainable and just transition.

By investing in education, digital readiness, and inclusive employment, countries can ensure the energy transition delivers not just cleaner power but shared prosperity—where technology advances hand in hand with people and purpose.

The author is the Global CEO of Sterling and Wilson Renewable Energy Group