The India-Australia Rooftop Solar Training Academy has welcomed its first batch of trainees at Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) in Gandhinagar, marking a significant milestone under the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in November 2024.
Supported by Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and ReNew, the Academy aims to develop a skilled and inclusive workforce to support India’s rapidly growing rooftop solar sector.
Training 2,000 Solar Technicians in Two Years
Operating through a hub-and-spoke model, the Academy plans to train 2,000 rooftop solar technicians and helpers during its first two years of operation. The initiative places a strong emphasis on increasing the participation of women and youth in India’s clean energy workforce.
The Academy is designed to strengthen the talent pipeline required to support the nationwide rollout of rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.
Australia and ReNew Support Industry-Focused Training
The programme combines Australia’s expertise in rooftop solar deployment and vocational education with India’s expanding renewable energy ecosystem.
ReNew will provide industry expertise, curriculum development, project management support and workforce inputs to ensure trainees receive industry-relevant skills. The Australian Government is supporting the development of a rooftop solar training curriculum aligned with Australian standards, which will be piloted through the Academy.
PDEU will serve as the Academy’s hub institution, delivering training in collaboration with the Skills Council for Green Jobs, the project’s implementation partner.
Leaders Highlight Clean Energy Collaboration
Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green said the Academy fulfils the commitment made by the two Prime Ministers to strengthen renewable energy cooperation between the two countries.
ReNew Co-founder and Chairperson (Sustainability) Vaishali Nigam Sinha said India’s clean energy transition depends not only on technology and investment but also on building a skilled workforce capable of supporting the country’s rapidly expanding rooftop solar market.
PDEU Director General Professor Sundar Manoharan highlighted the university’s growing contributions to clean energy, noting its journey from establishing solar power infrastructure to launching the Rooftop Solar Training Academy as part of its commitment to advancing India’s energy transition.
Strengthening the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership
The Academy represents one of the key outcomes of the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership, with both countries reaffirming progress on the initiative during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Australia earlier this month.
The initiative underscores expanding bilateral cooperation in clean energy while supporting workforce development, accelerating rooftop solar adoption and creating new employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector.
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