Question : EMPLOYMENT IN SOLAR ENERGY SECTOR

(a) the number of employment opportunities created by solar energy sector in the country during the last three years and the current year; and

(b) the year-wise and State-wise details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH)

(a) The employment opportunity in solar power project is considerably high during erection and commissioning as compared to the operation and maintenance of the power plant. Approximately 40 person power is required during erection and commissioning of 1-2 MW PV Project which is spread over a period of around four and half months. This increases by approximately 15 person power for every addition of 1 MW. The employment of persons is much higher in case of solar thermal power projects wherein 500 persons are employed in a 20 MW capacity solar thermal power project during erection and commissioning which is spread over a period of around 12 months.

The total employment opportunity created in setting up of grid connected solar power project during the first phase of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission i.e. 2010-13 is around 21,000. At operation and maintenance stage, as per rough estimate, one to two persons are required per MW depending on the project size. Therefore, the employment for 1000MW would be around 1500. The employment opportunity created in the off-grid and decentralized solar applications is around 15,000 and that in the manufacturing sector is around 12,000 numbers. The total employment opportunity thus created comes to around 47,000. The indirect employment potential is also there which is much larger

(b) Erection and commissioning of the grid connected solar power projects have taken place during 2011-12. The state wise employment opportunity created is at Annexure.