Mumbai, Aug. 3 -- The India-Australia Rooftop Solar Training Academy at Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) in Gandhinagar has welcomed its first cohort of technicians, marking an early milestone in the India-Australia Renewable Energy Partnership announced by the prime ministers in November 2024. The launch was described in a joint press release issued by the Australian Government and ReNew, India's leading renewable energy company, and it reflects a bilateral commitment to expand rooftop solar capacity. PDEU will serve as the hub institution for the academy.
The academy, which will operate through a hub-and-spoke model, is set to train 2,000 rooftop solar technicians and helpers during its first two years with a specific emphasis on increasing the participation of women and youth in the clean energy workforce. The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water and ReNew are supporting curriculum development, project management and industry inputs to ensure alignment with sector requirements. The Australian Government is assisting the development of a rooftop solar training curriculum aligned with Australian standards to be piloted at the academy.
ReNew will provide industry expertise, curriculum contributions and workforce support while the Skills Council for Green Jobs acts as the project's implementation partner alongside PDEU. The academy is intended to support India's PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana by strengthening the skilled workforce needed to accelerate rooftop solar adoption across urban and rural communities. Officials noted the initiative draws on Australia's vocational training experience to build a practical, job focused programme.
PDEU's director general outlined the university's trajectory from establishing a one megawatt (MW) solar power plant to setting up a 45 MW solar PV manufacturing line and integrating rooftop solar energy storage solutions, framing the academy as a continuation of that work. The initiative is presented as a practical example of expanding clean energy cooperation, creating new opportunities for workers and communities while accelerating the energy transition. Representatives from the Australian Government, ReNew, PDEU and the Skills Council for Green Jobs attended the inaugural programme.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.