CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN SOLAR ENERGY

"The Indian solar energy sector has been growing rapidly, in the past few years, majorly due to Government's initiatives such as tax exemptions and subsidies and depleting energy sources".

India has been ranked 7th worldwide for solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production and 9th rank in solar thermal power generation. This capacity is growing rapidly due to the entry of various private players in manufacturing of solar energy equipment. According to NOVONOUS INSIGHTS, the Indian solar energy sector is estimated to grow at 25% year on year in next few years. At this rate, the global market is likely to exceed the annual production mark of 12 GW during the year 2012. Likewise, the Indian market demand is expected to reach 200MW by the year 2012. The implementation of the three-phase plan for solar PV capacity expansion is expected to begin this year in 2010, with the Indian Government spending approximately US$20 billion over a 30 year period.

Whether you are small business or belong to a large corporation, the solar energy industry is an exciting business and career opportunity you do not want to miss.

The renewable energy industry is exploding with opportunity. The Solar Energy Industries report indicates that the market for solar power nearly doubled last year. The increased demand created thousands of new jobs and enabled the industry to buck the declining employment trend that many other sectors.

"A robust solar PV industry in India would create up to 100,000 new jobs in 10 years and transform the lives of 450 million people in India who even now have no access to electricity. About 50 percent of households in the country are cut off from electricity supply and the oil and coal import bill that makes up as much as 7 percent of India's Gross Domestic Product. These are dramatic enough figures pointing to the potential of solar PV-based power generation and when you add that the country has 300 days of sunshine to harness such power from, the opportunity for solar is abundant and the need, immediate" said Sathya Prasad, president, SEMI India.

The solar industry offers exciting career opportunities in various disciplines of engineering like chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communications and civil engineering.

"If you check five years back, job opportunities were not even 10 per cent of what they are today. I personally see 30 per cent growth in this industry in the years to come." quips Hitesh C. Doshi, chairman, Waaree Group.

Below are the key jobs needed within the industry:

• Solar PV Installer
• Solar Designer/Engineer
• Solar Installation Manager/Project Foreman
• Solar Sales Representative/Estimator

How can individuals and entrepreneurs benefit from this dramatic opportunity?

Alternative energy presents attractive opportunities to a wide range of people, including investors and entrepreneurs.
Key players with a role to play in renewable energy industry include:

• Individuals
• Individuals can benefit by investing in green energy stocks and funds. These are already doing well and investing in alternative energy could see even higher growth in the coming years.
• Individuals can also consider shifting their careers to the alternative energy segment, which can provide them excellent future career prospects.
• Entrepreneurs:
• The alternative energy domain presents entrepreneurs with tremendous opportunities to invest in a small, medium or large scale.
• Small Scale Investment Opportunities - Examples include:
  Trading in renewable energy products
  Supporting the renewable energy industry in her/his locality
• Medium Scale Investment Opportunities - Example
  Setting up manufacturing plants for components and accessories for the industry
  Setting up manufacturing units for a range of energy related products
  Setting up medium-scale energy (power or fuel) producing plants
• Large Scale Investment Opportunities - Example
  Setting up large-scale manufacturing plants for renewable energy industry parts and components
  Setting up large-scale energy (power or fuel) producing plants
• Opportunities in Related Fields
  Entrepreneurs who are already in energy related field and looking forward to diversify their business into alternative energy can also benefit from this field.
• Consultants: Consultants and domain experts can benefit by serving the specialized information needs in the renewable energy business. Similar opportunities are available for companies and individuals specializing in market studies and market research.
• Contractors: Contractors are often needed for the construction phase of renewable energy projects for tasks such as building towers, installing and erecting turbines.

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