Ahmedabad: Gujarat will require nearly 3 lakh trained professionals by 2030 to achieve its ambitious goal of producing 3.5 million tonnes of green hydrogen, as per the Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI). This accounts for 70% of India’s total target of 5 million tonnes, highlighting the urgent need for large-scale skilling initiatives, according to GERMI’s Director General, Dr Biswajit Roy, reports the Times of India.
In a research paper co-authored by Dr. Roy and Sanjay Kumar Kar, a professor at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, the shortage of skilled manpower was identified as a significant obstacle to Gujarat’s green hydrogen plans. The paper cited estimates from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), which project the need for 2.83 lakh jobs in production and storage, along with 11,000 positions in electrolyser manufacturing.
“Despite the ambitious goals, skilling efforts in the green hydrogen sector remain underfunded and lack the structured approach seen in other sectors, such as semiconductor manufacturing,” the research stated.
The state has allocated land in Kutch and Banaskantha for major companies like Reliance, Adani, and Torrent to establish green hydrogen and ammonia plants. However, GERMI has warned that these developments will not succeed without comprehensive and urgent training programs to prepare a skilled workforce.
Dr. Roy suggested that the government should provide more incentives for training under the Green Hydrogen Mission. He proposed Aadhaar-linked rewards, refundable deposits, and leveraging government institutions to meet skilling targets.
“Mobilizing candidates is difficult unless skilling programs are tied to assured job placements with fair salaries. There is a societal bias towards academic qualifications over vocational skills, which needs to change,” Dr Roy explained. “The transition to a green energy economy is time-sensitive and requires immediate action.”
Dr Roy pointed to successful public-private collaboration models, such as skill development institutes established by oil and gas central public sector undertakings (CPSUs). He urged the adoption of similar frameworks for green hydrogen to ensure Gujarat’s workforce is equipped to power the state’s clean energy ambitions.
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