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How Renewables Power
12 Million Jobs Globally

Upward trajectory confirms the sector’s consistency in generating socio-economic gains, even during a pandemic.

Renewable energy jobs grow to 12 million in 2020 despite the pandemic /

Renewables fared better than conventional energy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Employment in 2020 was shaped first by delays and later by surges in activity.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) remains a market leader, employing 4 million workers or 36% of the workforce worldwide.

Biofuels jobs fell slightly form 2.5 million to 2.4 million, with highest employment in Brazil, Indonesia, and the Unites States.

Total employment in the wind power industry increased from 1.17 to 1.25 million globally, with China alone accounting for 44% of the global total.

Renewable energy jobs by country
*Click on each country to learn more

Jobs (thousands)

Source: IRENA jobs database

Market leaders retain their positions/

The COVID-19 impacts were uneven among individual countries technologies and segments of the value chain.

China retains the country’s status as the biggest employer. Brazil remains the world’s biggest biofuels employer, followed by Indonesia and the United States

China

4 732 000 jobs
Solar PV: 2 300 000
CSP: 11000
Wind energy: 550 000 jobs
Geothermal energy: 3000 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 51000 jobs
Hydropower: 814 000 jobs
Solar heating/cooling: 670 000 jobs
Solid biomass: 188 000 jobs
Biogas: 145 000 jobs

European Union

1 300 000 jobs
Solar PV: 194 000 jobs
Wind: 259 000 jobs
Geothermal: 40 600 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 229 000 jobs
Hydropower: 80 000 jobs
Solar heating/cooling: 21 000 jobs
Solid biomass: 368 000 jobs
Biogas: 76 000 jobs
Ocean energy: 1100 jobs
waste-to-energy: 39 000 jobs

Brazil

Largest biofuels employer

1 202 000 jobs
Solar PV: 68 000 jobs
Wind: 40 000 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 871 000 jobs
Solar heating/cooling: 47 000 jobs
Hydropower: 176 000 jobs

United States

Largest biofuels producer

838 000 jobs
Solar PV: 231 000 jobs
Wind: 117 000 jobs
Geothermal energy: 8000 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 271 000 jobs
Hydropower: 71 000 jobs
Solid biomass: 44 000 jobs

India

726 000 jobs
Solar PV: 163 000
Wind energy: 44 000 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 35 000 jobs
Hydropower: 319 000 jobs
Solar heating/cooling: 21 000 jobs
Solid biomass: 58 000 jobs
Biogas: 85 000 jobs

Germany

312 000 jobs
Wind energy: 96 600 jobs

Australia

26 850 jobs
Solar PV: 17 810 jobs
Wind: 3 240 jobs
Hydropower: 3 060 jobs

Japan

241 000 jobs
Solar PV: 241 000

Viet Nam

56 700 jobs
Solar PV: 56 700

Egypt

3000 jobs
Solar PV: 3000 jobs

Spain

81 294 jobs
Solid biomass: 32 300 jobs
Wind energy: 22 200 jobs

Rest of Africa

179 000 jobs

Republic of Korea

25 730 jobs
Solar PV: 13 800 jobs

United Kingdom

114 500 jobs
Wind: 44 100 jobs

Malaysia

187 000 jobs
Solar PV: 54 900 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 100 900 jobs

Nigeria

13 000 jobs

Kenya

25 000 jobs

South Africa

45 450 jobs

Mexico

56 000 jobs
Solar PV: 56 000 jobs

Cuba

40 jobs
Solar PV: 40 jobs

Colombia

4900 jobs

Costa Rica

1666 jobs
Solar PV: 1467 jobs
Wind: 53 jobs
Geothermal energy: 100 jobs

MENA

28 000 jobs

Philippines

111 560 jobs
Solar PV: 33 700
Wind: 18 780 jobs
Solid biomass: 11 000 jobs
Geothermal: 11 980 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 36 100 jobs

Iran

20 000 jobs
Solar PV: 13 500 jobs
Wind: 7 100 jobs

Argentina

15 000 jobs
Solar PV: 2 720 jobs
Wind: 3 750 jobs
Liquid Biofuels: 5 530 jobs

Job opportunities grow as the energy transition picks up speed

At present, an array of proven and maturing technologies – principally wind, solar, and bioenergy - dominate the employment picture. As the energy transition picks up speed, the demand for new technologies such as battery storage and green hydrogen is increasing. 

The global capacity to manufacture lithium-ion battery cells for automotive and stationary storage purposes grew seven-fold in the decade to 2020 and could create 10 million jobs by 2030.

As countries start supporting the growth of green hydrogen market, an increase of about 2 million jobs in the sector is expected from 2030 to 2050.

Employment trends are shaped by a multitude of factors

A key factor in shaping employment is the rate at which renewable energy equipment is manufactured, installed and put to use. During the pandemic, renewable energy fared well compared with conventional energy.

With declining costs and relatively steady annual investments, more than 260 gigawatts (GW) of renewables were installed during 2020, expanding cumulative capacity by about 10%. Solar and wind power fared exceptionally well, accounting for a combined 238 GW of total additions in 2020.

Pandemic highlights the importance of a domestic value chain /

In a time when mobility constraints disrupt cross-border supply, the value of strong domestic value chains rises.

Supporting policies that ensure the availability of materials and equipment, quality assurance, and skills along the chain will strengthen localised or regional renewables-based industry.

The Leveraging Local Capacity series assesses the skills requirement along the value chain of different renewables technologies, and identifies areas with the greatest potential for local jobs creation.

The energy transition creates opportunities for people with a range of skills and educational levels

Training the future workforce requires time and is therefore one of the most immediate steps in pursuing the energy transition.

Examining needed jobs by education level in the energy sector shows that under a Paris-compliant 1.5°C scenario half of the 122 million jobs created by 2050 will require a primary or lower secondary education, 37% a secondary education. The remaining 13% of jobs will require a tertiary education at the bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral level.

In addition, many of the skills required for work in the fossil fuel sector are relevant and in principle transferable to the renewable energy sector.

Therefore, skills delivery can take place in a variety of ways.

A just and inclusive energy transition is the only way

Women account for one-third of the global renewables workforce , but their participation varies widely among countries and industries.

COVID-19 pandemic affected women, who tend to work in sectors more vulnerable to economic shocks more than men. The 32% average women’s share in overall renewables jobs is still substantially higher compared to average 21% share in fossil fuels.

A just and inclusive transition must be geared towards adequate and equal opportunities for women, youth, minorities, and marginalised groups. Policy frameworks must support decent wages, safe workplaces, and workers’ rights.

2021 marks the beginning of the decade of action for policy making

In this defining moment in history, governments must bring commitments to implementations.

A holistic approach to policy making that focuses not only on policies and programmes in the energy sector itself but builds on a sophisticated understanding of the close inter-connections between energy, the economy at large, and social and planetary sustainability is required.

This implies a need for renewable energy policies that are linked to structural change and the assurance of a just transition – all within a holistic global policy framework.

Sustainability, employment and social justice must be pursued in tandem, rather than seen as competing demands. Just and fair outcomes will raise the level of popular acceptance of the energy transition.