Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2014

In 2013, approximately 6.5 million people were employed in the renewable energy industry worldwide, according to this update on employment in the sector from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2014 underlines the important role that renewables play in employment creation and growth in the global economy.

The comprehensive annual review shows steady growth in the number of renewable energy jobs worldwide, from an estimated 5.7 million in 2012. It follows IRENA’s first Renewable Energy and Jobs report, published the previous year

Renewable energy employment was shaped by regional shifts, industry realignments, growing competition and advances in technologies and manufacturing processes in 2013. The largest employers by country were China, Brazil, the United States, India, Germany, Spain and Bangladesh, while the largest employers by sector were solar photovoltaic (PV), biofuels, wind, modern biomass and biogas. The United States remains the largest biofuel producer, while Brazil remains the largest employer for biofuel production.

The review was presented on 12 May 2014 at the Clean Energy Ministerial in Seoul, South Korea, a meeting of energy ministers and other high-level officials from 23 countries focused on assessing progress and identifying tangible steps toward accelerating the transition to a global clean energy economy.