RE Employment Rose 700,000 in 2021; Nears 13 million: Report by IRENA & ILO

According to a new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and International Labour Organization (ILO), worldwide employment in the renewable energy sector reached 12.7 million in 2021, representing a jump of 700,000 new jobs in just 12 months.

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The report named ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2022,’ identifies domestic market size as a major factor influencing job growth in renewables, along with labour and other costs.

The fastest-growing sector was found to be solar energy that provided 4.3 million jobs last year, more than a third of the current global workforce in renewable energy.

The report describes how strong domestic renewable energy markets are key to anchoring a drive toward clean energy industrialization. It said that developing renewable technology export capabilities is also dependent on this.

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Guy Ryder, Director General, ILO, said, “Beyond the numbers, there is a growing focus on the quality of jobs and the conditions of work in renewable energies, to ensure decent and productive employment.”

Ryder held that the increasing share of female employment suggests that dedicated policies and training can significantly enhance the participation of women in renewable energy occupations, inclusion and ultimately, achieve a just transition for all.”

Francesco La Camera, Director General, IRENA, mentioned, “Renewable energy jobs remain resilient, and have been proven to be a reliable job creation engine. My advice to governments around the world is to pursue industrial policies that encourage the expansion of decent renewables jobs at home.”

The report shows that an increasing number of countries are creating jobs in the renewable energy sector - almost two-thirds of them in Asia. China alone accounts for 42 per cent of the global total followed by the EU and Brazil with 10 per cent each. The United States and India stand with 7 per cent each.

Regional Trends

The report has some stark findings as far as regional performance is concerned in renewable energy sector. It found that the Southeast Asian countries are becoming major PV manufacturing hubs and biofuel producers. China is the pre-eminent manufacturer and installer of solar PV panels and is creating a growing number of jobs in offshore wind.

It notes that India added more than 10 Gigawatts of solar PV, generating many installation jobs, but remains heavily dependent on imported panels.

Europe now accounts for about 40 per cent of the world’s wind manufacturing output and is the most important exporter of wind renewable energy equipment. Africa’s role remains limited.

With regards to Americas, Mexico is the leading supplier of wind turbine blades and Brazil is the leading employer in biofuels. The US is beginning to build a domestic industrial base for the budding offshore wind sector.