There has been a remarkable increase in the number of countries creating jobs in renewables with almost two-thirds of all these jobs being in Asia. China provided the highest number of jobs in the renewable energy sector accounting for 42 percent of the total employment opportunities, followed by the EU and Brazil with ten percent each, and the USA and India with seven percent each says a new report.
Renewable energy provided 12.7 million jobs last year globally, with Solar energy accounting for more than a third of the current global workforce in renewable energy. In 2021 Solar energy provided 4.3 million jobs.
Despite the Covid pandemic and growing energy crisis, 700,000 new job opportunities were created in the renewable energy sector.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) published the new report during the Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh, USA.
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The report highlights the pivotal role of the strong domestic markets in anchoring a drive toward clean energy industrialization. It is also associated with developing renewable technology export capabilities
“In the face of numerous challenges, renewable energy jobs remain resilient and have been proven to be reliable job creation engines,” said Francesco La Camera, IRENA’s Director-General.
The report also underscored the increasing participation of women in the renewable sector.
“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,” said ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder.
There has been significant growth in the renewable energy sector. Southeast Asian countries are becoming dominant biofuel producers and manufacturing hubs for solar photovoltaic (PV). China is the pre-eminent manufacturer and installer of solar PV panels and is creating a growing number of jobs in offshore wind. More than 10 Gigawatts of solar PV were added by India creating many installation jobs but on the flip side, it heavily depended on imported panels.
Europe remains the global leader in the world’s wind manufacturing output with a global share of 40 percent. It is also one of the leading exporters of wind power equipment.
According to the report Africa’s role is limited but on the brighter side, there are growing job opportunities in decentralized renewables, especially in support of local commerce, agriculture, and other economic activities.
Mexico is the leading supplier of wind turbine blades whereas Brazil remains the leading employer of biofuels. At the same time, Brazil is also adding many jobs in wind and solar PV installations. The USA is beginning to build a domestic industrial base for the budding offshore wind sector.
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