The world saw an unprecedented surge in renewable energy employment in 2023, with jobs rising from 13.7 million in 2022 to 16.2 million, marking an 18 percent increase.
This data, from the Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2024 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and International Labour Organization (ILO), highlights the growing momentum of renewable energy around the world.
The IRENA report said a major contributor to this growth was China, which installed nearly two-thirds of new global solar and wind capacity. China now holds 7.4 million renewable energy jobs, representing 46 percent of the global total. European Union, Brazil, the United States, and India also made significant contributions, collectively accounting for several million jobs.
The solar photovoltaics (PV) sector continued to dominate the renewable energy landscape, supporting 7.2 million jobs globally. China, as the leader in solar PV production and installation, had 4.6 million of these jobs. Southeast Asia emerged as an important solar PV export hub, benefitting from China’s investments and creating a ripple effect of job creation across the region.
The liquid biofuels industry was the second-largest employer, with Brazil leading the sector, followed by Indonesia. However, the hydropower sector bucked the trend of growth, with employment dropping from 2.5 million to 2.3 million jobs due to a slowdown in deployment. In contrast, wind energy saw robust employment figures, with China and Europe contributing significantly to the sector’s global total of 1.5 million jobs.
Despite the global growth in renewable energy jobs, Africa continued to lag, with just 324,000 jobs in 2023. Experts believe that decentralised renewable energy (DRE) solutions, such as stand-alone systems, could bridge the energy access gap and create new employment opportunities in underserved regions. Women, in particular, could benefit from entrepreneurial opportunities in this area, improving both local economies and energy equity.
IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera stressed the need for a more balanced distribution of renewable energy benefits worldwide. He called for enhanced international collaboration to support marginalized regions and urged for a more inclusive energy transition.
This sentiment was echoed by ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo, who emphasized the importance of education and training to ensure a fair and sustainable transition, in line with global commitments like the Paris Agreement.