11 Million People with Renewable Energy Jobs, IRENA Analysis Finds

This compares with 10.3 million in 2017. As more and more countries manufacture, trade and install renewable energy technologies, the latest Renewable Energy and Jobs - Annual Review finds that renewables jobs grew to their highest level despite slower growth in key renewable energy markets including China.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind remain the most dynamic of all renewable energy industries. Accounting for one-third of the total renewable energy workflow, solar PV retains the top spot in 2018, ahead of hydropower, liquid biofuels and wind power. Geographically, Asia hosts over three million PV jobs, or nearly nine-tenths of the global total.

Most of the wind industry's activity still occurs on land and is responsible for the bulk of the sector's 1.2 million jobs. China alone accounts for 44 per cent of global wind employment, followed by Germany and the United States. Offshore wind could be an especially attractive option for leveraging domestic capacity and exploiting synergies with the oil and gas industry.

IRENA | irena.org