The global renewable energy sector employed 10.98 million people in 2018 a 6.6 percent rise comparing 2017's 10.3 million employment, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency on International Renewable Energy Agency's (IRENA) report.
Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2019 revealed on Thursday that employment remained concentrated in China, Brazil, the United States, India and members of the European Union in the lead.
Asian countries’ share remained at 60% of the global total. China employed around 4.07 million people in renewable energy sector and ranked first in the employment list, while EU countries ranked second with the 1.23 million employment figure.
In addition, Brazil ranked third with 1.12 million people last year. US and India followed Brazil, with 855 thousand and 719 thousand.
According to IRENA several factors - including national deployment and industrial policies, changes in the geographic footprint of supply chains and in trade patterns, and industry consolidation trends.
The report highlighted that several factors shape how and where employment is generated along the renewable energy supply chain.
'These include governmental policies; the diversification of supply chains; trade patterns; and industry reorganization and consolidation trends,'said IRENA and added that aside from these factors labour productivity grows in importance over time.
- Women in renewable sector
The report indicates that the global shift to renewables demands a growing array of skills – technical, business, administrative, economic and legal, among others.
'Women currently represent 32% of the renewable energy workforce, substantially higher than the 22% average reported for the global oil and gas industry,' report stated.
By Gulsen Cagatay
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr