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- Global renewable energy jobs surged to 16.2 million in 2023, up from 13.7 million in 2022—an 18% year-on-year growth.
- China dominates with 7.4 million jobs, or 46% of the global total, followed by the EU, Brazil, and the U.S.
- Solar PV sector leads job growth, supporting 7.2 million jobs globally, driven by strong demand and investment.
Global renewable energy jobs reached a record 16.2 million in 2023, according to the Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2024 by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO). This marks a sharp increase from 13.7 million in 2022, reflecting an 18% year-on-year growth driven by expanding renewables capacity and equipment manufacturing.
A Closer Look at Regional Trends
China continues to lead the renewables sector, with an estimated 7.4 million jobs, or 46% of the global total. The EU followed with 1.8 million jobs, Brazil with 1.56 million, and the U.S. and India each with close to 1 million jobs.
“The story of the energy transition and its socio-economic gains should not be about one or two regions,” said Francesco La Camera, IRENA Director-General. “If we are all to fulfil our collective pledge to triple renewable power capacity by 2030, the world must step up its game and support marginalised regions in addressing barriers impeding their transitions progress.”
Sector-Specific Highlights
The solar photovoltaics (PV) sector remained the strongest driver of job growth, supporting 7.2 million jobs worldwide, with 4.6 million of these in China. Significant Chinese investments have also turned Southeast Asia into a major export hub for solar PV, boosting job creation in the region.
Liquid biofuels ranked second in job creation, followed by hydropower and wind. Brazil led the biofuels sector with one-third of the world’s 2.8 million jobs, while Indonesia accounted for a quarter of global biofuels employment.
Challenges in Hydropower and Africa’s Limited Growth
Despite the overall positive trend, hydropower employment fell from 2.5 million jobs in 2022 to 2.3 million in 2023 due to slower deployment rates. China, India, Brazil, Vietnam, and Pakistan remained the largest employers in this sector.
Africa, despite its immense resource potential, continued to lag behind in renewables investment, resulting in just 324,000 jobs in 2023.
“Investing in education, skills, and training helps reskill all workers from fossil fuel sectors, address gender or other disparities, and prepare the workforce for new clean energy roles,” explained Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO Director-General. “A sustainable transition is what the Paris Agreement requires of us, and what we committed to achieving when we signed up to the Agreement.”
Call for International Collaboration
With the goal of tripling global renewable power capacity by 2030, the report urges stronger international collaboration to mobilize increased finance for policy support and capacity building in regions yet to benefit from the renewables boom.