Renewable energy now employs 10.3 million people globally

The renewable energy industry employs 10.3 million people worldwide, according to new data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). And the sector is growing rapidly, adding more than 500,000 jobs last year alone, an increase of 5.3 percent from 2016, PV Magazine reported.

All over the world, there has been a gradual move to renewable energy sources due to the advantages this has on the environment. However, data shows that the Asian region, particularly China has taken the  lead.

The solar industry accounts for the largest share of jobs in renewable energy, with nearly 3.4 million people employed in research, production, installation and maintenance of solar panels — an increase of 9 per cent from 2016.

The solar sector is followed by liquid biofuels, with 1.9 million jobs, and hydropower, with 1.5 million.

The IRENA report finds that employment in the global wind industry decreased slightly from 2016 to 2017, shrinking to 1.15 million.

China is home to 65 per cent of the world’s solar jobs, and 43 per cent of all renewable energy jobs. Due to the region’s robust manufacturing sector, four-fifths of all renewable energy jobs are located in Asia.