Last year I was reporting that we were 6.5 million people working in the Renewable Energy Industries. If I have – temporarily – left it, many more have joined as now this figure reaches 7.7 million people.
The new study from IRENA ( International Renewable Energy Agency ) reveals this way the huge boost in renewables globally. Here is their press release :
In this second edition, IRENA estimates that renewable energy employed 7.7 million people, directly or indirectly, around the world in 2014 (excluding large hydropower).
This is an 18% increase from the number reported the previous year. In addition, IRENA conducted the first-ever global estimate of large hydropower employment, showing approximately 1.5 million direct jobs in the sector.
The 10 countries with the largest renewable energy employment were China, Brazil, the United States, India, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, France, Bangladesh and Colombia.
The solar PV industry is the largest renewable energy employer worldwide with 2.5 million jobs, followed by liquid biofuels with 1.8 million jobs, and wind power, which surpassed 1 million jobs for the first time. The employment increase extends across the renewable energy spectrum with solar, wind, biofuels, biomass, biogas and small hydropower all seeing increases in employment.
These figures are so great. Think of how the sector has grown in the past decade, reflect on how twenty years ago such figures would have appeared ludicrous…
And more importantly, imagine how they will grow in the next ten years. I wonder how many of us all will be working in solar, wind and the likes by 2025… 20 million people ? More ?
Momentum is building on more and more low carbon sources and faster and faster. Fossil fuels seem to lose ground everywhere as they just keep on polluting and soiling our planet. The future belongs to solar and the likes, so make sure you turn today to the energy of the future : efficiency and renewables !
