Asia is leading the global surge in renewable energy jobs. In 2017, the renewable energy industry broke a symbolic threshold, employing over 10 million people, according to the International Renewable Energy Association's latest research.

IRENA found that over half a million jobs were added in the last year alone.

Highlights of the research show that:

  • The biggest employer is China: 43 per cent of jobs
  • The biggest job-creating technology is solar photovoltaics: 3.4 million jobs (up nine per cent in one year)
  • Within the solar PV industry, China is the runaway job creator providing 65 per cent of the world's solar jobs. In fact, IRENA found that 60 per cent of all jobs in renewable energy are now in Asia.
Infographic from IRENA, Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2018

“The data underscores an increasingly regionalized picture, highlighting that in countries where attractive policies exist, the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy are most evident,” said Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA's Director General.

“Fundamentally, this data supports our analysis that decarbonization of the global energy system can grow the global economy and create up to 28 million jobs in the sector by 2050.”

Keep reading

I've known that solar would lead the way since I was a young woman...something I read, which I forget now, convinced my a solar economy was possible. I'm privileged to have lived long enough to see this dream come true, privileged to have had enough to solarize myself, and hopefully, my fellow country men and women will get up and truly running with the solar economy before I die.

It would be such a rush, to see all those sun reflecting, electricity absorbing panels from space...as I transition! Pitter patter, let's get at er.

We have to release the parasites that are insisting only fossil fuels will help the economy.