A post-COVID re-bound in clean energy investment means there are now nearly 40 million people working in the sector worldwide, surpassing the number of jobs in fossil fuels for the first time.
The finding comes from new research by the International Energy Agency (IEA) which maps global energy sector employment by technology and value chain segment.
Clean energy has now surpassed the 50 per cent mark for its share of total employment in the energy sector, with nearly two-thirds of workers involved in building new projects and manufacturing clean energy technologies.
Employment numbers by technology
Experts believe that clean energy investment must be four times greater than fossil fuel investment this decade if the world is achieve net zero by 2050, and six times greater in the 2030s.
Nearly 8 million people are now employed in low carbon power generation, primarily in solar and wind, and nearly 11 million in energy efficiency. Electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, which currently employs around a million people globally, is expected to be one of the largest areas of employment growth for the energy sector in the coming years.
The energy sector as a whole is expected to see its fastest employment growth in recent years in 2022, although high input costs and inflationary pressures are adding to hiring and supply chain challenges already present in some regions and subsectors.
Widening skills gap
“Countries around the world are responding to the current crisis by seeking to accelerate the growth of homegrown clean energy industries. The regions that make this move will see huge growth in jobs,” explained IEA executive director, Fatih Birol.
“Seizing this opportunity requires skilled workers. Governments, companies, labour representatives and educators must come together to develop the programmes and accreditations needed to cultivate this workforce and ensure the jobs created are quality jobs that can attract a diverse workforce.”
According to separate analysis by PwC, the UK is facing an emerging clean energy skills gap of around 200,000 workers if it is to keep its net zero energy transition on track.
The North West recently became one of the first regions of the UK to launch its own Net Zero Skills Charter to address the skills gaps the region expects to face in the coming years.
