Renewables Sector Employs 8.1 Million People Worldwide

The latest study from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) revealed a 5% increase from the previous year in renewable energy industry employment; raising the new figure to 8.1 million people worldwide. With employment rates increasing, the continued growth of the sector has been fuelled by the growing need and commitment for clean, renewable energy solutions.

The Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2016 highlighted that the total number of renewable energy jobs worldwide rose last year while jobs in the broader energy sector fell. The solar photovoltaic (PV) sector remained the largest renewable energy employer worldwide with 2.8 million jobs (up from 2.5 at last year) with jobs in manufacturing, installation and operations & maintenance.

The report also charted the geographical shift in renewable energy employment globally, noting that Africa has seen many developments leading to job creation, including solar and wind development in Egypt, Morocco, Kenya and South Africa.

Strong wind installation across the globe, particularly in China, the US and Germany, increased wind employment to 1.1 million jobs, with wind employment in the US alone rising by 21%.

Vergnet currently employs over 166 people across many sectors including design, engineering, commercial, production, operations and maintenance and much more. Developing employees’ skills is a key focus of Vergnet’s strategy, encouraging internal promotion and tailoring training for each employee.

For further information on job opportunities with Vergnet, please visit the careers section of our website: http://www.vergnet.com/careers/ or visit our LinkedIn page.