Contents
- Renewable energy employment statistics: global jobs and historical estimates
- Renewable energy employment statistics by technology
- Renewable energy employment statistics by country and region
- Renewable energy employment statistics: U.S. solar workforce demographics
- Renewable energy employment statistics: U.S. solar jobs by industry
- Renewable energy employment statistics: renewable power job projections
- Sources
Renewable energy employment statistics: global jobs and historical estimates
At least 16.6 million people were directly or indirectly employed in the renewable energy industry worldwide in 2024, according to IRENA and the International Labour Organization. The report pairs that estimate with 2.3% growth compared with 2023. Its foreword says the pace of growth slowed significantly as China reported fewer jobs than in 2023. Those figures describe a global total and its year-over-year change; they do not indicate that employment declined overall. IRENA and ILO, Renewable energy and jobs: Annual review 2025, foreword and Key Data 2024
A separate figure in the report presents a historical series of global renewable energy jobs, in millions. It records 7.3 million in 2012, 8.5 million in 2013, 9.5 million in 2014, 10.0 million in 2015, 10.1 million in 2016, 10.5 million in 2017 and 11.1 million in 2018. The report notes that these historical figures reflect those published in earlier editions. They are therefore best read as the series’ reported historical values, rather than as a newly reconstructed comparison using one consistent later methodology. IRENA, Figure 1, “Evolution of global renewable energy employment by technology, 2012–2024”
The 2012–2018 sequence shows the reported total rising in each listed year, from 7.3 million to 11.1 million. The 2024 headline estimate of at least 16.6 million has a broader stated scope: direct and indirect employment. The annual-review edition is titled 2025 but was published in 2026, and its headline global estimates refer to 2024. Keeping the publication date, measurement year and historical-series note distinct helps avoid treating older points as current estimates. IRENA and ILO, foreword; IRENA, Figure 1
Renewable energy employment statistics by technology
The 2024 technology breakdown shows solar photovoltaic employment as the largest listed category, at 7,237 thousand jobs worldwide. Liquid biofuels accounted for 2,637 thousand and hydropower for 2,264 thousand. The report specifies that hydropower estimates count direct jobs only, a narrower scope than the direct-and-indirect wording attached to the global headline. The table below retains the chart’s unit of thousands of jobs. IRENA, Figure 2, “Global renewable energy employment, by technology, 2024”
| Technology | Estimated jobs in 2024 (thousands) |
|---|---|
| Solar photovoltaic | 7,237 |
| Liquid biofuels | 2,637 |
| Hydropower* | 2,264 |
| Solid biomass | 734 |
| Solar heating and cooling | 591 |
| Heat pumps | 388 |
| Biogas | 332 |
| Geothermal energy | 161 |
| Concentrated solar power | 126 |
| Municipal and industrial waste | 27 |
| Tide, wave and ocean energy | 16 |
*Hydropower figure covers direct jobs only. IRENA, Figure 2 and Figure 1 note b
The figures describe distinct technology categories, including electricity generation, heating and cooling, fuels and waste-related energy. The largest reported category is solar photovoltaic; the listed count is in thousands, not millions. Liquid biofuels and hydropower are also measured in the thousands, while tide, wave and ocean energy is listed at 16 thousand. These are reported category estimates, not a ranking of job quality, pay or employment growth. IRENA, Figure 2
The report’s technology categories also caution against equating “renewable energy jobs” with power-plant employment alone. Solar heating and cooling, heat pumps, liquid biofuels and solid biomass appear alongside photovoltaic, hydropower and geothermal categories. The chart provides employment estimates by technology for 2024; it does not give a single uniform description of the tasks or occupations counted within each category. IRENA, Figure 2
Renewable energy employment statistics by country and region
IRENA’s 2024 country table estimates direct and indirect renewable energy jobs by industry, in thousands. The largest reported total among the selected countries and region is China’s 7,287 thousand. The European Union (EU-27), defined in the table as 27 Member States, is listed at 1,795 thousand. Brazil is at 1,384 thousand, India at 1,281 thousand and the United States at 1,136 thousand. These are national or regional totals, not technology-specific numbers. IRENA, Table 1, “Estimated direct and indirect jobs in renewable energy worldwide, by industry, 2024”
| Country or region | Estimated renewable energy jobs in 2024 (thousands) |
|---|---|
| China | 7,287 |
| European Union (EU-27) | 1,795 |
| Brazil | 1,384 |
| India | 1,281 |
| United States | 1,136 |
IRENA, Table 1, total row; values are estimated direct and indirect jobs
The same table supports a comparison of selected technology counts. China is estimated to have 4,220 thousand solar photovoltaic jobs and 1,164 thousand wind power jobs. Brazil has 324 thousand solar photovoltaic jobs; India has 385 thousand solar photovoltaic jobs. The United States has 280 thousand solar photovoltaic jobs, and the EU-27 has 764 thousand. These technology-specific estimates use the table’s thousands-of-jobs unit and its direct-and-indirect framing. IRENA, Table 1, solar photovoltaic and wind power rows
| Country or region | Solar photovoltaic jobs (thousands) |
|---|---|
| China | 4,220 |
| European Union (EU-27) | 764 |
| India | 385 |
| Brazil | 324 |
| United States | 280 |
IRENA, Table 1, solar photovoltaic row
Hydropower is an exception to that common scope: IRENA’s table footnote specifies direct jobs only. It records 674 thousand direct hydropower jobs for China and 503 thousand for India in 2024. The report says its estimates draw on reviewed primary national entities and secondary regional or global sources. Blank cells in the source mean no estimate is available, and column totals may differ because of rounding; neither condition should be interpreted as zero employment. IRENA, Table 1 and footnote a
Renewable energy employment statistics: U.S. solar workforce demographics
The U.S. Department of Energy’s 2026 United States Energy & Employment Report presents 2025 workforce estimates for Solar Electric Power Generation (Solar EPG). Its demographic table reports both worker counts and shares of the Solar EPG workforce. The denominator matters: the percentages below refer to Solar EPG, not to the entire energy economy or all U.S. workers. DOE, Table 3.4, “Solar EPG Workforce Demographics and Characteristics, 2025, USEER Survey”
| Solar EPG characteristic | Workers in 2025 | Share of Solar EPG workforce |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 103,000 | 29% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 83,000 | 23% |
| Non-Hispanic or Latino | 276,000 | 77% |
| Ages 18 to 29 | 110,000 | 31% |
| Ages 30 to 54 | 196,000 | 54% |
| Over age 54 | 54,000 | 15% |
| Veterans | 30,000 | 8% |
| Self-identification of disability | 8,000 | 2% |
| Formerly incarcerated | 6,000 | 2% |
DOE, Table 3.4; shares use the “Share of Solar EPG Workforce” column
The age categories show that workers aged 30 to 54 represented 54% of the estimated Solar EPG workforce, or 196,000 workers. The 18 to 29 group accounted for 31%, or 110,000 workers, while those over age 54 accounted for 15%, or 54,000 workers. These figures describe the table’s age groups and should not be read as a separate measure of hiring, retention or career progression. DOE, Table 3.4
The table lists women at 29% of the subsector workforce, or 103,000 people. It reports 83,000 Hispanic or Latino workers, representing 23%, and 276,000 non-Hispanic or Latino workers, representing 77%. The categories and values are reproduced as presented; the source extract does not provide a basis here for recalculating or reconciling them. DOE, Table 3.4
Other reported characteristics include 30,000 veterans, or 8% of Solar EPG; 8,000 workers who self-identified as having a disability, or 2%; and 6,000 formerly incarcerated workers, also 2%. The report also estimates that 43,000 workers were represented by a union, equal to 12% of the subsector. For this analysis, the report’s footnote defines a union employer as one with at least 20% of its workforce in a union or covered by a project labor or collective bargaining agreement. DOE, Table 3.4 and footnote 256
Renewable energy employment statistics: U.S. solar jobs by industry
Solar EPG employment is distributed across several industries in the DOE report’s 2025 estimates. Construction is the largest listed industry, with 172,600 workers. Professional and Business Services has 57,800; Manufacturing, 45,900; Other Services, 34,700; Wholesale Trade, 30,900; and Utilities, 17,400. The categories classify Solar EPG jobs by industry, so the totals are not counts of distinct solar technologies or occupations. DOE, Figure 3.10, “Solar EPG Employment by Industry, 2022–2025 & 2024–2025, USEER Survey”
| Industry | Solar EPG employment in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Construction | 172,600 |
| Professional and Business Services | 57,800 |
| Manufacturing | 45,900 |
| Other Services | 34,700 |
| Wholesale Trade | 30,900 |
| Utilities | 17,400 |
DOE, Figure 3.10; Employment 2025 column
The industry data also show different time comparisons. Utilities Solar EPG employment increased 70.6% from 2022 to 2025. For the shorter 2024–2025 period, the reported increase for Utilities was 6.3%. These are changes for the Utilities industry classification within Solar EPG, and the periods should remain distinct. They do not describe the rate for all solar employment or for the full energy workforce. DOE, Figure 3.10; Utilities row, Employment Change columns
Renewable energy employment statistics: renewable power job projections
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected employment growth for selected electric power generation industries over 2024–2034. For solar electric power generation, the projection is 180.2%, corresponding to a projected change of 30,400 jobs. Wind electric power generation is projected to grow 81.4%, or 9,200 jobs. Geothermal electric power generation is projected to grow 41.4%, or 500 jobs. BLS, “Solar electric power generation employment projected to grow 180.2 percent from 2024 to 2034”
| Industry | Projected employment change, 2024–2034 | Projected change in jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Solar electric power generation | 180.2% | 30,400 |
| Wind electric power generation | 81.4% | 9,200 |
| Geothermal electric power generation | 41.4% | 500 |
| Other electric power generation | 32.9% | 1,500 |
BLS, “Fifteen industries with the fastest employment growth, projected 2024–34”
Other electric power generation is listed at a projected 32.9% increase, or 1,500 jobs, over the same period. BLS defines the employment in these projections as wage-and-salary employment. These figures are projections, not observed outcomes, and their industry scope differs from IRENA’s worldwide direct-and-indirect estimates and DOE’s 2025 Solar EPG workforce survey. They offer a forward-looking U.S. industry view without changing the historical status of the 2024 and 2025 measurements above. BLS, projection table and employment note