The Role of Renewable Energy in Job Creation

Abstract

This essay focuses on describing the role of renewable energy sources in fostering job creation and economic growth. With the arrival of the Industrial Revolution, the world is awakened to the infinite potential of machines and the dwindling reserves of fossil fuels. In order to provide a solution to this problem, renewable energy sources have come to the fore in terms of energy consumption. As a result of the depletion of fossil fuels and the negative environmental effects of their use, countries have turned to renewable energy sources. This includes renewable energy technologies such as hydroelectricity, geothermal energy, wind power, solar energy, and biomass. Processes requiring the use of wind, solar or ocean light, forest products, agricultural products and residues, and waste materials can be defined as renewable energy systems. Renewable energy sources constituted 11% of total electricity generation in non-OECD countries in 2015, while this rate was 23% in OECD countries. Looking at employment opportunities, renewable energy sources provided 8.3 million jobs out of a global 31.3 million working in the renewable energy sector in 2018. Employment in the renewable energy sector is expected to reach 42 million by 2050. In terms of technological status, the number of renewable energy technologies in use globally has been increasing by the day. While this number stood at 7,993 in 2011, it was 8,631 in 2018. As of 2020, an increase of 8% to 9% is expected in renewable energy technologies. Area Global Cumulative Capacity (MW) 50 MW or more Hydroelectricity 1,308,668 Wind Power 623,708 Photovoltaic Systems 485,810 Grid Connected Biogas Systems 118,046 Geothermal Energy 13,729,895 Small Hydro Power 9,390 Solar Hot

Water 7,113,144 Grid-connected PV Systems 5,061,553 Biomass and Waste to Energy Power Plants 1,927,580 Wind/Diesel and Wind/Battery 1,800 Wave Energy 447.

Keywords

renewable energy, job creation, economic growth, sustainable technologies, fossil fuels, employment opportunities, energy transition, environmental impact.