German renewables sector employment in 2022 at highest level in a decade
Clean Energy Wire
Germany's renewable energy sector employed 387,700 people in 2022, a year-on-year increase of 15 percent and the highest level in a decade, said the economy and climate ministry (BMWK) in a press release. Renewables expansion creates and secures jobs in the country, said economy minister Robert Habeck. "The energy transition is therefore making a decisive contribution to Germany's prosperity and competitiveness," he said. While employment in solar and offshore wind, as well as heat pumps grew in 2022, the number of people working in the onshore wind industry decreased by almost ten percent. Investments in new renewable energy systems and components remain by far the main driver of employment demand. In 2022, 238,000 people were employed in these activities. Around 85,200 people were employed to operate and maintain the systems across all technologies.
A lack of skilled workers has been identified as one of the greatest challenges for implementing Germany’s ambitious renewable power expansion targets and other energy transition-related activities. The country faces a shortage of 300,000 workers by 2030 as demand for jobs in the country's renewable energy industry sector rises, according to an analysis conducted by the German Economic Institute (IW). Skilled workers are needed to expand the solar and wind power sectors, as Germany aims to cover 80 percent of its electricity demand with renewables by 2030.
