Renewable energy now employs more than 10 million people globally

The renewable energy industry now employs 10.3 million people worldwide, according to new data from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

And the sector is growing rapidly, adding more than 500,000 jobs last year alone, an increase of 5.3 percent from 2016.

The solar industry accounts for the largest share of jobs in renewable energy, with nearly 3.4 million people employed in research, production, installation, and maintenance of solar panels — an increase of 9 percent from 2016.

The solar sector is followed by liquid biofuels, with 1.9 million jobs, and hydropower, with 1.5 million.

China is home to 65 percent of the world’s solar jobs, and 43 percent of all renewable energy jobs. Due to the region’s robust manufacturing sector, four-fifths of all renewable energy jobs are located in Asia.

“The data underscores an increasingly regionalized picture, highlighting that in countries where attractive policies exist, the economic, social and environmental benefits of renewable energy are most evident,” said Adnan Z. Amin, director general of IRENA.