Need help managing your Energy Transition? Motive Power Sustainability Services >

Insights

The Evolution of Energy Employment (2022–2030P)

The 30 Largest U.S. Hydropower Plants

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), just over half of the 67 million people employed in the global energy industry in 2022 worked in the clean energy sector: 35 million vs. 32 million in fossil fuels. And with the clean energy transition picking up pace, that gap is set to widen. 

In this graphic created in partnership with the National Public Utilities Council, we explore how global energy employment could change by 2030 in a current policy scenario, using projections from the IEA.

The Rise in Clean Energy Employment

The IEA’s current policy scenario is a conservative projection for progress in line with the present trajectory of our energy system. It doesn’t assume that nations will reach their announced goals or that net zero will be achieved by 2050. 

Even within this conservative scenario, the global energy sector is projected to have a net gain of 5.7 million jobs by 2030. Except for the 300,000 jobs added in the oil and gas supply industry, these jobs are all in clean energy.

In a more ambitious scenario, aligned with achieving net zero by 2050, the net gain in jobs is projected to nearly triple to 17 million.

The 30 Largest U.S. Hydropower Plants

In both scenarios, the global energy industry is poised to create millions of new jobs in the coming years, with the job gains in the clean energy sector significantly outweighing the job losses in the fossil fuel industry.

A People-Centred Transition

With projected growth of this magnitude, the IEA emphasizes that policymakers and industry must support employee transitions from fossil fuels and address skill gaps in emerging industries through education and training.

According to the World Energy Employment report, continued efforts in these areas are crucial to prevent labor shortages and avoid delays in the clean energy transition.

Learn more about how electric utilities and the power sector can lead on the path toward decarbonization here.

Additional Resources

Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)

Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)

Visualized: Offshore Wind Installations by Region (2023–2033)  In order to meet the 1.5°C trajectory outlined in the Paris Agreement, the world will need 380 GW of cumulative offshore wind capacity by 2030, expanding to 2,000 GW by 2050. But can it be achieved? The...

read more
Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)

Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)

Ranked: The Largest Power Outages in the U.S. (2013–2023)Power outages—whether due to operational failures, extreme weather, vandalism, or fuel shortages—can have far-reaching impacts on both customers and utility companies. Created in partnership with The National...

read more
Visualized: Countries by Grid Storage Battery Capacity in 2023

Visualized: Countries by Grid Storage Battery Capacity in 2023

Visualized: Countries by Grid Storage Battery Capacity in 2023?According to the International Energy Agency, 1,300 GW of battery storage will be needed by 2030 to support the renewable energy capacity required to meet the 1.5°C global warming target. But how close is...

read more
The National Public Utilities Council (NPUC) is a leading research organization dedicated to driving progress in the decarbonization of power generation. The council fosters collaboration between public utilities, providing a platform for sharing ideas and finding innovative solutions to the challenges of reducing carbon emissions.