Sector Outline
Globally, there has been significant growth in renewables and ‘green’ energy production in the past decade. However, this growth has been very patchy in terms of long-term Government commitment to funding in some regions.
This is a very diverse sector with careers in many disciplines, from engineering roles to project management, design, environmental assessment, and wider consultancy.
The IEA noted, in its 2019 Global Energy Review:
‘The year-on-year growth of renewables generation was 6.5%, faster than any other fuel including coal and natural gas. The share of renewables in global electricity supply reached 27% in 2019, the highest level ever recorded. Wind power, solar PV and hydropower together made up over 85% of renewables growth, complemented mainly by bioenergy.
Wind power increased by about 150 TWh year-on-year, the most of any renewable power generation technology, raising its share of electricity supply from 4.7% to 5.2% in 2019. The European Union, China and United States led wind output growth with a combination of offshore and onshore projects coming online and favourable weather conditions.
Solar PV electricity generation increased by about 130 TWh globally in 2019, second only to wind in absolute terms, reaching 2.7% of electricity supply. Solar PV’s year-on-year growth of 22% far exceeded that of wind power, though this growth was significantly lower compared to 2018. Meanwhile, the European Union, India and the United States contributed similarly to the solar output increase. Solar PV accounts for almost 3% of global electricity mix.
Hydropower contributed over 100 TWh to the 2019 global increase in renewables generation, lifting its share of electricity supply to 16% and remaining the largest source of renewable electricity. In China, Brazil and India, hydropower increased more in 2019 in absolute terms than the ten-year average due to water availability and new hydropower projects. Hydropower will continue to play a key role in clean energy transitions by providing cost-effective low-carbon electricity and flexibility services that improve the reliability of power systems.
Electricity generation from bioenergy rose 8%, maintaining its global share of electricity supply at about 2.5%. Growth was mainly driven by new projects in China, thanks to the country’s policy target of 23 GW by 2020.’
There are key issues and opportunities globally for renewable energy to exploit:
The World Bank ‘State of Electricity Access Report 2017’ outlined key global messages in access to electricity:
• ‘Given current conditions, universal electricity access will not be met by 2030 unless urgent measures are taken. While nearly 1 billion people in Sub Saharan Africa alone may gain electricity access by 2040, due to population growth, an estimated 530 million people in the region will not have electricity access (IEA 2014).
• This energy shortfall must be rectified if the international community hopes to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, in light of the linkages between energy and other sustainable development challenges— notably, health, education, food security, gender equality, poverty reduction, and climate change.
• In many countries with low levels of electrification access, both grid and off-grid solutions are vital for achieving universal electricity access—but they must be supported by an enabling environment with the right policies, institutions, strategic planning, regulations, and incentives.
• Against a backdrop of climate change, plummeting costs for renewable energy technologies and adequate energy efficiency measures offer a tremendous opportunity for countries to be creative about electricity access expansion—with the emphasis on “clean energy.”
• Emerging and innovative energy service delivery models offer unprecedented opportunities for private sector-driven off-grid electrification and accelerating universal electricity access—but only if countries can create the necessary environment for them to be replicated and scaled up.’
The renewable energy sector has experienced significant global growth in recent decades. As noted by Deloitte in their 2018 Deloitte Insight ‘Global Renewable Energy Trends’ article, renewables are becoming a ‘preferred’ energy choice globally. Deloitte’s report notes 7 ‘enabling trends’ and ‘demand trends’ driving this process:
Enabling Trends:
1. Renewables are reaching price and performance parity on the grid and at the socket. At one stage, renewables were seen as a ‘niche’ choice, but recently solar and wind can undercut the price of other energy sources.
2. Solar and wind can cost-effectively help balance the grid. The perception that integration of solar and wind into the grid has now been demonstrated as false…Storage technologies for energy are also helping the development of the solar and wind sector.
3. New technologies are honing the competitive edge of wind and solar. Rather than wait for innovation from other sectors, the renewables sector has forged ahead with its own developments and therefore is leading other sectors.
Demand Trends
4. Smart Renewable Cities are increasingly depending on solar and wind power to be a key energy source…Greenfield sites have no legacy hang-ups and generally want to demonstrate ‘future proof’ technologies.
5. Community energy on and off the grid. The growth in community energy delivery is aided by flexible systems, normally based on solar and wind energy. In less developed countries, community energy delivery is cheaper than other options and more reliable.
6. Emerging markets as leading markets. In 2013, onshore wind growth in the less developed world passed that of the developed world. This pattern is being replicated for other renewables. This shift in the global market has led to emerging markets being dominant…
7. The growing scope of corporate involvement. Corporates are able to purchase energy with contracts using Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and other processes. The procurement process for this often includes renewables targets in a process called additionality. The standardisation for the procurement process and the compliance this ensures enables renewables to develop with an established market and surety of a binding agreement.
Renewable energy offers a very good opportunity for jobs to migrate across to the green sector from traditional heavy industry roles. The sector has roles in areas including manufacturing, site installation, servicing, and engineering design as well as research, environmental management, and impact assessment. This ‘role transferability’ makes it an attractive choice for governments globally as the transition process for jobs, skills and infrastructure is streamlined compared to implementing very ‘different’ new technologies.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) are growing in popularity. As reported in The Guardian (2020):
‘The world’s biggest tech companies fuelled a record surge in the amount of renewable energy sold directly to global corporations last year, according to new figures.
The amount of clean energy from renewable energy developers bought by companies has tripled in the past two years, driven by a growing corporate appetite for sustainable energy. The so-called power purchase agreements (PPAs) are likely to have cost between $20bn and $30bn (£15bn to £23bn), making up about 10% of the world’s total renewable energy investments in 2019.
The market for PPAs has grown rapidly in North America, where most such purchases are made, but a growing number of deals were struck in Europe and Latin America.’
Career and Job Links
UK
Energy UK
www.energy-uk.org.uk
Jillian Ambrose, The Guardian (2020) ‘Renewable energy breaks UK record in first quarter of 2020’
www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/25/renewable-energy-breaks-uk-record-in-first-quarter-of-2020
Renewable Energy Jobs
www.renewableenergyjobs.com
Green Jobs
www.greenjobs.co.uk
Prospects, Renewable Energy Careers
www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/energy-and-utilities/renewable-energy-careers
REA
www.r-e-a.net
Energy Saving Trust
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy
Europe
European Commission ‘Renewable energy’
www.ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/renewable-energy_en
BUILD UP (2020) ‘In focus: Renewable energy in Europe’
www.buildup.eu/en/news/focus-renewable-energy-europe
RES LEGAL Europe (2019) ‘Legal Sources on Renewable Energy’
www.res-legal.eu
Eurostat (2020) ‘Renewable energy statistics’
www.ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Renewable_energy_statistics
Asia
IRENA Asia and Pacific
www.irena.org/asiapacific
Asian Development Bank (2020) ‘12 Things to Know: The Rise of Renewable Energy in Asia and the Pacific’
www.adb.org/news/features/12-things-know-rise-renewable-energy-asia-and-pacific
PwC Singapore (2018) ‘The next frontier of infrastructure investments - Renewable energy in Asia-Pacific’
www.pwc.com/sg/en/publications/renewable-energy-in-asia-pacific.html
The ASEAN Post (2020) ‘Renewable Energy Challenges In Southeast Asia’
www.theaseanpost.com/article/renewable-energy-challenges-southeast-asia
Africa
IRENA – Africa
www.irena.org/africa
Africa 2030: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future
www.irena.org/publications/2015/Oct/Africa-2030-Roadmap-for-a-Renewable-Energy-Future
IEA (2019) ‘Africa Energy Outlook 2019’
www.iea.org/reports/africa-energy-outlook-2019
Renewable Energy Africa
www.renewable-energy-africa.com
North America
C2ES – the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
www.c2es.org/content/renewable-energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) ‘Renewable energy explained’
www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources
Government of Canada ‘About Renewable Energy’
www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/energy-sources-distribution/renewables/about-renewable-energy/7295
The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE) focuses on women, energy and the environment
www.wcee.org
South America
NS Energy (2020) ‘Top five renewable energy producers of South America’
www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/renewable-energy-producers-south-america
IRENA (2016) ‘Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Latin America’
www.irena.org/publications/2016/Nov/Renewable-Energy-Market-Analysis-Latin-America
Energy Voice (2020) ‘Latin America’s renewable energy capacity set to skyrocket to 123 GW by 2025’
www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/americas/264127/latin-america-renewables-capacity-rystad
Oceania
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
www.arena.gov.au
Adam Morton, The Guardian (2020) ‘With record new solar and wind installed, Australia's clean energy is booming – for now’
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/06/with-record-new-solar-and-wind-installed-australias-clean-energy-is-booming-for-now
Energy Australia ‘Supporting renewable energy’
www.energyaustralia.com.au/about-us/sustainability/clean-energy-transition/supporting-renewable-energy
Clean Energy Council (2020) ‘Clean Energy Australia Report’
www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/resources-hub/clean-energy-australia-report
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (2020) ‘Energy in New Zealand 2020’
www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/11679-energy-in-new-zealand-2020
Global
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
www.irena.org/events
The Energy Institute
www.energyinst.org/about
Matchtech
www.matchtech.com/renewable-energy-jobs
Energy Jobline
www.energyjobline.com/renewables
Shaw Energy
www.shawenergyltd.com
Renewable Energy Jobs
www.renewableenergyjobs.com/content/a-z-of-renewable-energy-jobs-green-collar-jobs-titles
Green Recruitment Company
www.greenrecruitmentcompany.com
Globally, there has been significant growth in renewables and ‘green’ energy production in the past decade. However, this growth has been very patchy in terms of long-term Government commitment to funding in some regions.
This is a very diverse sector with careers in many disciplines, from engineering roles to project management, design, environmental assessment, and wider consultancy.
The IEA noted, in its 2019 Global Energy Review:
‘The year-on-year growth of renewables generation was 6.5%, faster than any other fuel including coal and natural gas. The share of renewables in global electricity supply reached 27% in 2019, the highest level ever recorded. Wind power, solar PV and hydropower together made up over 85% of renewables growth, complemented mainly by bioenergy.
Wind power increased by about 150 TWh year-on-year, the most of any renewable power generation technology, raising its share of electricity supply from 4.7% to 5.2% in 2019. The European Union, China and United States led wind output growth with a combination of offshore and onshore projects coming online and favourable weather conditions.
Solar PV electricity generation increased by about 130 TWh globally in 2019, second only to wind in absolute terms, reaching 2.7% of electricity supply. Solar PV’s year-on-year growth of 22% far exceeded that of wind power, though this growth was significantly lower compared to 2018. Meanwhile, the European Union, India and the United States contributed similarly to the solar output increase. Solar PV accounts for almost 3% of global electricity mix.
Hydropower contributed over 100 TWh to the 2019 global increase in renewables generation, lifting its share of electricity supply to 16% and remaining the largest source of renewable electricity. In China, Brazil and India, hydropower increased more in 2019 in absolute terms than the ten-year average due to water availability and new hydropower projects. Hydropower will continue to play a key role in clean energy transitions by providing cost-effective low-carbon electricity and flexibility services that improve the reliability of power systems.
Electricity generation from bioenergy rose 8%, maintaining its global share of electricity supply at about 2.5%. Growth was mainly driven by new projects in China, thanks to the country’s policy target of 23 GW by 2020.’
There are key issues and opportunities globally for renewable energy to exploit:
The World Bank ‘State of Electricity Access Report 2017’ outlined key global messages in access to electricity:
• ‘Given current conditions, universal electricity access will not be met by 2030 unless urgent measures are taken. While nearly 1 billion people in Sub Saharan Africa alone may gain electricity access by 2040, due to population growth, an estimated 530 million people in the region will not have electricity access (IEA 2014).
• This energy shortfall must be rectified if the international community hopes to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, in light of the linkages between energy and other sustainable development challenges— notably, health, education, food security, gender equality, poverty reduction, and climate change.
• In many countries with low levels of electrification access, both grid and off-grid solutions are vital for achieving universal electricity access—but they must be supported by an enabling environment with the right policies, institutions, strategic planning, regulations, and incentives.
• Against a backdrop of climate change, plummeting costs for renewable energy technologies and adequate energy efficiency measures offer a tremendous opportunity for countries to be creative about electricity access expansion—with the emphasis on “clean energy.”
• Emerging and innovative energy service delivery models offer unprecedented opportunities for private sector-driven off-grid electrification and accelerating universal electricity access—but only if countries can create the necessary environment for them to be replicated and scaled up.’
The renewable energy sector has experienced significant global growth in recent decades. As noted by Deloitte in their 2018 Deloitte Insight ‘Global Renewable Energy Trends’ article, renewables are becoming a ‘preferred’ energy choice globally. Deloitte’s report notes 7 ‘enabling trends’ and ‘demand trends’ driving this process:
Enabling Trends:
1. Renewables are reaching price and performance parity on the grid and at the socket. At one stage, renewables were seen as a ‘niche’ choice, but recently solar and wind can undercut the price of other energy sources.
2. Solar and wind can cost-effectively help balance the grid. The perception that integration of solar and wind into the grid has now been demonstrated as false…Storage technologies for energy are also helping the development of the solar and wind sector.
3. New technologies are honing the competitive edge of wind and solar. Rather than wait for innovation from other sectors, the renewables sector has forged ahead with its own developments and therefore is leading other sectors.
Demand Trends
4. Smart Renewable Cities are increasingly depending on solar and wind power to be a key energy source…Greenfield sites have no legacy hang-ups and generally want to demonstrate ‘future proof’ technologies.
5. Community energy on and off the grid. The growth in community energy delivery is aided by flexible systems, normally based on solar and wind energy. In less developed countries, community energy delivery is cheaper than other options and more reliable.
6. Emerging markets as leading markets. In 2013, onshore wind growth in the less developed world passed that of the developed world. This pattern is being replicated for other renewables. This shift in the global market has led to emerging markets being dominant…
7. The growing scope of corporate involvement. Corporates are able to purchase energy with contracts using Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and other processes. The procurement process for this often includes renewables targets in a process called additionality. The standardisation for the procurement process and the compliance this ensures enables renewables to develop with an established market and surety of a binding agreement.
Renewable energy offers a very good opportunity for jobs to migrate across to the green sector from traditional heavy industry roles. The sector has roles in areas including manufacturing, site installation, servicing, and engineering design as well as research, environmental management, and impact assessment. This ‘role transferability’ makes it an attractive choice for governments globally as the transition process for jobs, skills and infrastructure is streamlined compared to implementing very ‘different’ new technologies.
Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) are growing in popularity. As reported in The Guardian (2020):
‘The world’s biggest tech companies fuelled a record surge in the amount of renewable energy sold directly to global corporations last year, according to new figures.
The amount of clean energy from renewable energy developers bought by companies has tripled in the past two years, driven by a growing corporate appetite for sustainable energy. The so-called power purchase agreements (PPAs) are likely to have cost between $20bn and $30bn (£15bn to £23bn), making up about 10% of the world’s total renewable energy investments in 2019.
The market for PPAs has grown rapidly in North America, where most such purchases are made, but a growing number of deals were struck in Europe and Latin America.’
Career and Job Links
UK
Energy UK
www.energy-uk.org.uk
Jillian Ambrose, The Guardian (2020) ‘Renewable energy breaks UK record in first quarter of 2020’
www.theguardian.com/business/2020/jun/25/renewable-energy-breaks-uk-record-in-first-quarter-of-2020
Renewable Energy Jobs
www.renewableenergyjobs.com
Green Jobs
www.greenjobs.co.uk
Prospects, Renewable Energy Careers
www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/energy-and-utilities/renewable-energy-careers
REA
www.r-e-a.net
Energy Saving Trust
www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewable-energy
Europe
European Commission ‘Renewable energy’
www.ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/renewable-energy_en
BUILD UP (2020) ‘In focus: Renewable energy in Europe’
www.buildup.eu/en/news/focus-renewable-energy-europe
RES LEGAL Europe (2019) ‘Legal Sources on Renewable Energy’
www.res-legal.eu
Eurostat (2020) ‘Renewable energy statistics’
www.ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Renewable_energy_statistics
Asia
IRENA Asia and Pacific
www.irena.org/asiapacific
Asian Development Bank (2020) ‘12 Things to Know: The Rise of Renewable Energy in Asia and the Pacific’
www.adb.org/news/features/12-things-know-rise-renewable-energy-asia-and-pacific
PwC Singapore (2018) ‘The next frontier of infrastructure investments - Renewable energy in Asia-Pacific’
www.pwc.com/sg/en/publications/renewable-energy-in-asia-pacific.html
The ASEAN Post (2020) ‘Renewable Energy Challenges In Southeast Asia’
www.theaseanpost.com/article/renewable-energy-challenges-southeast-asia
Africa
IRENA – Africa
www.irena.org/africa
Africa 2030: Roadmap for a Renewable Energy Future
www.irena.org/publications/2015/Oct/Africa-2030-Roadmap-for-a-Renewable-Energy-Future
IEA (2019) ‘Africa Energy Outlook 2019’
www.iea.org/reports/africa-energy-outlook-2019
Renewable Energy Africa
www.renewable-energy-africa.com
North America
C2ES – the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
www.c2es.org/content/renewable-energy
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) ‘Renewable energy explained’
www.eia.gov/energyexplained/renewable-sources
Government of Canada ‘About Renewable Energy’
www.nrcan.gc.ca/energy/energy-sources-distribution/renewables/about-renewable-energy/7295
The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE) focuses on women, energy and the environment
www.wcee.org
South America
NS Energy (2020) ‘Top five renewable energy producers of South America’
www.nsenergybusiness.com/features/renewable-energy-producers-south-america
IRENA (2016) ‘Renewable Energy Market Analysis: Latin America’
www.irena.org/publications/2016/Nov/Renewable-Energy-Market-Analysis-Latin-America
Energy Voice (2020) ‘Latin America’s renewable energy capacity set to skyrocket to 123 GW by 2025’
www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/americas/264127/latin-america-renewables-capacity-rystad
Oceania
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
www.arena.gov.au
Adam Morton, The Guardian (2020) ‘With record new solar and wind installed, Australia's clean energy is booming – for now’
www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/sep/06/with-record-new-solar-and-wind-installed-australias-clean-energy-is-booming-for-now
Energy Australia ‘Supporting renewable energy’
www.energyaustralia.com.au/about-us/sustainability/clean-energy-transition/supporting-renewable-energy
Clean Energy Council (2020) ‘Clean Energy Australia Report’
www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au/resources/resources-hub/clean-energy-australia-report
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment (2020) ‘Energy in New Zealand 2020’
www.mbie.govt.nz/dmsdocument/11679-energy-in-new-zealand-2020
Global
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
www.irena.org/events
The Energy Institute
www.energyinst.org/about
Matchtech
www.matchtech.com/renewable-energy-jobs
Energy Jobline
www.energyjobline.com/renewables
Shaw Energy
www.shawenergyltd.com
Renewable Energy Jobs
www.renewableenergyjobs.com/content/a-z-of-renewable-energy-jobs-green-collar-jobs-titles
Green Recruitment Company
www.greenrecruitmentcompany.com
