Is the renewable energy industry suffering from skilled labor shortage?

The International Energy Agency said that clean energy jobs jumped worldwide in recent years, especially as the sector flourishes in China, however, an impending skilled labor shortage is about to represent a huge barrier against more expansion.

The IEA's report found that employees in the energy sector surged today compared to 2019, mainly due to clean energy employment. 

In fact, clean energy employees outpaced their fossil fuel counterparts in 2021, with the gap continuing to expand. 

Last year, the global workforce in the energy sector reached 67 million jobs, up 3.4 million from 2019, with the clean energy sector alone adding 4.7 million jobs in that period to a total of 35 million jobs. 

The main powerhouses of the clean energy sector are: solar and wind energy, electric vehicle and battery manufacturing, mining important precious metals used in clean energy industries. 

Despite the brisk growth of the clean energy jobs, the IEA expects a considerable shortage in skilled labor to stand against further expansion. 

The IEA noted that the number of individuals getting certificates to work in the energy sector is not keeping up with demand. 

Studies have shown that while US policies will help create over 9 million jobs in the clean energy sector in the next decade, the rate of job creating will remain below demand.