Forget the environment. Is the renewable energy industry delivering on its promise to create jobs? Yes, according to a report by the World Resources Institute (WRI), in Washington, D.C. The WRI examined the solar photovoltaic and wind industries in countries that are leaders in renewables.
The message is clear, says one of the report’s coauthors, Priya Barua: Comprehensive, targeted policies in these countries are spurring clean energy investments, which are creating jobs.
While most green employment debates center on manufacturing, Barua says data from the United States and Japan indicate that over 65 percent of jobs are actually created outside of manufacturing in such areas as R&D, system design, and installation.