- Summary
- A lack of solar skills could worsen as demand soars and industry officials want more direct aid to training programs and better cross-border mobility.
February 16 – The European Union’s plan to rapidly expand solar and wind power depends on a significant expansion of the solar and wind workforce at a difficult time for hirers.
Solar employment in the EU rose by an estimated 30% in 2022 to around 600,000 jobs, including indirect roles in materials and logistics, according to industry group SolarPower Europe.
By 2030 the EU will need more than 1 million solar workers to meet higher renewable energy targets set recently by the EU to end the region’s reliance on Russian oil and gas, SolarPower Europe said. Under its REPowerEU initiative, the EU aims to double solar capacity to 320 GW by 2025 and install 600 GW by 2030. Wind capacity must double to over 500 GW, it said, applying further pressure to the job market.
