July 23rd, 2008 · No Comments

By Nima Kapadia

Jobs in renewable energy are increasing worldwide and causing the coal industry to distribute pink slips, according to a Worldwatch Institute study.

The report, written by Worldwatch senior researcher Michael Renner, estimates that 2.3 million people are working in renewable energy jobs - either directly or indirectly. From that number:

• 1 million work in biofuels
• 794,000 work in solar power
• 39,000 work in hydropower
• 25,000 work in geothermal

Renner expects the numbers to increase substantially in the next decade.

“Government officials now have another reason to put the full weight of their support behind renewables,” Renner said in a statement. “In addition to protecting our planet and phasing out an increasingly limited resource, renewable energy also supports job creation.”

The report, released earlier this month, names countries that are increasing their numbers of renewable-energy jobs. Germany, for example, has 259,000 such jobs. Spain follows with 89,000 direct and 99,000 indirect jobs.

Consequently, the coal industry has felt the effects. Coal generates 40 percent of the world’s electricity, according to the World Coal Institute. Despite a one-third increase in coal production, the number of jobs have decreased by half throughout China, Britain and the U.S.

Worldwatch is an independent research organization that focuses on critical global issues, particularly those related to sustainability. Read more about the report on Worldwatch Institute’s Web site.