Sunday, June 10, 2012

Jobs: Off-grid renewables

Off-grid renewables alone could create 4 million jobs in rural areas, IRENA estimates
07 June 2012 - According to a report released this month by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reaching the UN goal of providing sustainable energy for all by 2030 would create up to four million direct jobs in the off-grid electricity sector alone.

Decentralised renewable energy solutions would create jobs in rural areas along with providing energy access to remote communities. More than 1.3 billion people do not have access to electricity, 45 per cent of which live in Africa and 50 per cent in Asia.

The report shows that small-scale renewable energy technologies are well adapted to the rural context, as the bulk of skills required can be developed locally, limiting reliance on foreign expertise. “There is considerable employment potential in the downstream linkages, particularly in the distribution, sales, installation, operation, and service of such systems, which can be enhanced if well integrated with local commercial activities,” says Adnan Z. Amin, IRENA's Director-General. Increased income, industrial development and job creation have often been cited as additional benefits of decentralised renewable energy deployment. read more>>>


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