Mixed Greens: Cheaper renewables, more green jobs, says IRENA by Sophie Vorrath

The UN goal of providing sustainable energy for all by 2030 may create up to four million jobs in the off-grid electricity industry alone, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. The Abu Dhabi-based Agency, which released a study on renewables on Wednesday, also said that power from renewable energy sources was getting cheaper every year, challenging long-standing myths that clean energy technology is too expensive to adopt. The IRENA study noted that the costs of generating power from solar panels had fallen as much as 60 per cent in just the past few years, while the price of generating power from other renewables, including wind, hydro power, concentrating solar power and biomass, was also falling. "One of the (myths) out there perpetuated by industry lobby groups is that renewable energy is too expensive," said Adnan Amin, IRENA's director general, adding that in reality, "costs are falling exponentially ... and will continue (to do so) in the future."

Amin also said there was "considerable employment potential" arising from the global renewables industry, "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.” Renewable energy companies currently employ 5 million people, Rabia Ferroukhi, senior programme officer at Irena’s Policy Advice and Capacity Building Directorate, said at a press conference in Abu Dhabi today. Of the 1.3 billion people who lack access to electricity, 45 per cent live in Africa and 50 per cent in Asia, Irena said in a statement today.