The EU Solar Jobs Report 2024 highlights the significant growth of the solar sector in the European Union, which employed 826,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers by the end of 2023, a 28% increase from the previous year, driven by a record 50% growth in solar installations, reaching 60.9 GW. However, the report anticipates a sharp slowdown in 2024, with only 5% market growth expected, leading to a stagnant job market with less than 1% job growth, primarily due to reduced demand in the rooftop solar segment and challenges like grid congestion and unstable permitting frameworks. Deployment jobs dominate, constituting 87% of the workforce, while manufacturing jobs have declined to 5% due to international competition and factory closures.
Looking ahead, the report projects slower job growth than previously forecasted, with the EU solar sector expected to reach 1 million jobs by 2027 under the Medium Scenario, delayed from the earlier 2025 estimate, though a High Scenario could see 1.4 million jobs by 2028. The shift toward utility-scale projects, which are less labor-intensive, and the decline in manufacturing jobs underscore the need for diversification and policy support to bolster the sector. The report emphasizes the importance of strengthening the manufacturing workforce and developing electrification skills to support the EU’s net-zero goals by 2050, with the solar industry remaining a key pillar for a sustainable energy transition.
To address these challenges, the report proposes several policy recommendations, including assessing workforce skill gaps, creating cross-renewable career paths, and developing an EU Electrification Action Plan to enhance electrification skills. It also calls for increased visibility of technical and engineering careers, support for retraining workers from transitioning industries, and improved skills portability across EU countries. The establishment of the EU Solar Academy and other initiatives under the Net-Zero Industry Act are seen as critical steps to ensure a qualified workforce capable of supporting the solar sector’s growth and contributing to the EU’s clean industrial strategy.