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Renewable energy sector may have 20m new jobs

ABU DHABI — Renewable energy sector around the world will have some 20 million new job opportunities by 2030, said Helene Pelosse, interim Director- General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), here on Monday.

Addressing a five-day conference on renewable energy, which began on Sunday, -Pelosse said there is significant growth in the jobs in the renewable energy sector worldwide. In 2008, it was 2,332,000, which is expected to reach 20,000,000 additional jobs requirements in the sector by 2030.

According to her, there could be 50 per cent renewable energy in the energy mix by 2050. There were double digit growth rates for photovoltaic and wind over the last years and 60 per cent of new capacity in Europe come from renewable energy. Pelosse said, 85 countries are with policy targets and other 75 countries with feed-in tariffs.

On global green growth, she said, in 2004-2008, there was a fourfold increase in renewable energy investments, while RE investments in 2009 stood at $162 billion. Pelosse said, the renewable energy currently amounts to 18 per cent of the global final energy consumption. A shift in energy potential is required as the coal, oil are on the downturn and how many years left for fossil fuels even if shale gas and oil are increasing reserves, Pelosse said.

She said, there are three main drivers for renewable energy: economic growth, climate change and energy security.

Abu Dhabi’s recycle plan

Abu Dhabi eyes to recycle up to 90 per cent of its different types of waste in the emirate in the coming five years.

Paul Dumble from Center of Waste Management - Abu Dhabi talked about the ‘Critical success requirements in development of waste related renewable energy options in the emirate of Abu Dhabi’ at the conference.

Dumble said, about 97 per cent of the waste of emirate resulting from construction and demolition waste and waste trade industrial and municipal activities, which are thrown in to landfill sites in the desert. In coming five years, the centre aim to recycle up to 90 per cent of the different types of waste to become among leading countries in the world in this area.

anwar@khaleejtimes.com