Renewable energy employed 9.8 million people last year, up 1.1 per cent from 2015, led by solar photovoltaic at 3.09 million jobs, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s annual report on the industry.

Growth has slowed in the past two years while solar photovoltaic and wind categories more than doubled their number of jobs since 2012, the first year assessed, Irena said in the report.

Here are some of the highlights from the report:

Global renewables employment has climbed every year since 2012, with solar photovoltaic becoming the largest segment by total jobs in 2016.

Solar photovoltaic employed 3.09 million people, followed by liquid biofuels at 1.7 million. The wind industry had 1.2 million employees, a 7 per cent increase from 2015.

Employment in renewables, excluding large hydro power, increased 2.8 per cent last year to 8.3 million people, with China, Brazil, the U.S., India, Japan and Germany the leading job markets.

Asian countries accounted for 62 per cent of total jobs in 2016 compared with 50 per cent in 2013.

Renewables jobs could total 24 million in 2030, as more countries take steps to combat climate change, Irena said.

Bloomberg