In 2025, Europe’s solar and battery storage sectors generated nearly one million jobs, with solar photovoltaics contributing 874,000 FTEs and battery storage 108,000. The growth arose from strong renewable energy deployment despite manufacturing challenges. By 2030, workforce projections indicate a decline, driven by productivity improvements, alongside suggested training and reskilling initiatives to support clean energy transition.

Agriculture is vital for livelihoods in developing countries, but over 500 million smallholder farmers lack energy access, hindering productivity and climate resilience. The GEAR framework from IRENA and IIED aims to integrate renewable energy with agricultural development, enhancing adaptive, anticipatory, and absorptive capacities to improve rural economic stability and food security.

East Asia has a prospective offshore wind capacity of 82 GW, needing an investment of $381 billion. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan aim for 10 GW operational by 2030 but face development challenges. Policy changes and innovative strategies are essential to overcome barriers and realize this potential for energy independence.

Four-hour battery energy storage systems have become cheaper than gas turbines in all assessed markets, driven by lower battery costs and rising gas prices. Utility-scale solar continues to be the most cost-effective power generation globally, with projections indicating further declines in renewable energy costs. This trend reshapes electricity economics across regions.