Distributed Solar Drives Global PV Employment Past 5 Million
Global employment in the solar photovoltaic (PV) sector exceeded five million jobs in 2024, with small-scale and rooftop systems accounting for the majority of those roles, according to the latest global energy employment analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Solar PV continues to rank as the largest employer within the power generation industry, ahead of nuclear, wind, grid infrastructure, and energy storage technologies.
Strong Growth in Solar Jobs
In 2024, global solar capacity additions reached approximately 540 GW, marking a year of significant expansion despite a slowdown in investment growth compared to previous years. This surge in new installations supported the creation of roughly 310,000 additional jobs between 2023 and 2024.
Solar alone represented around 40% of all new employment generated across the power sector during the year.
A major contributor to this growth was distributed solar — including residential and small commercial rooftop systems — which added about 225,000 jobs over the two-year period. In comparison, utility-scale solar projects created just under 100,000 new roles.
Why Distributed Solar Creates More Jobs
Although distributed solar accounts for only 43% of global installed solar capacity, it supports nearly two-thirds of total solar PV employment worldwide.
On average, small-scale solar systems generate nearly three times more jobs per megawatt than large, utility-scale projects. The reason lies in the nature of rooftop installations:
Each project requires customized system design
Permitting and approvals are handled individually
Installations are labor-intensive
Sales, logistics, and customer service play a significant role
Unlike large solar farms, which benefit from economies of scale and higher levels of automation, residential and small commercial installations depend heavily on manual work and direct customer interaction. As a result, wholesale, transport, and logistics account for roughly 25% of employment in distributed solar — nearly double the share seen in utility-scale projects.
Regional Employment Trends
China Leads Globally
China remains the dominant employer in solar PV, representing around 60% of the global workforce. A substantial portion of these jobs are linked to domestic construction and project deployment.
Europe, India, and Asia Pacific
Europe, India, and other Asia-Pacific countries each account for roughly 10% of global solar employment.
India recorded strong workforce growth, supported by national rooftop solar initiatives such as the PM Surya Ghar program.
United States
The United States experienced faster-than-average job growth as developers accelerated construction timelines to qualify for federal tax incentives.
Africa
Africa saw the highest year-on-year growth rate at approximately 23%, driven by new utility-scale developments and expanding off-grid solar systems.
Where the Jobs Are
Approximately two-thirds of the global solar workforce is engaged in the development and installation of new projects. Around 21% work in manufacturing across the solar value chain, including polysilicon, wafers, cells, modules, and inverters.
Installation activities alone account for nearly half of all solar PV jobs worldwide.
Skilled trades — particularly electricians, installers, and welders — represent more than 20% of the workforce. However, shortages of qualified electricians are becoming a concern, particularly as grid integration and system compliance requirements grow more complex.
As total installed capacity continues to expand, operations and maintenance (O&M) roles are increasing steadily. In addition, replacing ageing panels and system components is expected to become an important source of future employment.
Meanwhile, site preparation and other manual construction tasks — such as trenching, mounting panels, and equipment handling — make up roughly a quarter of total solar jobs globally.
Broader Power Sector Trends
Beyond solar, employment patterns across other power technologies show mixed results:
Nuclear energy is seeing rising employment levels, but workforce shortages are slowing project development.
Wind energy growth has slowed in 2024, particularly offshore wind, where higher project costs have reduced developer activity.
Hydropower supported nearly two million jobs globally, backed by increased investment, especially in pumped-storage projects.
The report also examined the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) across the energy industry. While AI is being adopted to improve productivity, it has not significantly reduced demand for skilled technical labor. Most construction, installation, and maintenance roles remain highly manual and are not easily automated.
