Potential for renewable energy jobs in the Middle East

Based on employment factors derived from a recent review of publications investigating opportunities for work associated with the diffusion of renewable energy technology, we here present an analysis of the potential for renewable energy jobs in the Middle East. We use energy system optimisation results from the regionally disaggregated TIAM-ECN model as input to our study. This integrated assessment model is utilised to inspect the energy technology requirements for meeting a stringent global climate policy that achieves a stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere with a maximum additional radiative forcing of 2.9W/m2. This climate control target implies a massive deployment of renewable energy in the Middle East, with wind and solar power accounting for approximately 60% of total electricity supply in 2050: 900TWh of an overall level of 1525TWh would be generated from 210GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the middle of the century. For this pervasive renewables diffusion scenario for the Middle East we estimate a total required local work force of ultimately about 155,000 direct and 115,000 indirect jobs, based on assumptions regarding which components of the respective wind and solar energy technologies can be manufactured in the region itself. All jobs generated through installation and O&M activities are assumed to be domestic. •An analysis of the potential for renewable energy jobs in the Middle East is presented.•With the TIAM-ECN model we inspect the technology requirements for meeting a radiative forcing of 2.9 W/m2.•Wind and solar power account for approximately 60% of total electricity supply in 2050.•We estimate a total required local work force of ultimately about 155,000 direct and 115,000 indirect jobs.•Manufacturing jobs are assumed to be partly local, while installation and O&M jobs are all domestic.