As part of its inaugural Rethinking Energy report, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) looks at some of the economic benefits that the now – it says – inevitable shift to renewables will bring. High among these is job creation.

According to IRENA – and as illustrated in the graph below – renewable energy technology manufacturing is more labour intensive (per MW of new installation) than coal, natural gas or nuclear.

For this reason, says the report, “when creating energy policies, policy makers should consider the number of jobs their policies will create and how many of these can be localised.”

To expand on this, the report cites the example of South Africa, whose Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) factors in socio-economic benefits from renewable energy deployment through the use of weighted development criteria during evaluation of the bids.

“Job creation and local content, for instance, both have a 25% weight while assessing bids. Similarly, local ownership and development each have a 15% weight. Other criteria include preferential procurement (10%), management control (5%) and enterprise development (5%).

The report says that early evidence suggests this program has been successful in bringing forward the cost efficient deployment of renewable energy, while also increasing enewable energy job opportunities and boosting local economic development. South Africa’s Energy Ministry estimates REIPPPP’s third window will contribute approximately $US4.4 billion towards national socio-economic development.