Germany. Studies of the BMWi on employment effects in the energy sector

The conversion of energy supply provides impetus for growth and jobs. The overall economic impact of energy policy  and in particular the impact on employment in the energy sector can be basically studied from different angles and with different approaches. These three studies were commissioned as early as the 17th legislative period. The experts have investigated, for example the question of how many people are employed in the energy sector and to what extent the energy turnaround additional jobs or creates bottom line job losses. As a result, all projects hereby agree that with the energy transition associated positive employment effects. But result in detail the differences in the research questions, methods used and assumptions made ​​to the quantitative results are not comparable with each other

• The study "Employment from Renewable Energy in Germany: development and operation, today and tomorrow"  puts a focus on the analysis of renewable energy sources and their impact on the gross employment. They considered several intermediate stages, that it be the employees of direct and indirect suppliers counted. The study also examines the question of whether the energy transition net leads to additional employment, ie whether more jobs will be created through the expansion of renewable energies will be lost as z. B. in the conventional power generation. But the assumption is made ​​that the energy revolution in 1995 starts (beginning of the expansion of renewable energy due to state funding).
• The study "Economic Effects of the energy revolution" examines among other things the question of what impact the energy turnaround on the total employment in Germany. Similar to the above study, they determined the extent to which energy transition net creates jobs. For this it is assumed that the energy transition with the energy plan  starts in 2010. This example the employment effects of renewable energy expansion and the increase in the remain energy efficiency from the period before 2010 not considered in the results.
• The study "value added and employment effects of energy" chooses a different approach and tried to build on data from official statistics, to determine the energy-related gross employment. In addition to the gross employment figures for the subregions of renewable energy or conventional energy sources are determined. This compared to the first study only the first intermediate step is taken into account, that there are recorded only employees in direct suppliers, thereby dealing with numbers turn out tends to be lower.

An overview of the different research questions, methods and assumptions, and results can be foundhere (PDF: 158 KB)