The Impact of the Polish Renewable Energy Sector on Employment

Subject and purpose of work: This study analyses employment in the renewable energy sector. The aim of this research was to explore the impact of obtaining energy from renewable sources on the labor market in Poland.

Materials and methods: This study is based on secondary data from the Central Statistical Office, Eurostat, and EurObserv’ER. During the literature review, research papers on the labor market, published in Poland and internationally, were examined. The analyzed data was processed using an Excel 2007 spreadsheet. The number of people employed in relation to 1,000 toe of primary energy obtained in individual RES industries was the measure of the impact of the RES sector on employment. The results of the present research were presented using descriptive, graphical and tabular methods.

Results: In Poland, the use of renewable energy sources between 2010 and 2020 doubled, from 6,892 ktoe to 12,518 ktoe, and is projected to further double by 2030 compared to 2020.It is generally agreed that obtaining energy from renewable sources has a significant positive impact on the labor market. In the period of analysis, the number of individuals employed in the RES sector increased from 36.8 thousand to 110.8 thousand. The highest labor intensity was reported for the RES sectors of solar power, heat pumps, and liquid biofuels.

Conclusions: I f t he r enewable energy sector continues t o develop a s projected, t he demand for employees in this industry will more than double by 2030.