Clean energy boom: 85,000 jobs by 2030

Many workers will be able to transfer their skills from the carbon economy to the emerging clean energy sector.

Australia's clean energy system will support 85,000 jobs by 2030 and 1.35 million jobs by 2050, new industry modelling suggests. In addition, current fossil fuel workers could fulfil up to 39 per cent of the demand for renewable energy jobs after 2030, with only minor reskilling needed.

The Australian Industry Energy Transitions Initiative project report, produced by Accenture, is based on three years of research into the challenges and opportunities associated with decarbonising the industrial sector.

It found that while most key occupations have a similar demand across the carbon workforce and renewable energy industry, there was a significant mismatch between the number of electricians, drillers, miners and shot firers required.

The energy transition is expected to require 21,300 electricians between 2025 and 2050, whereas the carbon workforce currently only employs 4,100 electricians, 17,200 less than renewable energy generation and storage.

The clean energy jobs sector is expected to boom over the next decade.

Also, the current estimated demand for drillers, miners and shot firers in renewable energy generation and storage is only 700 workers, compared to the 17,200 workers currently working in carbon intensive industries.

"Whilst carbon intensive industries generally require more mining engineers and industrial, mechanical and production engineers, renewable energy generation and storage will require more electrical and civil engineers," the report says.

The report's findings are consistent with a 2023 Infrastructure Australia analysis that found there would be a national shortfall of workers available to build clean energy transmission infrastructure in coming years.

But while coal mining is anticipated to decline, there will be demand for drillers, miners and shot firers in mining minerals for electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar PV and batteries. Australia is already the largest miner of lithium, producing over 50 per cent of global supply.

"Continued demand for these minerals will see many drillers, miners and shot firers able to transition into these growing industries," the report says.

Australian Industry Energy Transitions Initiative program director Rob Kelly said significant investment would be required to ensure that the right skills were available to ensure a successful transition to a clean energy economy.

"Change is rarely easy, and the pathway to net zero emissions is no exception," he said.

"This is a complex transition, but there is also an opportunity to ensure Australia is able to navigate the challenges and ensure the nation is well-positioned for global competitiveness in a decarbonising global economy."

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