Philippines: Renewable energy boom creates 350,000 green jobs

Manila: The Philippine renewable energy sector is buzzing — not just with solar panels or wind turbines.

According to the International Labor Organisation (ILO), the country needs about 350,000 new green jobs by 2030 to keep up with its booming clean energy projects. 

That’s a massive crew ready to power up the future.

Answer: Why not?

The Philippines is a net exporter of human resources, mostly in service, healthcare and domestic help. Now, things are changing a bit.

The Asean Climate Change Energy Projects states that solar power dominates job creation, accounting for over half of the workforce demand due to the sector’s rapid expansion and nationwide deployment of solar farms and distributed rooftop solar systems. 

This is followed by wind and hydropower sectors, which contribute significantly to employment opportunities as large-scale projects progress. 

So, if you’re thinking about a career with a future that’s bright, breezy, and clean, the Philippine renewable energy sector might just have a spot for you.

Well, the Philippines has the biggest renewable energy pipeline in Southeast Asia but currently only about 120,000 skilled workers to get the job done. 

With a 75% shortage of trained people, projects risk delays – unless more hands jump in. 

The government is on it: Manila aims to boost renewable energy’s slice of the power pie to 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, which means cranking up solar farms, wind turbines, geothermal plants, and more.

To make this green dream happen, the Philippines plans to pour over $26 billion between 2025 and 2030 into renewable projects. 

Major players like the Terra Solar project — which will soon be the world’s largest solar plant — and a partnership with UAE’s Masdar for 10 gigawatts of solar, wind, and storage, are turbocharging demand for skilled workers.

The current training systems need a major upgrade. Right now, they’re a bit like trying to power a high-tech city with a potato battery — outdated and fragmented.

Energy companies are asking for more modern skills training to keep safety tight and projects humming. 

With many young people eager to jump into the green workforce, building solid apprenticeship programmes is key.

With hundreds of thousands of jobs opening and the government setting the stage for massive clean energy growth, it’s an exciting time to join the green revolution.

In the face of high energy rates, the Philippines is moving fast to leapfrog the power generation gap by leaning into clean energy, starting with policy.

The main driver of job creation in the renewable sector is the strong policy framework – allowing 100 foreign ownership of power generation projects, for one – combined with supportive programmes such as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008, the Green Energy Auction Program (GEAP), and the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), as well as eased foreign ownership rules which encourage international investments. 

The country’s abundant renewable resources, including high solar irradiation, wind corridors, geothermal fields, and hydro-electric potential, further fuel this growth.