IRENA report

The need for scaling up renewables is now undisputed, and the full range of benefits they can bring has come to the fore in global discussions. As countries consider options at their disposal, understanding the socio-economic benefits of the transition to a renewable energy future is of vital importance. Renewable Energy Benefits: Measuring the Economics provides the first global quantification of the macroeconomic impacts of renewable energy deployment. It finds that doubling the share of renewables by 2030 would bring a range of positive impacts including an increase in global gross domestic product (GDP) up to 1.1 percent, improvement of global welfare by 3.7 percent and over 24 million people working in the renewable energy sector. This report provides the latest evidence that mitigating climate change through the deployment of renewable energy and achieving other socio-economic objectives are mutually beneficial. Thanks to the growing business case for renewable energy, an investment in one is an investment in both. A full understanding of these benefits can tip the balance towards low-carbon investments and future-proof our energy system.

Download full report http://www.irena.org/DocumentDownloads/Publications/IRENA_Measuring-the-Economics_2016.pdf