Do renewable energy investments create local jobs?

Natalia Fabra, Eduardo Gutiérrez Chacón, Aitor Lacuesta and Roberto Ramos

Journal of Public Economics, 2024, vol. 239, issue C

Abstract: Globally, renewable energy projects often face local opposition despite the potential for job creation. Analyzing data from over 3,900 Spanish municipalities (2017–2021), we find that new jobs frequently do not remain in the host communities. Solar projects show stronger employment and unemployment multipliers compared to wind, reflecting differing task and skill requirements. Beyond the labor market impacts, residents benefit from the investments through greater public spending and increased per capita income. However, these effects are modest, particularly in the case of small to medium-sized plants.

Keywords: Renewable energy; Employment; Unemployment; NIMBY; Spatial effects (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C33 L94 O25 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: Do Renewable Energy Investments Create Local Jobs? (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:239:y:2024:i:c:s0047272724001488

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105212

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