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Employment in Germany’s renewable energy sector reached a record high last year, but a looming shift in government energy policy could put “thousands of jobs” at risk, the Bertelsmann Foundation has warned.<\/p>\n
Some 436,000 people were employed in the sector in 2025, almost 4% more than in 2023, the previous record year, the foundation reported on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Wind power remained the largest employer among renewable energy industries, with the number of jobs rising by around 30% between 2023 and 2025 to 131,000.<\/p>\n
“Wind energy therefore accounts for almost a third of all jobs in the renewable energy sector,” the foundation said.<\/p>\n
Photovoltaics also remained an important pillar of the sector, with almost 100,000 employees, followed by the production and installation of heat pumps, which employed around 72,000 people last year.<\/p>\n
According to the analysis, investment in renewable energy and employment figures are closely linked.<\/p>\n
In addition to expanding renewable energy capacity, Germany also needs to retain domestic value creation, said Jana Fingerhut, a labour market expert at the Bertelsmann Foundation.<\/p>\n
For example, although more and more photovoltaic systems are being installed, the number of jobs in the sector is falling because solar modules are mostly produced abroad, she said.<\/p>\n
The foundation called on the government to design planned energy reforms in a way that safeguards jobs.<\/p>\n
It warned that jobs could be lost if smaller solar installations no longer receive subsidies, if uncertainty slows investment or if clear rules for climate-friendly heating are removed.<\/p>\n
Economy Minister Katharina Reiche wants to lower costs and align the expansion of wind and solar power more closely with the lagging development of Germany’s electricity grid.<\/p>\n
The government is also considering scrapping subsidies for small new rooftop solar systems.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n