German PV jobs fell by almost 50% in 2013, more losses expected

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

The number of workers employed by the German PV industry fell by almost 50% last year, according to figures released on Monday by the German energy and economics ministry.

The federal ministry for economic affairs and energy’s statistics show that the PV industry’s workforce numbers in Germany fell from 100,300 people in 2012 to 56,000 in 2013.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

In total, the ministry reported that around 371,400 people were employed in renewable energy in Germany. Of this figure, the ministry claims, 70.4%, or 261,500 jobs, can be directly attributed to the influence of the country’s renewable energy act (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz, EEG).

State secretary for energy and the economy Rainer Baake said that the statistics showed a previous boom period for PV to have not been sustainable and said that in future, managed ‘expansion corridors’ for renewable energy capacity would add a degree of security to the industry. Baake, a member of the Green Party, is the former head of an energy policy think tank and was also instrumental in drafting the original EEG legislation.

A full report has been posted in German on the ministry’s website on gross employment in the renewable energy industry. The report was put together collaboratively by the ministry and other organisations including the Centre for solar Energy and hydrogen Research Baden- Württemberg and the German Institute for Economic Research.

The report claimed that the decline in job numbers came as a consequence of lowered targets for PV installation and as such was not unexpected. It also says that a ‘boom’ scenario as seen in 2010 to 2012 is unlikely to happen again in light of this managed decline and also in light of gradually falling system costs. 

The report stated that reforms to the EEG, which are currently under discussion, are likely to have a further impact on job figures over the next two years. Developers and investors will have to change their approach to large-scale projects as subsidies are further degressed, while manufacturers will increasingly look to export their products to overseas markets and reduce their dependence on Germany, the ministry said.

The reforms include the idea touted by the ministry of economy and energy, and its head, Sigmar Gabriel, of applying surcharges for self-consumed PV energy, ostensibly to cover grid and service costs. The proposed charges have proved controversial, not least because heavy industrial users of energy are expected to be exempted from the charges for economic reasons.

In addition, the report referred to new business models emerging in the domestic market, such as optimising self-consumption from residential rooftop PV businesses. The country launched its first subsidy scheme for lithium-ion battery storage systems for residential PV plant owners just over a year ago, resulting in 4,000 new storage systems being installed from May 2013 to the equivalent period this year.

Recent statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) showed that in 2013, around 6.5 million people worldwide were employed by the renewable energy industries.

Read Next

September 18, 2025
Researchers have called for enhanced international standards to detect ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVID) in PV modules after identifying “severe” levels of the problem in operational n-type panels.             
September 18, 2025
Indian PV makers have welcomed the government’s plan to add solar wafers to its ALMM List-III from June 2028.
September 17, 2025
US renewables developer Longroad Energy has reached financial close for its 400MW 1000 Mile solar project in the US state of Texas.
September 17, 2025
Spanish renewables developer and operator Acciona Energía has commissioned its 412MWp Juna solar PV plant in Kawani village in the western state of Rajasthan. 
September 17, 2025
Spanish IPP Velto Renewables has acquired a portfolio of 53 operational solar assets in Spain with a combined capacity of 260MW.
September 17, 2025
Struggling Swiss solar manufacturer Meyer Burger has formally entered into a debt moratorium, with the possibility of rescuing the entire group now looking unlikely.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
San Francisco Bay Area, USA