Impact of the Decarbonisation of the Energy System on Employment in Europe

CEPS Special Report No. 82

90 Pages Posted: 13 Feb 2014

See all articles by Arno Behrens

Arno Behrens

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Caroline Coulie

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Fabio Genoese

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Monica Alessi

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Julian Wieczorkiewicz

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Christian Egenhofer

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)

Date Written: February 7, 2014

Abstract

This paper presents a methodology for calculating the potential impact of the new socio-ecological transition away from fossil fuels on employment in EU energy supply. The methodology is based on “employment factors” (i.e. labour intensities) of different energy technologies. These employment factors are applied to changing energy mixes as projected by the decarbonisation scenarios of the European Commission’s Energy Roadmap 2050. In particular, we analyse quantitative (number of jobs) and qualitative (qualification levels) impacts on employment in extraction and processing of primary (fossil) fuels and in the power sector for the years 2020, 2030 and 2050. The results show that the energy sector will provide not only more jobs as the new socio-ecological transition unfolds, but also jobs requiring higher-level qualifications when compared with the current energy sector.

Keywords: energy system, EU energy supply, Energy Roadmap 2050, energy sector

Suggested Citation

Behrens, Arno and Coulie, Caroline and Genoese, Fabio and Alessi, Monica and Wieczorkiewicz, Julian and Egenhofer, Christian, Impact of the Decarbonisation of the Energy System on Employment in Europe (February 7, 2014). CEPS Special Report No. 82, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2395116

Arno Behrens (Contact Author)

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres, 1000
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

Caroline Coulie

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres, 1000
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

Fabio Genoese

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres, 1000
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

Monica Alessi

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

Julian Wieczorkiewicz

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres, 1000
Brussels, 1000
Belgium

Christian Egenhofer

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

1 Place du Congres
B-1000 Brussels, 1000
Belgium

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