EU solar and battery storage sectors supported 982,000 jobs in 2025

Solar PV and battery energy storage systems (BESS) supported approximately 982,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in the European Union in 2025. According to the EU Solar Jobs Report 2026 by SolarPower Europe, solar PV accounted for 874,000 jobs, while battery storage contributed 108,000 positions.

Employment is heavily concentrated in deployment and installation, which represents 85% of solar jobs. Operations and maintenance (O&M) reached a record 78,000 jobs, whereas manufacturing remains a small segment at roughly 4% of solar employment. In the battery sector, deployment accounts for 84% of jobs, with manufacturing demand largely driven by electric vehicles.

Market trends indicate a shift toward utility-scale projects, which accounted for 50.2% of solar jobs, slightly overtaking rooftop solar for the first time. Geographically, Germany was the largest market with 165,000 FTEs, followed by Spain and Italy.

Projections suggest a potential decline in solar employment by 2030. Under a medium scenario, solar employment could fall by approximately 12% to 766,000 FTEs as deployment slows. While installation jobs may decrease due to improved productivity, roles in O&M and decommissioning/recycling are expected to grow.