Green Jobs in the Renewable Energy Sector in the European Union: A Comparative Analysis

The transition towards a low-carbon economy has increased the importance of green jobs, particularly in the renewable energy source (RES) sector, where employment supports sustainable development and the achievement of the European Green Deal objectives. This study analyses the spatial differentiation and structure of green jobs in the renewable energy sector across the 27 Member States of the European Union in 2020 and 2023 and assesses changes in the similarity of national employment structures over time. The empirical analysis was conducted using data from the EurObserv’ER Policy and Statistics Reports and the Eurostat database. Descriptive statistics, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired samples, hierarchical cluster analysis using Ward’s method, cluster validity measures, the Adjusted Rand Index, and sensitivity analysis were applied. The results indicate substantial heterogeneity in green employment structures across EU Member States and significant changes in selected dimensions of renewable energy employment. The most pronounced change concerned Solar PV and CSP, whose average share of green employment increased from 10.0% in 2020 to 27.4% in 2023, while the share of solid biomass declined. The cluster analysis identified seven clusters in 2020 and five in 2023; however, the reduction in the number of clusters alone does not provide sufficient evidence of overall convergence. The low similarity between the 2020 and 2023 partitions (ARI = 0.194) indicates substantial restructuring of country memberships. The findings therefore indicate reduced cross-country dispersion in selected dimensions, particularly those associated with solar energy, alongside substantial structural reorganisation and persistent regional technological specialisation across the European Union.