RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE: On the back of the largest ever increase in renewable energy jobs in 2023, universities are in stiff competition to offer specialized programs in this expanding field that is picking up momentum as the energy transition progresses globally.

According to the 2024 report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), jobs in the renewable energy sector grew from 13.7 million in 2022 to 16.2 million in 2023, an 18 per cent year-on-year leap that reflects the strong growth of renewables’ generating capacity.

The report reveals that renewable energy jobs have more than doubled in 10 years. Following COP28’s calls to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, the accelerating momentum to decarbonize could lead to the fastest growth ever in renewable energy in the next five years.

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is among UAE universities offering a Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy, focused on renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower, as well as energy management, energy storage, and energy policy.

Prof. Stephen Wilhite, AURAK’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success/Provost, commented: “Renewable energy is one of the sectors that future-proof students’ career progression in today’s disruptive job landscape. With the COP28 held in Dubai setting a challenging target of tripling renewable energy capacity in just another six years, there is frenetic activity across the globe to achieve the goals. This naturally implies that demand for renewable energy engineers will be on the rise. We, at AURAK, have crafted a comprehensive master’s program that will produce world-class renewable energy engineers.”

Prof. Khalid Hussain, Dean of the School of Engineering and Computing, AURAK, said: “The AURAK Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy program is designed to enable the students to take responsible, creative, challenging, and stimulating posts in research and industry in this exciting field. Students are trained to design, model, manage and control complex projects and play leadership roles in industry and government. They are familiarized with energy systems and technologies such as solar, wind, geothermal, and hydropower that reduce reliance on fossil fuels and promote a more sustainable future.”

Renewable energy is currently the rage everywhere. Solar PV is still the fastest-growing sector, with almost 4.9 million jobs created in 2022, more than a third of the total workforce in the renewable energy sector. Liquid biofuels had the second-largest number of jobs, followed by hydropower and wind.  According to World Economic Forum data, renewables will surpass coal as the largest source of electricity generation by 2025.

The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to triple the contribution of renewable energy and to invest AED 150 to AED 200 billion by 2030 to meet the country’s increasing demand for energy.

Graduates of the Master of Science in Sustainable and Renewable Energy program can look forward to pursuing numerous career options in various industries, including government agencies, energy companies, consulting firms, research institutions, and non-profit organizations. They could also work in policy development, energy auditing, and environmental impact assessment.