Where does employment really occur due to investments in wind energy?
Researcher:
Cazcarro Castellano, Ignacio
Congress:
XIX CONGRESO DE LA ASOCIACIÓN ESPAÑOLA PARA LA ECONOMÍA ENERGÉTICA
Participation type:
Comunicación oral
Other authors:
Guillermo Rodríguez-López, Jorge Bielsa, Ignacio Cazcarro, Sebastián García
Year:
2024
Location:
Granada
Growing concern about climate change has led to a significant volume of planned investments in wind energy in the European Union. This work focuses on the employment effects associated with deploying this technology in a region (Aragon, Northeastern Spain) among the top in Spain in generation and even more in wind investments in the country. To this end, we have created a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) dataset and model in order to locate and explain the dynamics of those employment effects. The contribution to the existing literature consists of the fine-grained scale, across time, spatial locations and sectors of our model, dataset and hence results. For greater robustness, we have analyzed the effects under different assumptions or scenarios depending on the temporal and conceptual scope and the geographical origin of the production of goods and services associated with the investments. The study estimates employment generation specifying the economic sectors involved, the spatial locations where those jobs will most likely be created and how long they would last. With clear applicability to other contexts, the article enriches, the policy dilemmas in energy transition, and more specifically the currently hot social discussion on the local and regional effects, impacts, benefits, costs, etc. of renewable energies, which are implying social controversy.
Growing concern about climate change has led to a significant volume of planned investments in wind energy in the European Union. This work focuses on the employment effects associated with deploying this technology in a region (Aragon, Northeastern Spain) among the top in Spain in generation and even more in wind investments in the country. To this end, we have created a multi-regional input-output (MRIO) dataset and model in order to locate and explain the dynamics of those employment effects. The contribution to the existing literature consists of the fine-grained scale, across time, spatial locations and sectors of our model, dataset and hence results. For greater robustness, we have analyzed the effects under different assumptions or scenarios depending on the temporal and conceptual scope and the geographical origin of the production of goods and services associated with the investments. The study estimates employment generation specifying the economic sectors involved, the spatial locations where those jobs will most likely be created and how long they would last. With clear applicability to other contexts, the article enriches, the policy dilemmas in energy transition, and more specifically the currently hot social discussion on the local and regional effects, impacts, benefits, costs, etc. of renewable energies, which are implying social controversy.