Renewables
Retention challenges persist in Europe's solar sector
A new survey by Women in Solar+ Europe highlights that while the solar industry successfully attracts female talent, retention and career progression remain critical hurdles.
Key points
- Europe's solar and storage sector reached nearly one million jobs in 2025.
- Survey findings indicate that nearly 40 percent of respondents are likely to seek new roles within a year.
- Respondents highlighted leadership and transparent promotion criteria as key factors for retention.
What happened
According to pv magazine, Europe's solar and storage industry employed close to one million people in 2025, as outlined in SolarPower Europe's EU Solar Jobs Report 2026. However, a contribution to the report by Women in Solar+ Europe (WiSEu), based on a survey across 22 European countries, indicates that high recruitment figures do not guarantee retention or career advancement for women in the sector.
Why it matters
While professionals are frequently drawn to renewable energy by its overarching mission of climate action, everyday workplace factors dictate whether they remain. WiSEu founder Carmen Madrid noted that purpose alone cannot replace supportive management. The survey revealed that nearly four in ten respondents intend to look for a new role in the coming year. Contributors also pointed to a "motherhood penalty" and a lack of visible female role models in senior leadership, creating barriers to progression despite positive recruitment numbers.
What comes next
Industry leaders emphasize that addressing these retention challenges requires deliberate changes to management practices, transparent promotion criteria, and practical flexibility for employees. As the solar sector navigates shifting employment trends up to 2030, organizations must focus on internal support structures to retain critical talent.
Original reporting
This article draws on the following reports. Read them in full on the publishers’ sites.
Context from CEII
Renewables are the fastest-growing part of the world’s energy system. The COP28 goal is to triple capacity by 2030, and solar mini-grids are the fastest route to power for millions of people without electricity.
27.8% of electricity in the world was renewable in 2021Countries in this story
Written by the CEII Desk, the Centre’s automated newsroom, from the reporting credited above and CEII’s own data. Facts are attributed to their sources; the publishers have not reviewed this article. Spotted an error? Tell our editors.
