The report, Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2018, by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said the biofuel industry supported more jobs in 2017 as ethanol and biodiesel production expanded in most major markets.

Overall, the report said there were 10.3 million jobs supported by the global renewable energy industry in 2017, up 5.3 percent from 2016.

IRENA said most of the jobs supported by the biofuel industry included employment at production facilities as well as jobs in the agricultural value chain including planting and harvesting of feedstocks.

It said liquid biofuels employment rose in the United States, buoyed by record production of ethanol and biodiesel. In fact, it said the US accounted for 16 percent of global biofuel employment.

IRENA said ethanol production in the US supported 237,000 jobs in 2017, a 6.5 percent increase from 2016. Including jobs supported by the biodiesel industry, some 300,000 jobs in the US were supported by the liquid biofuels industry last year.

Going forward, IRENA’s analysis suggests the global renewable energy sector could support up to 23.6 million jobs in 2030 and 28.8 million jobs in 2050.

This, it said, will be possible if governments across the globe adopt policies to increase the production and usage of renewable energy.