While renewable energy adoption has accelerated globally, significant challenges remain in meeting ambitious deployment targets. This paper analyses bottlenecks in the renewable energy ecosystem and explores policy solutions by examining trade, innovation, M&A, jobs, and skills data. The analysis reveals three key findings: first, the renewable energy ecosystem spans multiple sectors beyond electricity production, with machinery, computer and electronics, and scientific and technical activities playing central roles in innovation activity and job creation; second, supply chain concentration is increasing for both capital goods and critical raw materials, creating dependencies on key supplier countries; and third, while innovation offers a pathway to address these dependencies through developing leading-edge manufacturing capabilities and material substitutes, patenting activity in renewable technologies is declining. Additionally, the sector faces potential skills shortages in engineering and technical trades. The findings suggest successful renewable energy deployment requires coordinated policy approaches addressing innovation support, supply chain resilience, and workforce development.
