UK pledges 400,000 clean energy jobs by 2030 in £100m skills drive

THE UK has pledged to create 400,000 jobs by 2030 through its Clean Energy Jobs Plan, reinforcing its ambition to become a global leader in the green transition.

Alongside its Clean Power 2030 plan, the government says it will deliver a “strong pipeline of talent” for the UK’s clean energy industries – which have been promised more than £50bn (US$67bn) in private investment since July last year.

The plan outlines more than £100m in targeted investment for engineering skills, including around £10m to support engineering T Levels and higher education providers offering courses at levels 4 and 5.

Ed Miliband, the UK energy secretary, said: “Our plans will help create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job.

“Thanks to this government’s commitment to clean energy, a generation of young people in our industrial heartlands can have well-paid secure jobs, from plumbers to electricians and welders.”

Priority sectors

Clean energy jobs cover a wide scope of industries, including renewables, carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS), long duration energy storage, and fitting domestic and non-domestic heat pumps.

Since 2023, these industries have supported around 440,000 jobs in the UK, with employment growing by roughly 10% year-on-year. However, other European countries have outpaced the UK – Germany has three times as many jobs per capita, while Sweden and Denmark boast four and five times as many, respectively.

To grow the workforce, the plan targets a range of technical roles within the clean energy sector. High-demand jobs include plumbers and heating installers, electricians and electrical engineers, engineering professionals and project managers.

Demand varies by region, with the plan estimating that 55,000 to 60,000 clean energy jobs will be needed in Scotland and the east of England respectively, and 50,000 to 55,000 jobs in the northwest.

Clean energy projects

Since launching its Clean Power 2030 plan, the UK has approved several major green initiatives. Upcoming projects include the construction of a green freeport in the Scottish Highlands, which promises more than 11,000 jobs, and the UK-US fusion energy partnership projected to generate around 2,500 jobs.

The government has recently announced a partnership with Mission Renewable to help ex-military personnel – who possess “many of the skills needed for the clean energy sector” – transition into roles such as solar panel installation, wind turbine construction and work at nuclear power stations. The initiative will begin with a pilot programme in the east of England.