Green jobs could increase 85% in 10 years with Government support

• A new report from the REA has found that jobs in renewable energy and clean technology could increase by 85% in just 10 years if supported by the Government. 
• A fifth (46,000) of these jobs are predicted to be in the North of England, which is currently home to a number of carbon intensive job clusters. 
• To see growth in the renewable energy and clean technology sector the Government must implement effective policies in the short and long term.   

A new report from the REA has found that jobs in the renewables and clean technology industry could increase by 85% in just ten years with the right support from Government.

Employment in the renewables and clean technology industry stood at 128,954 in 2017/18 but could grow to 238,000 by 2030. Of this number, 46,000 jobs are expected to be in the north of England which is currently home to a number of carbon intensive job clusters.

This forecast comes after a rather disappointing year for industry job growth which saw an increase of just 1.5% from 2017 figures amid a series of subsidy cuts in the Solar PV industry. Despite some policy advances taking place in the year following these figures, including the legislation for Net Zero and the Offshore Wind Sector Deal, a number of policy barriers remain in place preventing the industry unleashing its full potential.

This is why the REA are calling upon the Government to set out a range of policy proposals as part of a comprehensive decarbonisation strategy by COP26, and adopt some higher-level actions by implementing a more effective taxation system that promotes renewable energy, clean technologies and protects natural capital, provide a route to market for renewable transport, power and heat technologies. The REA has a range of detailed, practical policy proposals to enable this.

Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive of the REA said:

“This report highlights the enormous opportunities the renewables and clean technology industry holds for the UK. One of the advantages of our industry is that it covers the lengths and breadths of the country, as such its benefit can be felt throughout the UK.

With the Government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 we can see that there is political will, however, this needs to be backed up by policy for the renewable energy and clean technology sector. This report provides the Government with that insight, and we are calling on them to deliver this urgently ahead of COP 26.”

 —ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Amy MacConnachie

Head of External Affairs

07903510060

[email protected]

Notes to editors:

• The full report is available here
• Jobs figures cover the period 2016/17 to 2017/18 therefore do not encompass the full scope of the impact of recent policy changes.
• The solar PV sector has seen a heavy decrease in jobs, with a 25.6% reduction in jobs, around 2,800 job losses in one year.
• Offshore wind was the largest single source of jobs but bioenergy technologies are also large employers -biofuels and the production of biomass power and heat combined employ just as many people (around 22,000).
• Total sector market value was £18.8 billion in 2017/18.
• Total company numbers were 6,645 in renewables in 2017/18.
• The report also looks at gender balance in the UK renewables sector, finding a higher percentage of women in the renewable compared to oil and gas sectors (around 37% compared to 22%).
• However the report highlights the lack of women in the sector and that there are still a number of barriers to increasing numbers of women in the sector’s workforce.
• The report makes a number of recommendations for improving the balance,
• The report sets out fifty-five policies which if enacted by the Government would decarbonise heat, power, transport and preserve natural capital.

About the REA

The REA is the UK’s largest trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies with around 550 members operating across heat, transport, and power. The REA is a not-for-profit organisation that represents renewable energy and clean technology companies operating in over fourteen sectors, ranging from biogas and renewable fuels to solar and electric vehicle charging. Membership ranges from major multinationals to sole traders.

For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net