More than a million British workers supported by Net Zero industry, report finds

More than a million workers are now supported by the Net Zero industry, a report has found.

Collectively, these roles generated £105billion for the nation’s economy, says CBI Economics.

Research showed that 308,000 of these jobs are directly linked to Net Zero, with a further half million in the supply chains and nearly a quarter of a million supported through the wider economy.

The report identified a number of billion-pound Net Zero economic “hotspots” across the country, including Scotland’s Central Belt, West and North Yorkshire, North Wales and Cheshire.

In England, Yorkshire and Humber lead the way, with 4.4 per cent of the gross value added to the economy coming from Net Zero-related activity.

Economists say the figures show it is no longer a ‘niche’ area or a sector of the future, but a key driver of growth.

The jobs range from solar panel installers to electric car production line engineers.

The roles were more productive and attracted higher wages, the report states, with salaries of £43,142 - 11 per cent higher than the current national average.

Much of the drive came from small and medium-sized businesses, which were hailed as the “unsung heroes” of the clean economy.

The report was commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit. CBI chief economist, Louise Hellem, said that the Net Zero economy was becoming “central to the country’s future competitiveness”.

She said: “This report makes clear the sustained scale of the opportunity in the UK’s Net Zero economy.

“It shows that clean power and decarbonisation are no longer future ambitions – they are already a significant and growing part of the UK’s industrial base.

“Across energy, manufacturing, services and supply chains, the UK has the expertise to build on this strength and capture even greater commercial opportunities.

“At a time when the UK must strengthen energy security and drive growth, the Net Zero economy is becoming central to the country’s future competitiveness.

“With global competition intensifying, government and business must work together to attract investment and scale up delivery.

“The UK cannot afford to step back from an industry already contributing £100billion to the economy and with huge future growth potential.”

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Peter Chalkley, Director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said the UK needed to go further to capture the full range of benefits.

He said the industry was benefitting the entire country, from Cornwall to Scotland, and said stable policy was needed to ensure it continued.

He said: “Thousands of small businesses across the UK are the unsung heroes of this net zero economy, installing solar panels on rooves, manufacturing parts for electric cars and in doing so creating greater energy independence for the UK, shielding us from the oil and gas price crises of recent times.

“With the UK’s net zero workforce having surged past one million, communities from Hull to Ellesmere Port, and North Lanarkshire to Somerset need to see consistent, stable policy into the future.

“With global demand now falling for petrol cars and installations of Net Zero tech like solar panels and heat pumps rising, the UK is in a global race to develop future-proof clean industries.

“Standing still or looking back just isn’t an option for job security.”

Neil Spann, CEO at North East solar energy firm, Power Roll, told how clean energy was helping drive the local economy.

He predicted that, with the right support in place, it would continue to spur growth in the region for years to come.

He explained: “The UK has a real chance to lead in emerging global markets if the right conditions are maintained and that there is access to appropriate capital.

“From a North East perspective, this growth story is already taking shape.

“The region’s renewable energy sector is expanding and supporting thousands of jobs, demonstrating that clean energy innovation can be a powerful driver of regional regeneration and industrial renewal.

“With the right support, the North East has the potential to play a leading role in the UK’s green industrial future—combining advanced manufacturing, innovation and skills to deliver sustainable growth for decades to come.”

Darren Davidson, UK Vice President for Siemens Energy, said: “We welcome the findings of this report because they underline something those of us in the industry can already see clearly: the energy transition is not only essential for the UK’s future, it’s already creating skilled jobs, driving investment and revitalising communities right across the country.”

The news comes at a difficult time for the UK’s traditional industrial base, with many power-intensive businesses saying they are being increasingly squeezed by soaring energy costs.

In the chemicals sector, emissions have fallen, in line with Net Zero targets, but the vast majority of this decline is down to closures.

It has complained of becoming the definition of “decarbonisation by deindustrialisation”.

There are also concerns surrounding the offshore oil and gas sector.

The Government has pledged that thousands of green jobs will arrive to replace dwindling North Sea roles, although industry leaders have expressed fears that these are yet to keep pace with job losses.