Tag: Energy Security and Net Zero Department

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 17 November 2025.

Schools across England to cut bills with Great British Energy solar panels.

• 23 schools have now installed Great British Energy solar panels and are cutting their energy bills with clean, homegrown power
• Full list announced of over 250 schools across England that are set to benefit from Great British Energy and UK government funding for solar panels
• Millions in savings will be reinvested into education

Pupils across the country will benefit from more money for textbooks and teaching, as Great British Energy’s solar rollout continues to help schools cut their energy bills.

As part of an expanded scheme to fund solar panels for NHS sites, military sites and schools, over 250 schools across England have signed agreements to benefit from a share of up to £100 million in funding from Great British Energy and government for new solar panels and other energy efficiency measures.

23 schools have now installed Great British Energy solar panels and are cutting their energy bills, from Notre Dame RC School in Plymouth to Christ The King RC Primary School in Manchester. This has allowed savings to be reinvested in school services as part of the government’s clean energy superpower mission, enabling communities to reap the benefits of homegrown, clean power.

This is part of the government’s drive to make all public buildings more climate resilient. The government is building all new schools to be climate-resilient and net-zero in operation as part of the School Rebuilding Programme. 

Rocketing energy bills in recent years have eaten into school budgets. This has been driven by the UK’s dependency on global fossil fuel markets over which government has no control. By enabling schools to generate their own electricity, it is estimated schools will save millions, far more than installation costs.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:   

Great British Energy is helping schools to save money on bills, meaning more money for textbooks and technology.  

Across the country, solar panels are going up on rooftops to power classrooms with clean, homegrown power.   

This is our clean energy superpower mission in action, protecting our public services with lower bills and energy security.

Great British Energy’s CEO, Dan McGrail said:   

Great British Energy’s ongoing solar rollout delivers tangible benefits to the people that need it most in our hospitals and schools. 

This not only provides clean energy to communities, it also ensures that the public own and benefit from these projects through energy security, good jobs and above all, real tangible local outcomes such as more funds to support teaching and health.

Education Minister Josh MacAlister said:    

Solar panels are slashing schools’ energy bills by thousands of pounds year after year, with the money going straight back into the textbooks and resources pupils need to succeed. 

This is part of our wider work to drive national renewal, rebuilding more than 750 schools in every corner of the country.

The scheme will target schools and colleges with buildings that are able to accommodate solar panels in areas of England most in need. As part of this, the government has selected schools that will be primarily clustered in areas of deprivation in the North East, West Midlands and North West, as well as at least 10 schools in each region of England.

Each region includes a further education college which will work with the contractors appointed to promote careers in renewables to support growth in the construction and renewables workforce. This could be through work placements, skills bootcamps and workshops.

This follows the government’s commitment to curriculum reforms which will strengthen climate and sustainability education across geography, science, citizenship, and design and technology – from year one through to a new Natural History GCSE – helping to ensure pupils understand the planet, take action on climate change and develop the skills for a greener future.   

This is alongside all nurseries, schools and colleges being called upon to put in place a climate action plan, while empowering young voices through Youth Sustainability Champions to help advise, evaluate and champion sustainability in education. 

The rollout of these solar panels marks progress in Great British Energy and government’s Local Power Plan that will ensure the benefits of the government’s clean energy mission are felt at a local level, with energy security, good jobs and economic growth – while also helping to rebuild the nation’s public services.

Mark Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Bellevue Place Education Trust, London said:  

We are delighted to have Kilburn Grange School and Halley House School enrolled in the Great British Energy’s solar programme in addition to other Bellevue Place Education Trust schools. Last year, all our schools collectively achieved a 9.4% reduction in energy consumption, saving £299K in energy bills, which we can invest back into the education provision for our pupils.

Nicola Malone, Head Teacher of Christ the King Roman Catholic Primary School, Salford said:    

We are very proud that Christ the King is benefitting from the Great British Energy Solar Partnership programme. The solar installation will make a lasting difference for our school, whilst showing our children the value of sustainability and emphasising our shared responsibility for the world around us.

Notes to editors 

We are announcing 255 schools, these are subject to site surveys and may change:

School name	Postcode	Local authority	Region	Complete?
Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and Nursery	DE22 3HH	Derby	East Midlands
Lees Brook Academy	DE21 4QX	Derby	East Midlands
Sharley Park Community Primary School	S45 9BN	Derbyshire	East Midlands
Clowne Junior School	S43 4BS	Derbyshire	East Midlands
Castle Mead Academy	LE3 5QT	Leicester	East Midlands
Melton Vale Sixth Form College	LE13 1DN	Leicestershire	East Midlands
The Joseph Whitaker School	NG21 0AG	Mansfield	East Midlands
St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School	NN3 2AX	Northampton	East Midlands
Firbeck Academy	NG8 2FB	Nottingham	East Midlands
Bluecoat Beechdale Academy	NG8 3GP	Nottingham	East Midlands
The Bulwell Academy	NG6 8AQ	Nottingham	East Midlands
The Suthers School	NG24 3NH	Nottinghamshire	East Midlands
Samworth Church Academy	NG18 2DY	Nottinghamshire	East Midlands
Carlton Academy	NG4 3SH	Nottinghamshire	East Midlands
Northampton Academy	NN3 8NH	West Northamptonshire	East Midlands
St Marys C of E Academy	SG5 4DL	Central Bedfordshire	East of England	Complete
Roydon Primary Academy	CM19 5HN	Essex	East of England	Complete
Avanti Meadows Primary School	CM23 1FQ	Hertfordshire	East of England
Manor Drive Primary Academy	PE4 7EP	Peterborough	East of England
Manor Drive Secondary Academy	PE4 7EP	Peterborough	East of England
Westfield Primary Academy	CB9 0BW	Suffolk	East of England	Complete
Kedington Primary Academy	CB9 7QZ	Suffolk	East of England
Laureate Community Academy	CB8 0AN	Suffolk	East of England
Place Farm Primary Academy	CB9 8HF	Suffolk	East of England
Harris Academy Chafford Hundred	RM16 6SA	Thurrock	East of England	Complete
Harris Garrard Academy	DA18 4DW	Bexley	London
Kilburn Grange School	NW6 7UJ	Brent	London	Complete
Harris Primary Shortlands	BR2 0HG	Bromley	London
Harris City Academy Crystal Palace	SE19 2JH	Croydon	London	Complete
Harris Primary Academy Benson	CR0 8RQ	Croydon	London
Halley House School	E8 2DJ	Hackney	London	Complete
St Mark’s Church of England Academy	CR4 1SF	Merton	London
St Helen’s Catholic Primary School	E13 8DW	Newham	London
Harris Academy Bermondsey	SE16 3TZ	Southwark	London
City of London Academy (Southwark)	SE1 5LA	Southwark	London
Culloden Primary	E14 0PT	Tower Hamlets	London
Mowlem Primary School	E2 9HE	Tower Hamlets	London
St John’s Catholic School & Sixth Form College	DL14 6JT	County Durham	North East
Bowburn Primary School	DH6 5FP	County Durham	North East
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Blackhill	DH8 8JD	County Durham	North East
Prince Bishops Community Primary School	DL14 8DY	County Durham	North East
Howletch Lane Primary School	SR8 2NQ	County Durham	North East
Durham Gilesgate Primary School	DH1 1PH	County Durham	North East
Newker Primary School	DH2 3AA	County Durham	North East
Oakley Cross Primary School and Nursery	DL14 9UD	County Durham	North East
Ropery Walk Primary School	SR7 7JZ	County Durham	North East
Westlea Primary School	SR7 8JU	County Durham	North East
Ebchester CofE Primary School	DH8 0QB	County Durham	North East
St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School, Crook	DL15 9DN	County Durham	North East
St Bede’s Catholic School and Sixth Form College	DH7 0RD	County Durham	North East
West Cornforth Primary School	DL17 9HP	County Durham	North East
St John’s Church of England Aided Primary School	DL4 2EQ	County Durham	North East
Wyvern Academy	DL3 9SH	Darlington	North East
Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead	NE9 6RZ	Gateshead	North East
Brougham Primary School	TS24 8EY	Hartlepool	North East
West View Primary School	TS24 9BP	Hartlepool	North East
Lynnfield Primary School	TS26 8RL	Hartlepool	North East
St Hild’s Church of England School	TS24 9PB	Hartlepool	North East
Corpus Christi RC Primary School	TS3 8NL	Middlesbrough	North East
St Alphonsus’ Catholic Primary School	TS3 6PX	Middlesbrough	North East
Middlesborough College	TS2 1AD	Middlesbrough	North East
St Gerard’s RC Primary School	TS8 9HU	Middlesbrough	North East
Sunnyside Academy	TS8 0RJ	Middlesbrough	North East
Tyneview Primary	NE6 3QP	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East
Gosforth Academy	NE3 2JH	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East
Chillingham Rd Primary School	NE6 5XX	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East
Riverside Primary School	NE29 6DQ	North Tyneside	North East
Benton Dene Primary School	NE12 8FD	North Tyneside	North East
St Thomas More Roman  Catholic High School	NE29 8LF	North Tyneside	North East
The Blyth Academy	NE24 4JP	Northumberland	North East
Bede Academy	NE24 2SY	Northumberland	North East
Jarrow Cross CofE Primary School	NE32 5UW	South Tyneside	North East
Hebburn Lakes Primary School	NE31 2SL	South Tyneside	North East
Westoe Crown Primary School	NE33 3NS	South Tyneside	North East
Mortimer Community College	NE33 4UG	South Tyneside	North East
Fairfield Primary School	TS19 7PW	Stockton-on-Tees	North East
Thornaby Academy	TS17 9DB	Stockton-on-Tees	North East
Christ’s College	SR4 8PG	Sunderland	North East
New Silksworth Academy Junior	SR3 1AS	Sunderland	North East
Venerable Bede Church of England Academy	SR2 0SX	Sunderland	North East
Unity Academy Blackpool	FY2 0TS	Blackpool	North West
Blackpool Gateway Academy	FY1 6JH	Blackpool	North West
St George’s School A Church of England Academy	FY4 4PH	Blackpool	North West
Marton Primary Academy and Nursery	FY4 5LY	Blackpool	North West
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth	BL4 9QB	Bolton	North West
Acton C of E Primary Academy	CW5 8LG	Cheshire	North West	Complete
Broken Cross Primary Academy and Nursery	SK11 8UD	Cheshire East	North West
The Fallibroome Academy	SK10 4AF	Cheshire East	North West
Upton Priory School	SK10 3ED	Cheshire East	North West
The County High School, Leftwich	CW9 8EZ	Cheshire West and Chester	North West
Newtown Primary School	CA2 7LW	Cumberland	North West
Petteril Bank School	CA1 3BX	Cumberland	North West
The Whitehaven Academy	CA28 8TY	Cumberland	North West
Park Brow Community Primary School	L32 6QH	Knowsley	North West
Malvern Primary School	L14 6XA	Knowsley	North West
Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic High School	PR5 6PB	Lancashire	North West
Morecambe and Heysham Westgate Primary School	LA4 4XF	Lancashire	North West
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School	WN8 9AZ	Lancashire	North West
Mount Carmel Roman Catholic High School, Hyndburn	BB5 0LU	Lancashire	North West
Charles Saer Community Primary School	FY7 8DD	Lancashire	North West
Four Oaks Community Primary School	L5 1XP	Liverpool	North West
Croxteth Community Primary School	L11 0BP	Liverpool	North West
Stockton Wood Community Primary School	L24 3TF	Liverpool	North West
North Liverpool Academy	L5 0SQ	Liverpool	North West
The Trinity Catholic Academy	L5 8UT	Liverpool	North West
Dixons Croxteth Academy	L11 4SG	Liverpool	North West
Benchill Primary School	M22 8EJ	Manchester	North West	Complete
Ladybarn Primary School	M20 4SR	Manchester	North West
Whalley Range 11-18 High School	M16 8GW	Manchester	North West
Christ The King RC Primary School Manchester	M40 1LU	Manchester	North West	Complete
Dixons Brooklands Academy	M23 9BP	Manchester	North West	Complete
The East Manchester Academy	M11 3DS	Manchester	North West
Co-op Academy Belle Vue	M12 4BA	Manchester	North West
Co-op Academy Medlock	M13 9UJ	Manchester	North West
Cravenwood Primary Academy	M8 5AE	Manchester	North West
Manchester Academy	M14 4PX	Manchester	North West
Oasis Academy Aspinal	M18 7NY	Manchester	North West
Horton Mill Community Primary School	OL4 1GL	Oldham	North West
Oasis Academy Leesbrook	OL4 5JE	Oldham	North West
Littlemoor Primary School	OL4 2RR	Oldham	North West
Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School	OL8 4JD	Oldham	North West
Oasis Academy Clarksfield	OL4 1NG	Oldham	North West
Oasis Academy Oldham	OL8 4JZ	Oldham	North West
Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School	M24 2GL	Rochdale	North West
The Albion Academy	M6 6QT	Salford	North West
Dukesgate Academy	M38 9HF	Salford	North West
Co-op Academy Swinton	M27 6JU	Salford	North West
Litherland High School	L21 0DB	Sefton	North West
Litherland Moss Primary School	L21 0DB	Sefton	North West
Cowley International College	WA10 6PN	St. Helens	North West
The Sutton Academy	WA9 5AU	St. Helens	North West
Tameside College	OL6 6NX	Tameside	North West
The Heys Primary School	OL6 9NS	Tameside	North West
Greenfield Primary Academy	SK14 1QD	Tameside	North West
Laurus Ryecroft	M43 7LJ	Tameside	North West
Oasis Academy Broadoak	OL6 8QG	Tameside	North West
Lime Tree Primary Academy	M33 2RP	Trafford	North West	Complete
Broadoak School	M31 4BU	Trafford	North West
Lostock High School	M32 9PL	Trafford	North West
Padgate Academy	WA2 0LN	Warrington	North West
Beamont Collegiate Academy	WA2 8PX	Warrington	North West
Dallam Community Primary School	WA5 0JG	Warrington	North West
Meadowside Community Primary and Nursery School	WA2 9PH	Warrington	North West
Priestley College	WA4 6RD	Warrington	North West
Kirkby Stephen Grammar School	CA17 4HA	Westmorland and Furness	North West
St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School	WN7 2XG	Wigan	North West
St Mary’s Catholic College	CH45 3LN	Wirral	North West
Woodchurch High School	CH49 7NG	Wirral	North West
Co-op Academy Hillside	CH43 9HG	Wirral	North West
Co-op Academy Portland	CH41 0AB	Wirral	North West
The Island Free School	PO38 1BG	Isle of Wight	South East
Goodwin Academy	CT14 9BD	Kent	South East
Burnt Oak Primary School	ME7 1LS	Medway	South East
Oasis Academy Skinner Street	ME7 1LG	Medway	South East
Charles Warren Academy	MK6 3AZ	Milton Keynes	South East	Complete
The Milton Keynes Academy	MK6 5LA	Milton Keynes	South East
Iqra Slough Islamic Primary School	SL2 5FF	Slough	South East
Rickley Park Primary School	MK3 6EW	South East	South East
Oasis Academy Sholing	SO19 8PH	Southampton	South East
Whiteknights Primary School	RG2 8EP	Wokingham	South East	Complete
Peasedown St Johns Primary School	BA2 8DH	Bath and North East Somerset	South West	Complete
St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School	BH12 4DZ	Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole	South West	Complete
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Axminster	EX13 5BE	Devon	South West	Complete
St White’s Primary School	GL14 3GD	Gloucestershire	South West
All Saints’ Academy	GL51 0WH	Gloucestershire	South West
Notre Dame RC School	PL6 5HN	Plymouth	South West	Complete
St Boniface’s RC College	PL5 3AG	Plymouth	South West	Complete
Holy Cross Catholic Primary School	PL4 9BE	Plymouth	South West	Complete
Lipson Co-operative Academy	PL4 7PG	Plymouth	South West
Oliver Tomkins Church of England	SN5 8LW	Swindon	South West
Tame Valley Academy	B36 8QJ	Birmingham	West Midlands
Prince Albert High School	B42 2TU	Birmingham	West Midlands
Nelson Mandela School	B12 8EH	Birmingham	West Midlands
Ark St Alban’s Academy	B12 0YH	Birmingham	West Midlands
Bloomsbury	B7 5BX	Birmingham	West Midlands
Hallmoor (SEN school)	B33 0DL	Birmingham	West Midlands
Thornton Primary School	B8 2LQ	Birmingham	West Midlands
Richard Lee Primary School	CV2 5FU	Coventry	West Midlands
Finham Park 2	CV4 9WT	Coventry	West Midlands
Charter Academy	CV4 8DW	Coventry	West Midlands
Hill Farm Academy	CV6 3BL	Coventry	West Midlands
Moseley Primary School	CV6 1AB	Coventry	West Midlands
Potters Green Primary	CV2 2GF	Coventry	West Midlands
Dudley College	DY1 4AS	Dudley	West Midlands
Ellowes Hall Sports College	DY3 2JH	Dudley	West Midlands
Weobley High School	HR4 8ST	Herefordshire, County of	West Midlands
Weobley Primary School	HR4 8ST	Herefordshire, County of	West Midlands
Eaton Valley Primary School	B71 4BU	Sandwell	West Midlands
Bleakhouse Primary School	B68 9DS	Sandwell	West Midlands
Glebefields Primary School	DY4 0SX	Sandwell	West Midlands
Hanbury Primary School	B70 9NT	Sandwell	West Midlands
High Point (SEN school)	WS10 0JS	Sandwell	West Midlands
Oxon CofE Primary School	SY3 5BJ	Shropshire	West Midlands
Shrewsbury College	SY1 1RX	Shropshire	West Midlands
Greswold Primary School	B91 2AZ	Solihull	West Midlands
Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School	B37 7TR	Solihull	West Midlands
Stafford Manor High School	ST17 9DJ	Staffordshire	West Midlands
Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School	DE14 2LU	Staffordshire	West Midlands
Poppyfield Primary Academy	WS12 4RY	Staffordshire	West Midlands
Thistley Hough Academy	ST4 5JJ	Stoke-on-Trent	West Midlands
Ormiston Meridian Academy	ST3 7DF	Stoke-on-Trent	West Midlands
Woodloes Primary School	CV34 5DF	Warwickshire	West Midlands
All Saints Bedworth CofE Academy	CV12 9HP	Warwickshire	West Midlands
Tudor Grange Primary Academy Meon Vale	CV37 8QR	Warwickshire	West Midlands
George Eliot Academy	CV11 4QP	Warwickshire	West Midlands
Ash Green School	CV7 9AH	Warwickshire	West Midlands
Kingsbury School – Tamworth	B78 2LF	Warwickshire	West Midlands
St Michaels C of E Academy	CV12 9DA	Warwickshire	West Midlands
Ormiston SWB Academy	WV14 0LN	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Rakegate Primary School	WV10 6US	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Lanesfield Primary School	WV4 6BZ	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School	WV14 7PD	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Oak Meadow Primary School	WV11 2QQ	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Ormiston NEW Academy	WV10 6SE	Wolverhampton	West Midlands
Moons Moat First School	B98 9HR	Worcestershire	West Midlands
Carnforth School	WR4 9HG	Worcestershire	West Midlands
Honeywell Primary School	WR2 5QH	Worcestershire	West Midlands
St George’s CofE School	DY10 2BX	Worcestershire	West Midlands
Hollymount School	WR4 9SG	Worcestershire	West Midlands
Wolverley CE Secondary School and Sixth Form	DY11 5XQ	Worcestershire	West Midlands
Feversham Primary Academy	BD3 9EG	Bradford	Yorkshire and the Humber	Complete
Upton Primary School	WF9 1JS	Wakefield	Yorkshire and Humber
Girlington Primary School	BD8 9NR	Bradford	Yorkshire and the Humber
Trinity Academy Akroydon	HX3 6PU	Calderdale	Yorkshire and the Humber
Trinity Academy St Peter’s	HX6 1HB	Calderdale	Yorkshire and the Humber
Trinity Academy	DN8 5BY	Doncaster	Yorkshire and the Humber
De Warenne Academy	DN12 3JY	Doncaster	Yorkshire and the Humber
Don Valley Academy	DN5 9DD	Doncaster	Yorkshire and the Humber
Marshlands Primary School	DN14 5UE	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Withernsea High School	HU19 2EQ	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Kingsway Primary School	DN14 5HQ	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Northfield Infant School	YO25 5YN	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Appleton Primary School	HU5 4PG	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Francis Askew Primary School	HU4 6LQ	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Sirius Academy North	HU6 9BP	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Aspire Academy	HU9 5DE	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Liberty Academy	HU9 5YB	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Estcourt Primary Academy	HU9 2RP	Kingston upon Hull, City of	Yorkshire and the Humber
Trinity Academy Leeds	LS9 7QL	Leeds	Yorkshire and the Humber
Cockburn School	LS11 5TT	Leeds	Yorkshire and the Humber
Oasis Academy Nunsthorpe	DN33 1AW	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber	Complete
Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy	DN34 5AH	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Ormiston Maritime Academy	DN34 5AH	North East Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
The Vale Academy	DN20 8AR	North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
South Ferriby Primary	DN18 6HU	North Lincolnshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Graham School	YO12 6QW	North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and the Humber
Redscope Primary School	S61 2PL	Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber
Thorpe Hesley Primary School	S61 2PL	Rotherham	Yorkshire and the Humber
Arbourthorne Community Primary School	S2 2GQ	Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber
Oasis Academy Don Valley	S9 3TY	Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber
Oasis Academy Fir Vale	S4 8GA	Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber
Oasis Academy Watermead	S5 8RJ	Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber
West End Academy	WF 94QJ	Wakefield	Yorkshire and the Humber	Complete
Burton Green Primary School	YO30 6JE	York	Yorkshire and the Humber
Carr Infants School	YO26 5QA	York

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 19 October 2025.

Clean energy will bring 400,000 extra jobs by 2030, with high demand for roles including plumbers, electricians and welders.

• 31 priority occupations such as plumbers, electricians and welders are particularly in demand  
• 5 new clean energy Technical Excellence Colleges to train next generation of workers, as part of government’s drive for two-thirds of young people to be in higher-level learning 
• Energy Secretary to set out measures ensuring companies receiving public grants and contracts need to deliver good jobs across the clean energy sector
• A generation of young people across Britain will benefit from the good jobs and high wages that the booming clean energy economy can bring, under new plans announced by the government today as part of the clean energy superpower mission

Backed by record government and private sector investment in clean energy such as renewables and nuclear, the clean energy economy is sparking a boom in demand for good industrial jobs in all regions and nations of the UK – with 31 priority occupations such as plumbers, electricians, and welders particularly in demand. 

For the first time, government will today (Sunday 19 October) publish a comprehensive national plan to train up the next generation of clean energy workers, with employment expected to double to 860,000 by 2030, ensuring jobs are high quality and well paid.  

See the Clean Energy Jobs Plan

Setting clear workforce estimates for the first time will galvanise industry, the public sector, and education providers to work together to deliver one cohesive strategy to invest in training for specific in demand occupations. 

The Energy Secretary will also set out how this government sees trade unions as an essential part of the modern workplace and economy. Across the broader energy sector, trade union coverage has declined from over 70% in the mid 90’s to around 30% today. Recognising trade unions is vital to securing high pay and good conditions for workers. 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

Communities have long been calling out for a new generation of good industrial jobs. The clean energy jobs boom can answer that call – and today we publish a landmark national plan to make it happen.  

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. 

This is a pro-worker, pro-jobs, pro-union, agenda that will deliver the national renewal our country needs.

Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden, said: 

We’re giving workers the skills needed for switch to clean energy, which is good for them, good for industry – and will drive growth across the nation. 

Our new jobs plan will unlock real opportunities and ensure everyone has access to the training and support to secure the well-paid jobs that will power our country’s future, as part of our Plan for Change.

The government’s clean energy mission is already delivering for the UK, with the certainty and stability of the government’s mission having galvanised over £50 billion of private investment since last July.  

The government has also given Sizewell C the green light, which will support 10,000 jobs at peak construction, announced Rolls Royce as the preferred bidder for the small modular reactor programme to support up to 3,000 jobs, and kickstarted the Acorn and the Viking projects in Scotland and the North East that is estimated to support a combined 35,000 jobs, including 1,000 apprenticeships. This builds on the 4,000 jobs already set to be created in CCUS projects in the North West and Teesside.  

For young people, these jobs can offer higher levels of pay- with entry level roles in the majority of occupations in clean energy paying 23% more than the same occupations in other sectors.  

Jobs in wind, nuclear, and electricity networks all advertise average salaries of over £50,000, compared to the UK average of £37,000, and are spread across coastal and post-industrial communities. 

New initiatives include: 

• Training up the next generation of clean energy workers – 5 new Technical Excellence Colleges will help train young people into essential roles. Skills pilots in Cheshire, Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire will be backed by a total of £2.5 million – which could go towards new training centres, courses or career advisers
• Harnessing the valuable expertise and transferrable skills of veterans – Working with Mission Renewable, the government is launching a new programme to match veterans up with careers in solar panel installation, wind turbine factories, and nuclear power stations
• Tailored schemes for ex-offenders, school leavers, and the unemployed – Last year alone, 13,700 people who were out of work possessed many of the skills required for key roles in the clean energy sector, such as engineering and skilled trades
• Upskill existing workers – Oil and gas workers will benefit from up to £20 million in total from the UK and Scottish governments to provide bespoke careers training for thousands of new roles in clean energy. This follows high demand for the Aberdeen skills pilot, which is already supporting workers into new careers. Government is also extending the ‘energy skills passport’, which identifies routes for oil and gas workers to easily transition into roles in offshore wind, to new sectors including nuclear and the electricity grid

The plan also includes landmark proposals to ensure that jobs in the clean energy sector have world class pay, terms and conditions. 

• Closing loopholes in legislation to extend employment protections enjoyed by offshore oil and gas workers working beyond UK territorial seas, including the national minimum wage, to the clean energy sector
• A new Fair Work Charter between offshore wind developers and trade unions to ensure that companies benefiting from public funding provide decent wages and strong workplace rights
• Workforce criteria in grants and procurements to test and pilot innovative ways to drive fair work and skills in DESNZ grants and contracts, including through the Clean Industry Bonus and Great British Energy

It comes after the Prime Minister announced a package of reforms to elevate and transform the education skills system, with a new target for two-thirds of young people to participate in higher-level learning – academic, technical or apprenticeships – by age 25, up from 50% today. 

With at least 1 in 6 ex-military already armed with many of the skills needed for the clean energy sector, the government is joining forces with Mission Renewable to match them up with careers in solar panel installation, wind turbine factories, and nuclear power stations.   

The pilot will initially focus on the East of England, which will benefit from the biggest increase in the size of the clean energy workforce with over 60,000 people expected to be employed in the sector by the end of the decade.  

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: 

Wales’s growing clean energy industry is delivering the well-paid, highly-skilled jobs of the future. 

Projects right across the country from Pembrokeshire to Flintshire are creating opportunities for hundreds of our young people and will help drive regional growth as well as accelerating our drive towards lower bills and energy security.

Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the TUC, said:   

After years of previous governments starving British industry of investment, this represents a serious plan to start to rebuild our industrial heartlands and deliver quality jobs in clean energy – as well as supporting even more in supply chains right across the country.   

Crucially, it puts decent work at the heart of our energy system. And it shows that when government makes a plan with unions and workers, the whole country can benefit.   

Whether it’s welders in Wrexham or pipefitters on Teesside, the firm commitment to clean energy jobs being good union jobs is one which will improve working lives the country over.    

We now look forward to government delivering a similarly robust and funded plan for the North Sea transition, which safeguards jobs and livelihoods.

Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, National Officer at the GMB, said: 

GMB has long campaigned for a jobs first transition. The government is listening and having a jobs plan to underpin the industrial strategy is exactly what this country needs. 

GMB welcomes this roadmap for clean energy jobs and the cast iron expectation unions and their members will be at the heart of this. 

We need fair work agreements and taxpayers’ cash has to be spend where good jobs are going to be created. Today’s plan not only sets out that expectation but crucially, how good jobs can be measured.

Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary of the RMT, said: 

RMT welcomes the government’s commitment to closing loopholes in maritime and offshore employment law, which should in turn create domestic opportunities in coastal communities that support the entirety of the offshore wind supply chain. 

This plan has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the UK, offering real opportunities for those wishing to transition from oil and gas and for a new generation of workers in their own communities.

Christina McAnea, General Secretary of UNISON said:  

Clean, homegrown energy is essential in tackling climate change and delivering economic growth. This plan can help create a UK workforce with highly skilled, fairly paid and secure jobs. 

Extra investment for retraining will mean experienced staff already employed in the sector are able to take on new roles. Additional funding for apprenticeships and opportunities for young people are crucial too if the UK is to have a bright and clean energy future.

Alasdair McDiarmid, Assistant General Secretary of Community, said 

After long years of managed decline and neglect under previous governments, we now have an ambitious government which is serious about rebuilding Britain’s industrial base. Crucially, the government is also investing in the skills needed to power the future of British manufacturing – something Community has long called for.  

The push for new clean energy jobs will also support our members in both the light industries and steel sector, with steel being an essential component for green energy infrastructure and construction.  

We look forward to opportunities to collaborate with the government as they roll out this initiative across the UK, delivering for working people in the communities they live in.

Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect, said: 

The infrastructure investment required to achieve the government’s clean energy mission must be backed by a major boost to jobs and skills. If this mission is to be a success, and support the wider industrial strategy and growth agendas, then we urgently need a step-change in the level of workforce development. In this context is it welcome that this Jobs Plan now exists and the new initiatives are a welcome step in the right direction.

Frances O’Grady, Former General Secretary of the TUC, said: 

Energy workers and their families are at the heart of this plan – showing the clean energy transition provides not just energy security but job security. 

Alongside this, it’s a promise that every pound of taxpayers’ money will be used to help create the decent apprenticeships,  jobs, and livelihoods that Britain needs.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

Well paid, secure work must be at the heart of any green transition. Unite members will welcome the commitment to 400,000 green jobs with strong collective bargaining rights. The actions set out in this plan are initial steps in what must be an ambitious strategy for tangible jobs, backed by an equally ambitious programme of public investment.

Chris O’Shea, Chief Executive of Centrica, said:  

We have committed to creating a new apprenticeship for every day of this decade. These new secure, skilled, well-paid jobs are key to unlocking the economic growth the UK so desperately needs.  

Clean energy isn’t simply about new technology – it’s about renewing purpose and harnessing the skills and infrastructure that have served us for decades to power the next chapter. 

I’m proud Centrica has the largest unionised workforce in UK energy and services, and we are delighted to welcome the government’s Clean Jobs Plan as a vital step in recognising the skills, protections and careers that must underpin the energy transition. 

Keith Anderson, CEO of ScottishPower, said: 

Thanks to the clear direction set out by the government’s Clean Power 2030 Mission, we’re investing at record levels in the clean electricity infrastructure the UK needs for energy security and economic growth. 

Our £24 billion investment plan is creating thousands of job opportunities. We’re recruiting for good, well-paid skilled jobs at record levels. We’re welcoming 300 new recruits in the last 3 months of 2025 alone and aim to bring on another 2,000 jobs up to 2027.  

Many of these jobs are in the communities that we serve in Scotland, England and Wales. This is on top of the benefits for local supply chain businesses across the country from our commitment to domestic procurement that currently supports 70,000 jobs in the UK supply chain.

EDF power solutions UK CEO Matthieu Hue said:  

We welcome the plan which brings clarity on the scale of the opportunity for people across the UK to work in high quality jobs which will contribute to our electric future.  

EDF power solutions has 2 GW of wind, solar and battery in operation and our goal is to have 5 times that amount by 2035, so we will need many more skilled people to help us reach our ambition.  

Our partnership with 4 trade unions, GMB, Prospect, Unison and Unite shows our commitment to working together with them to grow our business.

Darren Davidson, Vice President of Siemens Energy UK&I, said: 

Siemens Energy is a major employer in the UK with 6,500 workers at sites across the UK. We have taken on 140 new apprentices this autumn, and we currently have more than 200 active vacancies.  

The jobs plan announcement is welcome news, building on the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan that was launched at our Hull offshore wind blade factory.

Chris Norbury, CEO of E.ON UK, said:  

Clean power is a defining opportunity to grow the economy, strengthen energy security, and create skilled jobs that support communities nationwide. We welcome the Clean Energy Jobs Plan as a vital step towards building the workforce to realise that potential.  

We’re proud to already be delivering on this ambition by supporting around 800 people annually through our Net Zero Training Academy and wider skills initiatives, and welcoming over 1,300 apprentices across 100 programmes since 2018.  

Through partnerships with trade unions, schools, and local governments, we’re ensuring green jobs are good jobs, rooted in local communities with real progression, purpose, and opportunity. We look forward to working with government and industry to scale up this mission and ensure no region is left behind.

Michael Lewis, CEO Uniper said:  

We’re really pleased to see the launch of the Clean Energy Jobs Plan and the recommendations within it.  

Uniper aims to invest approximately €8 billion into growth and transformation projects by the early 2030s, including solar and onshore wind projects, hydrogen projects, and a new combined-cycle gas turbine power station with carbon capture technology at our Connah’s Quay site – contributing to the retention and creation of jobs, and supporting the regional economy.  

We recognise the need for workers to have the right skills now, and in the future, to support the UK’s and our own ambitions.

Zac Richardson, Group Chief Engineer at National Grid, said: 

Secure, affordable and clean energy is essential to unlocking UK economic growth and productivity – ambitions which are underpinned by electricity networks and the unprecedented levels of planned investment in them. 

We welcome the government’s focus on skills and training – especially for technical roles vital to our energy future – and look forward to working together to build a diverse, homegrown workforce that can deliver the grid of tomorrow.

Tania Kumar, Director of Net Zero at the CBI, said: 

The growth of the clean energy economy is creating opportunities for people and places across the whole of the UK. The launch of the Clean Energy Jobs Plan offers a tangible way to connect communities with both the opportunities emerging across the sector and the businesses at the forefront of delivering them. 

If we want people to feel invested in the transition and ensure they are able to participate in it, we must show them how they fit into the vision. This plan begins to do just that, laying out clear pathways no matter whether you’re in work, seeking employment or returning to the job market.

Dhara Vyas, CEO of Energy UK, said: 

Today’s announcement is a critical step forward in building the workforce required to deliver our future energy system. It rightly recognises the need to tackle the skills challenge collectively by investing in both new talent and our existing workforce.  

With up to 400,000 new jobs on the horizon and a clear focus on high-quality, inclusive opportunities, the Clean Energy Job Plan spotlights a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a cleaner, fairer energy system whose benefits will be felt by people and communities across the country.

Jane Cooper, Deputy Chief Executive at Renewable UK, said:  

The Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out the scale of the massive opportunity which the UK has to create tens of thousands of new jobs in renewables all over the country.  

It includes practical measures which will enable government and industry to work even closer together to maximise this, such as opening new Technical Excellence Colleges, building on Britain’s current success as a global leader in clean power.  

This long-awaited plan delivers on employers’ calls for a coherent government workforce strategy for clean energy and we look forward to working with Ministers to realise its ambitions.

Katy Heidenreich Supply Chain and People Director at Offshore Energies UK, said:  

Investing in skills development is essential to support the UK’s energy sector and it is encouraging to see governments recognise the huge resource of our oil and gas workforce and how their skills can be developed to provide the expertise needed for the energy mix of the future.  

Oil and gas workers have a continuing role in powering the UK today and for years to come. A successful energy future—one that is increasingly homegrown—depends on supporting the industries and people delivering energy now, alongside growing capability across all technologies.

Claire Mack OBE, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: 

The clean power mission is not just about energy security for the country, it’s about good jobs and a workforce fit the future in your locale. The scale and importance of the energy transition requires new approaches to ensure investments in skills, apprenticeships and training serve the needs of the entire economy. 

Scotland is home to world-class energy skills expertise. Working with both governments, the clean energy industry can build on this through the breadth of projects coming forward today and in the years ahead. The Clean Energy Jobs Plan is an important signal to the public and private sectors of how we must quickly strengthen our partnership on jobs and skills.

Ben Martin, Policy Manager at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 

The net zero economy is continuing to grow, and the Clean Energy Jobs Plan clearly sets out how the government will recruit essential workers who are critical for the UK’s energy transition. This will support both net zero and economic growth across the UK, providing certainty for people and local communities.  

The plan also recognises the critical role that oil and gas workers in the North Sea will play in driving the renewable energy sector. Aligning skills standards between these 2 sectors and identifying current and future skills needs to support our low carbon future, are essential to delivering a successful UK energy transition.

Verity Davidge, Director of Policy and Public Affairs, at Make UK said: 

Manufacturers are moving at pace to invest in decarbonisation and net zero projects and the transition to clean energy offers huge opportunities for industry. To take full advantage, companies will need to have access to increasingly higher levels of skills and a talent pipeline which will fuel the growth we need to see.  

As such, this plan is a welcome recognition by government and a positive step forward that work needs to start now to get ahead of our competitors and ensure industry is equipped with the skills to do the job. In tandem with this plan we need to accelerate skills reform including ensuring that apprenticeship courses are funded to cover the real cost of training, as outlined in the clean energy sector plan.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said: 

We welcome the Clean Energy Jobs Plan’s recognition that hydrogen will be vital to net zero and to creating high-quality jobs. Much of the oil and gas workforce already has transferable skills, and supporting their transition into hydrogen will be key to a just and rapid shift to a clean energy economy.  

The Hydrogen and Carbon Capture Skills Accelerator is a crucial first step, and over time we must move from designing courses to delivering hands-on training and upskilling to build the workforce of the future.

Olivia Powis, CEO of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, said: 

We welcome the Clean Jobs Plan and its recognition of the vital role CCUS and hydrogen will play in achieving the UK’s growth and decarbonisation goals while keeping industries competitive. Developing the necessary skills base is crucial to unlocking these sectors’ full potential and protecting thousands of existing industrial jobs.  

Establishing a dedicated Hydrogen and CCUS Skills Accelerator, in partnership with industry, marks an important step toward creating high-quality employment and ensuring a just transition for skilled workers from the North Sea. The CCSA looks forward to collaborating with government and partners to build the workforce powering the clean energy future. 

Tom Greatrex, Chief Executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said: 

This Jobs Plan shows the huge opportunity clean power offers the UK, and the vital role nuclear will play in delivering it. With 100,000 people already working in nuclear in good, skilled jobs across the country, new stations like Sizewell C and a fleet of SMRs will create thousands more — especially for young people — in clean and secure energy. 

Chris Hewett, Chief Executive, Solar Energy UK, said: 

Solar energy and battery energy storage already support over 20,000 British jobs, with expectations that the sectors will employ more than twice the number in 10 years’ time. But to reach our goals for cheaper, cleaner power, we need to redouble our efforts to attract and train staff for these fast-growing sectors. With our Solar Careers UK programme and critical support from government under the Clean Energy Jobs Plan, we have every expectation that our aspirations will be fulfilled.

Yselkla Farmer, CEO of BEAMA, said: 

We have a long heritage of manufacturing for the electricity industry in the UK. As a supply chain at the heart of the clean energy sector we know the growth potential is substantial as we electrify our energy system.  

The biggest limiting factor for investment today is the availability of a skilled workforce and therefore we welcome the focus on job creation for our supply chain. For network equipment manufacturing alone our average member expects to double employment by 2035.  

This plan sets the foundations we need to help this statistic rise further.  Our members offer good jobs, in an industry rooted in local communities right across the UK, what they need is long term certainty and a commitment to support investment which this plan targets.

Lawrence Slade, CEO of Energy Networks Association, said:  

This plan is an important step towards accelerating the real economic benefits of the clean energy transition right around the country. Today network operators employ around 26,000 people and facilitate 1,500 apprenticeships, in order to maintain the safe, reliable operation of over 500,000 miles of wires and cables. Tomorrow, the clean energy transition will underpin new employment opportunities and economic expansion, with tens of thousands of jobs across the country needed to upgrade the grid, not just temporary positions, but long-term careers, from apprenticeships to advanced engineering roles. By working together on the Electricity Networks Sector Growth Plan, we will build on existing work and give industry and government the clarity and confidence needed to invest in the workforce, skills and supply chain capacity that will help drive us towards a clean power system. 

Lieutenant General (Retd) Richard Nugee CB CVO CBE, Chair, Mission Renewable, said: 

The Clean Energy Jobs Plan reflects the valuable contributions those who have served have made and can continue to make to the nation. By linking veterans and their families with career opportunities in the clean energy sector, Mission Renewable helps companies tap into and retain skilled talent, while at the same time enabling Armed Forces communities to thrive and feel valued. The sector and companies benefit, the veterans benefit and ultimately the nation benefits from skilled people delivering growth and opportunity. 

Paul Cox, Group CEO of Energy & Utility Skills, said: 

For the government to achieve its 2030 target, we must put people at the heart of that ambition – only by having the right people with the right skills will we deliver the UK’s energy future.   

Energy and Utility Skills Group has worked closely with the Office for Clean Energy Jobs on its plans, scoping the workforce demands as well as convening the industry to create a UK-wide awareness and attraction campaign.  

We will continue to work with purpose and pace to support the Clean Energy Jobs Plan alongside our partners in the sector. Together, we can turn ambition into impact.

David Hughes, Chief Executive of Association of Colleges, said: 

This exciting plan will help people get the skills they need to secure good work locally and it is great to see the investment in colleges to back the government’s ambitions on a net zero future.  

With employers stepping up as well, colleges will be able to offer the training young people need to enter the net zero construction sector, as well as the re-training adults need to move jobs. 

Colleges are ready to be at the heart of this transition, to create real career pathways and help the country lead the global green economy.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 1 October 2025.

Great British Energy to roll out solar on military land, schools and hospitals, and more protections for clean energy workers.

Great British Energy solar

Communities across the country will benefit from extra investment in vital public services as more funding is confirmed for Great British Energy solar panels.

Multiple military sites, around 50 more schools and over 70 further NHS sites will save money on their energy bills thanks to up to £75 million in funding from Great British Energy.

Hospitals and schools across England are already cutting their energy bills thanks to a £180 million investment from Great British Energy and government announced in March.

In total the expanded scheme will be worth up to £255 million, supporting around 250 schools, over 270 NHS sites and around 15 military sites across the country.

This includes a new partnership between Great British Energy and the Ministry of Defence which will see technologies such as solar panels and micro-wind turbines deployed across a range of military sites, including remote training ground and equipment stations, allowing energy bill savings to be redirected towards vital defence spending.

The NHS sites set to benefit from lower energy bills will include large acute teaching hospitals, community hospitals and mental health and learning disability facilities.

Clean energy job protections

Later this month the Clean Energy Jobs Plan will set out how UK workers will benefit from hundreds of thousands of new clean energy jobs across the country.

The Energy Secretary today announced plans to ensure that clean energy jobs are always good jobs, with action to close loopholes that give offshore renewable energy workers fewer rights at work than oil and gas workers – including some who are not currently covered by the national minimum wage.

This plan will include newly mandated worker representation on boards of publicly owned bodies like Great British Energy.

Meanwhile a new Fair Work Charter will be introduced to ensure companies benefitting from public funding through the successful Clean Industry Bonus are ensuring their workers receive a decent wage and the very best rights at work.

Negotiations over the charter are ongoing with offshore wind developers, and are expected to cover things like pay and benefits, worker voice, employment terms and job security, among a range of areas designed to ensure public support for clean energy improves the quality of jobs in the sector.

Fracking

The Energy Secretary also confirmed plans to bring forward legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England, including new licences that could be used for fracking. This will help make Britain a clean energy superpower to protect current and future generations.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 August 2025.

New requirement for offshore wind developers to pay for skills training in their local communities.

Working people in coastal areas and industrial heartlands are set to benefit from better workforce protection and skilled job opportunities in Britain’s mission to secure clean, homegrown energy.

A Fair Work Charter has been set out in proposals published today (Saturday 23 August) – working with Unions and business – that will require offshore wind developers to pay into a skills fund or spend a minimum amount on skills training in their local communities to support oil and gas workers, apprentices or school leavers move into the UK’s growing offshore wind industry.

Skills training could be provided through education schemes, training facilities, new equipment or work experience and internships, creating new opportunities for working people and unlocking growth across Britain.

Proposals also encourage developers and supply chain firms to create more high-quality, secure jobs in offshore wind, with better access to trade unions and stronger protections on pay and terms and conditions. This could include a commitment to a ‘Fair Worker Charter’ co-developed between industry and trade unions.

As we reach our clean power mission by 2030, offshore wind is estimated to support up to 100,000 jobs, with many jobs outside of London in coastal and rural parts of the country. Industry estimates a typical salary for an offshore wind worker is £10,000 higher than the UK average, with 90% of the UK’s oil and gas workforce having skills that are transferrable into offshore renewables.

These changes will help ensure these jobs are always skilled, secure and well-paid as more of these jobs become available on the clean energy transition providing long-term stability and job opportunities.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:

Britain’s clean energy future will be powered by secure, unionised jobs for local people right across the country – from East Anglia to Teesside and Aberdeen.

We’re backing businesses that invest in working people in these communities, securing a route to long-term careers for oil and gas workers, apprentices and school leavers, as we deliver our Plan for Change.

Christina McAnea, General Secretary at UNISON, said:

Clean, homegrown energy is vital to Britain’s future growth and to tackling climate change. A highly skilled, fairly paid and secure clean energy workforce is essential to achieving these goals.

UNISON has long argued that the government needs to invest in retraining existing energy workers so their skills and experience can be transferred to clean energy jobs. Investment in apprenticeships and opportunities for young people is crucial in building the workforce of tomorrow.

This initiative offers a chance to boost skills across the energy sector, create and protect well-paid jobs, and support the renewal of coastal communities and industrial regions. Working together under a Fair Work Charter – unions, government and business – can deliver growth and stronger protection for workers.

Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary at RMT, said:

We welcome the commitments to make trade union recognition and strong pro-worker standards a part of offshore wind contracts, covering re-training, protecting pay, and working conditions.

This ensures that oil and gas workers are not being left behind.

Alongside the Employment Rights Bill and wider pledges to strengthen offshore workers’ rights, including for seafarers in the supply chain, the progress so far shows a plan is coming together.

That will give our members confidence that their livelihoods will be protected through these turbulent times.

Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect, said:

Transitioning to a clean energy future will mean tens of thousands of new jobs being created across the UK, and it is welcome to see a clear commitment from the government that these should be good quality, unionised jobs.

Training the clean energy workforce of tomorrow is one of the biggest challenges we face, and it is only fair that renewables developers that rely on this labour contribute to skills programmes.

While progress has been made on unionisation in renewables, there is still more to do, and Prospect has been calling for the strongest possible signal from government that they expect companies receiving public money or participating in public procurement processes to work with and recognise trade unions.

This comes ahead of the UK’s first ever Clean Energy Workforce Strategy, which will ensure that clean energy jobs are not only widely available, but also high-quality. Offshore wind will be the backbone of Britain’s future energy needs, offering skilled jobs on good wages, and the opportunity to build a varied and fulfilling career.

Offshore wind requires skilled workers across the country in areas such as blade repair, mechanics, wind turbine maintenance, marine spatial planning and health and safety protocols.

But in some parts of the sector workers and trade unions have called for more consistency around workplace standards and trade union access to support these roles. Today’s proposals would ensure the industry is always delivering for its workforce by encouraging them to work in partnership with trade unions to develop stable, long-term jobs.

The measures would be introduced through the Clean Industry Bonus, which provides offshore wind developers with funding on the condition that they build new factories in deprived regions or invest in more sustainable supply chains to drive economic growth.

The consultation will also seek views on the introduction of onshore wind into the Clean Industry Bonus to help turbocharge its deployment in the UK after years of stagnation due to the de-facto ban under the previous government. This follows the government’s launch of the first ever onshore wind strategy earlier this year, and will get the country building again, as the sector is estimated to support up to 45,000 jobs in Great Britain by 2030.

Notes to editors

Earlier this year, the government allocated up to £544 million (2025 prices) through the scheme for offshore wind and partnered with Great British Energy – the UK’s publicly owned clean power company – alongside industry and The Crown Estate, to invest £1 billion in offshore wind supply chains.

These reforms will be included in the government’s flagship renewables auction in 2026, known as Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 8 subject to consultation.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 13 August 2025.

Eligible households encouraged to check they are named on their electricity bill to automatically benefit from the Warm Home Discount this winter.

Millions are set to save £150 on their electricity bills this winter, as the government urges eligible households to check they are named on their bill to get the discount automatically – helping ease the cost of living under the Plan for Change.

Every household where the billpayer receives an eligible means-tested benefit will now be in line for the discount, after the government removed restrictions that previously excluded many who needed help with bills.

In England and Wales, this means households in receipt of Housing Benefit, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit and Universal Credit will now be eligible.

This takes the number of households set to benefit from the Warm Home Discount to over 6 million – an increase of 2.7 million households, including 900,000 more families with children.

The government is now issuing a call to eligible households to check they are named on their electricity bill, with suppliers set to rely on customers’ records as of Sunday 24 August.

Someone might not be named on their electricity bill if they have recently moved house and changed supplier.

Having the eligible person named on the electricity bill will help make sure households receive the £150 discount automatically.

Last winter, 96% of eligible households received their discount automatically through this route, making it the easiest and quickest way for the overwhelming majority of households.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

We took decisive action earlier this year to expand the Warm Home Discount, giving more working families certainty and peace of mind before winter.

I now want to make sure as many eligible households as possible get £150 off their energy bill, putting more money in their pockets as part of our Plan for Change.

If you know someone who might be eligible – please start spreading the word to family and friends, encouraging them to check they are named on their energy bill.

Eligible customers on pre-payment meters who use a key or card to top up will also need to ensure that their household’s account is registered in their name.

This cost-of-living support comes alongside the government’s mission to bring down bills in the long term by replacing the UK’s dependence on fossil fuel markets controlled by petrostates and dictators with clean, homegrown power.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 11 August 2025.

Nuclear Taskforce interim report finds “once-in-a-generation” reform is needed to tackle regulatory barriers.

Nuclear projects which could create skilled jobs and growth are being held back by regulatory barriers, an independent taskforce commissioned by the government has found.

In its first report published today (Monday 11 August), the taskforce says a “radical reset” is needed to speed up vital nuclear projects and encourage more companies to build in Britain, delivering a new golden age of nuclear with thousands of good jobs and investment – supporting government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.

The taskforce, announced by the Prime Minister in February and led by John Fingleton, former CEO of the Office of Fair Trading, will today publish its interim report. The findings reveal an “unnecessarily slow, inefficient and costly” system which is hampering the delivery of clean energy infrastructure needed to power Britain’s future, as well as increasing costs of the UK’s vital nuclear deterrent.

Radical, once-in-a-generation reform could transform nuclear delivery in several critical areas, while maintaining the highest safety standards. These include overly complex and inconsistent regulatory processes, risk-averse cultures that prioritise bureaucracy over proportionate safety measures, and outdated planning frameworks that fail to support new technologies like small modular reactors.

It comes after the Chancellor announced action to reduce the administrative cost of regulation by 25%.

Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said:

For too long, big British infrastructure projects have been held back by needless bureaucracy.

It’s time for a new approach to getting nuclear projects off the ground more quickly, and at a lower cost.

We look forward to working with the expert taskforce to modernise outdated regulations so we can unlock growth, jobs and energy security for the British people.

Nuclear Taskforce lead John Fingleton said:

Nuclear energy is safe and reliable and can contribute to net zero goals. It is also vital to the UK’s strategic deterrent.

However, over recent decades, nuclear regulation has become more complex and costly without always delivering commensurate safety and environmental benefits.

Our interim report identifies our main concerns with the current system which we think is not fit for purpose.

With a view to recommending a once-in-a-generation reset, we now invite views from interested parties on what solutions will better enable the UK to achieve the huge benefits nuclear power offers.

The final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn. As a first step, the government will work with the taskforce to develop a new strategic direction for nuclear operators and regulators to prioritise quick, effective and safe delivery of nuclear programmes.

The government’s nuclear programme is now the most ambitious for a generation and reforms will be essential to unlock the potential of the industry. Once small modular reactors and Sizewell C come online in the 2030s, combined with Hinkley Point C, this will deliver more new nuclear to the grid than over the previous half century combined.

It follows government action earlier this year to shake up the planning rules to make it easier to build nuclear across the country – delivering cheaper clean power, energy security and jobs.

The final report’s recommendations will focus on:

• tackling a culture of risk aversion and reluctance to challenge and debate, impacting costs and time, to ensure that risk management is proportionate
• addressing complex and inconsistent regulations, with processes often duplicated across multiple overlapping regulators
• an outdated planning framework that doesn’t support innovative technologies such as small and advanced modular reactors
• maintaining a range and depth of expertise across the workforce
• the potential for greater standardisation across international regulators, which could cut down complexity, costs, and delays when seeking approvals
• improving the regulatory understanding of the cost of project delays to ensure safety measures are proportionate

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 July 2025.

Around 200 oil and gas workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will be offered tailored support to seize clean energy job opportunities.

Around 200 Aberdeen oil and gas workers are set to benefit from a tailored skills programme launched today (Wednesday 23 July), which will support them to take advantage of the high-quality job opportunities in Scotland’s growing clean energy sector.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund, backed by £900,000 of UK Government funding, will help build the pipeline of skilled workers needed to make Britain a clean energy superpower as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

The programme is open to current and former oil and gas workers who live in or are employed in Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire, and are interested in moving into roles within clean energy, to take advantage of the thousands of high-quality jobs being created in the clean energy growth industries of the future.

Successful applicants will receive careers advice and funding towards training courses – supporting local people into opportunities in sectors such as offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture and storage, which could include roles in welding, electrical engineering, and construction.

This underscores the government’s commitment to unleashing the North Sea’s clean energy future and putting workers, communities, families and trade unions at the heart of a prosperous and sustainable transition for oil and gas.

Aberdeen is a key growth region for clean energy and is the headquarters of Great British Energy, alongside a thriving offshore wind and carbon capture industry. It is estimated that the offshore wind sector could support up to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in Great Britain by 2030, with many jobs expected to be generated in other growth areas.

The programme will be delivered in partnership between the UK Government, Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland.

Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said:

Aberdeen has been the energy capital of Britain for decades and while oil and gas will be with us for decades to come, we are determined to make sure that workers are supported to access the thousands of jobs in industries such as offshore wind and carbon capture.

This funding will help deliver a fair and prosperous transition in the North Sea, unlocking the full potential of renewable energy and reaping the economic benefits from the skills and experiences of Aberdeen’s workforce.

Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said:

It’s great news that this vital skills training in Aberdeen is now going live. We are absolutely committed to supporting Scotland’s world-class oil and gas workers as we transition to clean energy.

This pilot will ensure there is a key role for our offshore workers in delivering our net zero future.

Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said:

The North East of Scotland has long been a titan in the oil and gas industry and the expertise within our workforce must be at the heart of driving a just transition to new fuels and sustainable energy.

This new Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support offshore workers to take on roles in the sustainable energy sector and has been designed and developed by the Scottish Government, supported by funding from UK Government’s Regional Skills Pilot for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland.

Through initiatives such as the Just Transition Fund and the Energy Transition Fund, the Scottish Government has already invested £120 million in the North East’s transition to net zero to help create green jobs, support innovation, and secure the highly skilled workforce of the future.

Skills Development Scotland Chair Frank Mitchell said:

Scotland’s oil and gas workforce possesses a broad range of skills and experience which is vital to the continued growth of the renewable energy sector.

The shift to sustainable energy generation and transmission represents a generational opportunity, and this funding will assist workers in making the most of their expertise in that growing sector.

Our careers advisers are available for anyone who needs support in considering their options, or whether applying for the fund is right for them.

This builds on previous government action to drive investment and deliver the next generation of good jobs for North Sea workers, including:

• Awarding £55.7 million to the Port of Cromarty Firth in May, securing critical facilities needed for the rapid development of new floating offshore wind farms and ensuring that they are built in the UK.
• Confirming funding to continue progress of Acorn in June, a significant carbon capture and storage project in Aberdeenshire, safeguarding around 18,000 jobs in the North Sea.
• Great British Energy providing £4 million funding for Scottish community owned energy projects, announced in May in partnership with the Scottish Government.

Oil and gas workers are also benefitting from the Energy Skills Passport, in collaboration with industry and Scottish Government, which helps workers to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind including construction and maintenance. This will also be expanded to include more clean energy sectors over time.

The Aberdeen pilot is part of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Regional Skills Pilots. Funding has already been given to Cheshire West and Chester, North and North East Lincolnshire and Pembrokeshire to identify skills support that is needed in their area. These areas will be considered for further funding for targeted measures. The Aberdeen pilot did not receive funding as part of Phase 1 of the Regional Skills Pilot as extensive skills mapping for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire has already been undertaken.

Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary at Prospect union said:

This is an important announcement which recognises the vital need for more support for workers transitioning away from carbon-intensive jobs.

We will only be able realise the government’s ambitious decarbonisation agenda through investing in the workforce in the energy sector, and the progression of these skills pilots is a welcome signal of intent to better support workers to re-skill. The transition will be different for different workers, so it is welcome that this intervention offers flexibility in what training courses will be funded.

As the sector continues with the transition it is vital employers are also held to account for helping their workers gain the necessary skills and training, and unions will be working with the Government to ensure employers step up to the plate and provide further support to transitioning workers.

Katy Heidenreich, Director of Supply Chain and People at Offshore Energies UK said:

Aberdeen’s integrated energy workforce has the expertise that’s essential for the offshore energy we need today and for the roll out of renewable energy alongside it.

The UK’s energy workers have a proud heritage and hold high value jobs in oil and gas, which the nation needs for decades to come.

This world-class expertise is essential for building a low carbon, high growth energy future and it’s critical government and industry work together to secure it.

Russell Borthwick, Chief Executive at the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce said:

The North East of Scotland will be the engine room for the UK’s energy transition. As we pivot from oil and gas to renewables and new technology it’s vital that our workforce is leading that process – not left behind.

We welcome investment in the skills needed to unlock the opportunity ahead. Matching these skills with sustainable career paths will depend upon a strong future pipeline of projects, a stable policy landscape and a clear consensus between industry and government on the direction of travel.

Case study

Many oil and gas workers have already made the transition. Aishawarya Lakshmanann started as an electrical engineer in oil and gas in Aberdeen, before moving into clean energy and is now working for Ocean Winds on an offshore wind farm. She said:

Being able to lead a sustainable life has always been my dream and is what drove me towards the renewables sector.

As an engineer I worked in the oil and gas sector from 2018, and it made me rethink how we use our natural energy resources. The UK’s thriving renewable energy sector aligns perfectly with my life and career goals.

My transition from oil and gas into renewables has been hugely beneficial for me, allowing me to build a more sustainable life and make a positive impact on the issues we face globally.

The idea of creating a carbon neutral world fascinates me as an engineer and working for a major offshore wind company is providing a great place to learn and grow alongside brilliant minds. It’s great to see the funding announcement from UK government to support others to make the transition.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 July 2025.

Government sets out plans for a more flexible electricity system, helping working families save on their bills.

Households and businesses will be supported with more options to take control of their energy – expanding freedom and choice as the government drives for clean power.

The government’s plans for a more flexible electricity system set out today will help working families save on their bills, by supporting those who want to take advantage of low prices when clean energy is abundant. Consumers will have the opportunity to switch to a flexible tariff and use smart appliances to automatically reap the rewards of cheaper power at non-peak times.

Many consumers are already protecting their pockets by varying when they use their electricity. Electric vehicle drivers, for example, could save up to £330 per year by smart charging overnight.

More households who want to feel those benefits will be supported through the government’s commitments in the Clean Flexibility Roadmap. These include helping electric vehicle drivers get discounts on their electricity when using public chargers at off-peak times, requiring suppliers to make information on smart tariffs more accessible to consumers, and taking the next steps to help consumers access tailored products and services based on their electricity usage.

Supporting more consumers to use electricity at off-peak times will also boost the efficiency and resilience of the electricity network, making up to £70 billion in estimated savings on system costs by 2050.

This marks a crucial milestone in ensuring consumers reap the rewards of the government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower, which it is driving forward as part of its Plan for Change.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

This roadmap gives households and businesses the choice and control over when and how they use their energy.

The flexible electricity system we are working to build will help make that a reality for consumers across the country, by supporting them to bring down their bills through using new tariffs and technologies.

In this way we will protect working people’s pockets and ensure they are the first to benefit from our clean power mission.

Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, NESO, said:

The journey towards a decarbonised system will bring opportunities for industry and consumers if we can solve the challenges of using the system flexibly.

This roadmap provides clear direction for that, setting out the actions needed to increase flexibility across Great Britain and the rewards it will bring.

Akshay Kaul Director General for Infrastructure Group, Ofgem, said:

A more flexible energy market will be a real game changer, giving households more control over what they pay for their energy.

Small lifestyle tweaks such as programming a dishwasher or tumble dryer to run overnight when costs are low or charging your electric car during high winds can have a material impact on people’s bills.

At Ofgem we’re opening up flexibility markets to bring better tariffs and products to consumers to make cheaper bills a reality.

Stakeholder reaction

Sarah Honan, Head of Policy at ADE: Demand, said:

Industry demanded a step change in leadership to match our ambition – and this roadmap delivers. A dedicated Flexibility Commissioner aligns squarely with our sector’s blueprint for consumer-led clean power.

Now, we must place British homes and businesses at the heart of the system; paying them to flex, not paying gas plants to bail us out. That’s how we lower bills, ditch fossil fuel dependency and make clean power by 2030 real.

Barnaby Wharton, Director of Future Electricity Systems, RenewableUK, said:

A secure, affordable and resilient power system based on renewables needs flexibility at its core, to match times when wind and solar are generating with smart demand.

This roadmap puts consumers at the heart of that system, empowering households and businesses to take control of how and when they use electricity, so they can save money by using power when it’s cheapest.

By embracing smart tariffs and technologies like EVs, modern heating systems and home batteries, and by accelerating the roll-out of more grid-scale batteries and Long Duration Energy Storage alongside renewables, we can build a more agile system which can shift, adapt and respond to demand faster. Scaling up our capacity to store energy is essential to strengthen the grid and enhance the UK’s energy security.

Naomi Baker, Senior Policy Manager at Energy UK, said:

Energy UK welcomes the roadmap as a positive step towards a smarter, more flexible electricity system that passes the lower cost of renewables through to bill payers. We support the comprehensive scope – from the major new technologies (long duration storage, CCUS and hydrogen) that will ensure system resilience, through to the knotty regulatory barriers that limit market access from consumer assets.

The UK is already leading the world in creating an energy system with consumers at the heart of it. Today’s publication builds on this with a market-led approach where customer participation is voluntary, attractive and accessible. A smart flexible system will be a win for bills, a win for British jobs and a win for energy security.

Kelly Butler, Director of External Affairs at BEAMA, said:

As long-standing advocates for accelerating electrification, BEAMA welcomes the publication of the Clean Flexibility Roadmap and a commitment not only to track progress but also focus on practical delivery.

With appropriate lead times for product development, a technology agnostic approach within electrification and a clear connection across consumer facing policies such as EPCs, we anticipate major supply chain investment to meet the challenge.

With the oversight of a new Flexibility Commissioner, the roadmap has the potential to help grow the sector, and bring increased momentum to delivering flexibility to consumers and businesses through mass market uptake of Energy Smart Appliances.

Merlin Hyman OBE, Chief Executive of Regen, said:

Making our power system more flexible in how we match supply and demand is a key part of clean power 2030 so we greatly welcome the government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap.

The roadmap is an important step to bring together reforms needed to unlock the full value of the rapidly developing grid scale storage sector and consumer led flexibility in a coordinated work programme.

The challenge now is to deliver what is a significant programme of reform of the way our electricity markets and system work to enable a rapid transition to a clean power system and to deliver value to customers.

Chris O’Shea, Centrica CEO, said:

A one-size-fits-all approach to energy doesn’t work for the world we live in now. The Government’s shift to personalised power is the right one. We know consumers want flexibility and fairness, and this roadmap delivers both. At British Gas we’ve already started this work through our market-leading Peak Save scheme, saving our customers over £25 million on their energy bills. Whether it’s smart charging an EV overnight or running appliances off-peak, we’re empowering households to get cheaper, greener energy with tech that works around our customers lives – not the other way around.

Ramona Vlasiu, Chief Operating Officer at E.ON Next said:

We welcome the government’s Clean Flexibility Roadmap as a vital step in giving households more control over their energy use and bills.

We’re already helping customers unlock these benefits through innovative time-of-use tariffs, smart battery trials that could save households up to £300 a month, and our partnership with Northern Powergrid to explore how smart technologies and local energy solutions can help lower bills and support a more resilient grid.

Flexibility is key to a cleaner, more affordable energy future. We support continued progress on the policies and regulations that will make it easier and more accessible for people to transform their relationship with energy, tackle long-term affordability, and ensure everyone can benefit from Britain’s transition to clean power.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 July 2025.

10 projects from the first phase of the government’s flagship hydrogen programme can begin construction.

Skilled jobs will be created in Britain’s industrial heartlands, as the first commercial-scale green hydrogen projects in the country sign long-term contracts to fuel heavy industry with clean, homegrown energy.

In an update to the hydrogen market, the government has confirmed that 10 projects from the first phase of its flagship hydrogen programme – Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR1) – can begin construction, supporting the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower.

This means spades can now enter the ground across the country in a major boost to the UK’s hydrogen industry, creating highly skilled jobs in industrial cities and regions such as South Wales, Bradford (North West), North Scotland and Teesside (North East).

These projects will support British industry to move away from using fossil fuels towards domestically-produced low-carbon hydrogen, reducing emissions heavy industry – such as steel, glass and heavy transport – ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.

The HyMarnham project in Newark, Nottinghamshire has already started construction. The project is transforming the old High Marnham coal-fired power station into a clean energy hub by using hydrogen to decarbonise waste disposal operations.

Cromarty Hydrogen Project in Northeast Scotland is another of the 10 projects. The project’s 3 5MW electrolysers – which use electricity to split water into hydrogen and oxygen – will power local industrial users, including distilleries.

Taken together, the projects are expected to create over 700 jobs, including roles for apprentices, graduates, pipefitters and engineers. They are also expected to bring in over £400 million of private capital investment which has been committed between 2024 and 2026 – driving economic growth and British innovation through the Plan for Change.

The update comes as Andrex and Kleenex producer Kimberly-Clark announces that it will be the first major consumer goods company in the UK to make a significant commitment to green hydrogen. Kimberly-Clark, together with energy partners HYRO, Carlton Power, and Schroders Greencoat, will invest a combined £125 million into HAR1 projects at two plants in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and Northfleet, Kent.

Minister for Industry, Sarah Jones, said:

This government is rolling out hydrogen out at scale for the first time, with 10 of the first projects now shovel-ready to start powering businesses with clean, homegrown energy from Teesside to Devon.

Hydrogen will help us cut industrial emissions and support Britain’s industrial renewal by creating thousands of jobs in our industrial heartlands as part of the Plan for Change.

Neil McDermott, Chief Executive of Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), said:

LCCC is proud to have signed the UK’s first Low Carbon Hydrogen Agreements, supporting the development of projects under the Hydrogen Production Business Model.

These agreements provide revenue stability for producers, and a clear signal that low-carbon hydrogen has a key role to play in the UK’s future energy system.

We look forward to working closely with project developers to bring these projects into operation.

Dan Howell, Managing Director at Kimberly-Clark UK & Ireland said:

We are delighted to be the first UK consumer goods manufacturer to really embrace green hydrogen, showing that manufacturing industries can take the lead and overcome the technical challenge and adopt green hydrogen at scale. This initiative builds on the investments and progress we’ve already made with innovative technologies for our business, our consumers and our customers.

Today’s announcement follows the Spending Review which saw an extra £500 million confirmed for the first ever hydrogen transport and storage network as part of Britain’s industrial renewal, connecting hydrogen producers with vital end users, including power stations and industry for the first time.

The government has also announced that it will consult on transmission-level hydrogen blending – assessing the economic and technical feasibility for hydrogen to be blended into the networks that are the backbone of Britain’s gas system, before it is safely transported into homes and businesses.

Hydrogen transmission blending has the potential to reduce costs for hydrogen production projects and the wider energy system, and the consultation will also gather evidence to assess whether hydrogen blending could lower consumers’ energy bills.

Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, said:

Signing these contracts demonstrates the confidence and commitment of both the government and industry in building a sustainable hydrogen sector.

Our members are at the forefront of this transition, and their projects will play a vital role in meeting the UK’s net-zero targets while driving economic growth and job creation.

Dr Emma Guthrie, CEO of the Hydrogen Energy Association, said:

This announcement marks a significant and encouraging milestone for the UK’s hydrogen sector.

The signing of contracts for 10 projects under HAR1 provides vital momentum and confidence for industry and investors alike.

We look forward to seeing these projects move into the next phase, helping to scale up the UK’s low carbon hydrogen economy.

Pierre de Raphélis-Soissan, CEO of Hynamics UK who are developing the Tees Green Hydrogen project, said:

We are delighted that Tees Green Hydrogen has successfully signed a contract as part of the Hydrogen Allocation Round.

We are committed to advancing low carbon hydrogen solutions that not only support the UK’s energy transition but also contribute to a sustainable future for our communities.

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the journey towards industrial decarbonisation within the Tees Valley region.

Gareth Mills and Kevin Selleslags, on behalf of Bradford Low Carbon Hydrogen (BLCH) said:

Signing our contract to take the largest HAR 1 project forward is a significant step.

Thanks to the government’s investment, we’re able to continue to progress our plans to transform Birkshall from a former fossil fuel gas site powering Bradford’s homes and businesses to a flagship low carbon hydrogen production facility and fuelling station.

The scheme will not only help the area decarbonise with cleaner fuel but will vitally create around £120 million and support 125 jobs in the regional economy.

Alistair Collins, Director at HyMarnham Power, said:

As one of the first HAR1 projects now commissioning electrolyser systems, we’re proud to demonstrate what government support can unlock, real infrastructure, green hydrogen production and a tangible contribution to the UK’s net zero and energy security goals.

Lucy Whitford, RES’ Managing Director, UK&I, said:

Green hydrogen, created using British low carbon energy, will revolutionise how we power industry, helping the UK to build a globally competitive, zero carbon economy in the process.

We are proud of the success of HYRO’s Northfleet project, which will show how we can make green hydrogen a reality.

The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 22 July 2025.

Nigel Topping CMG has been appointed as Chair of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) by the UK and devolved governments today (22 July).

This follows the Secretary of State, Ed Miliband, and the Northern Irish, Welsh and Scottish devolved government Ministers selecting Nigel Topping as the preferred candidate for the role, as well as a successful pre-appointment hearing in front of the Energy Security and Net Zero and Environmental Audit Committees on Wednesday 16 July.

The Energy Secretary has written to Nigel Topping to confirm his appointment, welcoming him to the role and confirming his confidence in him to lead the Climate Change Committee. He has also written to Professor Piers Forster, to thank him for his leadership as interim Chair of the CCC following Lord Deben’s departure in 2023.

The Chair will play a key role in the committee’s work of advising government on the delivery of its carbon budgets, with a critical few years ahead as the government accelerates to net zero as part of its clean energy superpower mission.

Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, said:

I want to congratulate Nigel Topping on his appointment as Chair of the Climate Change Committee.

We highly value the Climate Change Committee’s independent advice on how we can achieve net zero, so I am thrilled to have Nigel in this important role – as he brings extensive experience, including from his time serving as the UN High Level Climate Action Champion for COP26.

Net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century and Nigel’s business expertise will help us to maximise on this opportunity as we deliver our clean energy superpower mission – boosting energy security, creating good jobs, bringing down bills and tackling the climate crisis.

Nigel Topping, Chair of the Climate Change Committee, said:

It is an honour to be appointed Chair of the Climate Change Committee at this pivotal moment. The UK has an opportunity to deliver on its climate commitments in a way that reduces costs for households, powers our industries forward, and makes our economy more successful. It’s also important to ensure resilience against growing climate impacts and I look forward to working with Baroness Brown who leads our adaptation work.

I’d like to offer my sincere thanks to Professor Piers Forster, who has been our interim Chair since Lord Deben stepped down. He has led the Committee through an incredibly busy period overseeing advice on the UK’s Seventh Carbon Budget, three devolved carbon budgets, and a number of key progress reports to government.

I am committed to upholding the rigour and independent nature of the Committee’s advice, while harnessing our country’s wealth of scientific, financial and business talent.

Nigel Topping’s selection follows a competitive recruitment process in line with the Governance Code for Public Appointments.

Notes to Editors

The UK government, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and Northern Ireland Executive agreed to appoint Nigel Topping. The decision-making Ministers were:

• Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Andrew Muir MLA, Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland Executive
• Gillian Martin MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, Scottish Government
• Huw Irranca-Davies MS, Deputy First Minister of Wales and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Welsh Government

Nigel Topping’s term as Chair will begin on Wednesday 23 July.