New UK energy plan to create thousands of jobs
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched a major initiative to boost Britain’s clean energy industry, pledging £300 million in early investment to develop domestic supply chains for offshore wind power.
Speaking ahead of a global energy summit in London, the Prime Minister said the fast-tracked funding will support British welders, engineers and electricians by securing the infrastructure needed to meet the UK’s clean power goals by 2030.
The fund, managed by the government’s publicly owned energy firm Great British Energy, is designed to unlock billions in private investment and attract major international players to set up manufacturing bases in the UK.
It will be used to strengthen production of key components like floating platforms and cables critical to offshore wind.
Communities across the UK, particularly in traditional industrial heartlands, are expected to benefit from the initiative, which forms part of the government’s wider “Plan for Change” to reindustrialise the economy around clean growth.
Starmer said the investment reflects a shift toward a more proactive industrial policy to protect the country from global energy shocks and ensure Britain takes a leading role in the international green energy race.
“Delivering the Plan for Change means winning the race for the clean energy jobs of the future, which will drive growth and help us reach clean power by 2030,” he said. “Let my message to the world go out: come and build the clean energy future in Britain.”
The funding precedes the government’s broader Spending Review and complements £43 billion already pledged in private sector commitments for UK clean energy since July.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the move marks a step towards energy independence: “It is only by taking back control of our energy that we can protect families and businesses from the rollercoaster of global markets.”
At the two-day Summit on the Future of Energy Security, hosted in partnership with the International Energy Agency, UK ministers are set to pitch the country as a premier destination for clean energy investment. The summit brings together government and industry leaders, including EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to collaborate on global energy stability.
Dan McGrail, interim CEO of Great British Energy, said the funding would be deployed quickly to support domestic projects: “We will work closely with businesses across the clean energy sector to get funding out as fast as possible and get projects off the ground.”
Jane Cooper, Deputy CEO of RenewableUK, welcomed the move: “There’s a huge opportunity for the UK to secure thousands of new jobs and supply chain investment… This new Government funding is a clear signal of intent.”
Applications for the fund are expected to open later this year. Eligible firms will need to demonstrate the potential for long-term impact on UK supply chains.
