The UK’s push for net zero is at risk due to a massive green energy skills shortage, warns Darren Davidson, UK and Ireland boss of Siemens Energy.
He says up to 500,000 more workers are needed to meet the country’s ambitious climate targets.
“Creating a workforce with the right skills is probably one of the challenges [Britain] needs to get right as we move forward,” Davidson said.
Siemens Energy operates the UK’s largest wind turbine blade factory in Hull, where its workforce has grown from zero to 1,300 since 2016. It was the venue chosen by Ed Miliband to launch his Clean Energy revolution.
While wind and solar are expanding rapidly, Davidson cautioned against neglecting other technologies like Hydrogen and energy storage.
“If the conditions are correct, that is something that we would look to invest in but we need to have confidence in the market before we decide to.”
The UK has pledged to decarbonise the power grid by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. The government said the Office for Clean Energy Jobs will work with industry and trade unions to equip British workers with the necessary skills.
With unprecedented growth in renewables, energy leaders say the sector needs urgent investment in training to avoid workforce bottlenecks. Without action, the UK could struggle to deliver its clean energy transition on time.
