New analysis by RenewableUK and Opinium shows that the parts of England and Wales set to see the fastest offshore wind jobs growth are also areas where Reform UK and the Conservatives are forecast to win 80% of seats at the next general election - exposing a growing gap between renewable-sceptic politicians and local economic opportunities including thousands of new jobs.
Both parties are sceptical about the transition to clean power: Reform UK has stated it would cancel current and future contracts for renewable energy projects, while the Conservatives have pledged to scrap the Government’s targets to reach clean power by 2030 and net zero by 2050, as well as to abolish the landmark Climate Change Act.
Offshore wind jobs are concentrated in coastal, industrial and rural areas outside London and the south east, according to RenewableUK’s Skills Intelligence database. The top areas for job creation in England and Wales by 2030 are:
- Yorkshire and The Humber: 7,041 jobs
- Cleveland: 3,242 jobs
- Pembrokeshire: 3,054 jobs
- Cumbria: 2,318 jobs
- Suffolk: 2,337 jobs
- Lincolnshire: 2,055 jobs
- Norfolk: 1,852 jobs
- Total offshore wind jobs in these seven areas by 2030: 21,899
5,779 highly skilled people already work in offshore wind in these seven areas, which include factories manufacturing high value components such as turbine blades and cables, as well as operation and maintenance bases in ports, training facilities, research and development centres and offices of offshore wind project developers and providers of services such as environmental surveys.
These statistics show that, if the investment environment remains stable, the total number of offshore wind workers in these seven areas alone is set to grow nearly fourfold by 2030.
Across the UK, offshore wind already supports 40,000 jobs, with that figure expected to more than double to 95,000 by 2030 — making it one of the country’s clearest industrial growth opportunities.
According to RenewableUK’s latest EnergyPulse report, published this week, the offshore wind industry has invested £100 billion in UK projects over the past 25 years and is set to invest another £100 billion over the next five years alone, as the UK is set to more than double its operational capacity within that period.
In the last auction for new clean energy projects (Allocation Round 7), the UK secured a record 8.4 gigawatts of new generation, which will deliver over £31 billion in investment in new turbines, foundations, cables, substations and construction costs.
RenewableUK’s research also shows that more than double this offshore wind capacity - 17.1GW across 20 projects - is eligible to bid in Allocation Round 8 later this year. This capacity would attract over £61 billion in investment, including over £23 billion in new turbines.
Polling released last month by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit shows that support for renewable energy remains strong among Reform UK voters, with 66% of them backing offshore wind, despite the party leadership’s opposition to it. Across voters for all parties, this support increases to 72%. The issues of most concern to all voters are the cost of living, followed by the NHS, affordable housing and immigration, rather than net zero.
Meanwhile polling by King’s College London and Ipsos shows that 63% of Conservative voters are worried about climate change, which is at odds with the party leadership’s commitment to abolish the Climate Change Act.
Polling released earlier this month, commissioned by eleven leading energy trade bodies, also shows almost two-thirds (63%) of the public, across every political persuasion, think clean power strengthens the UK’s security.
RenewableUK’s Chief Executive Tara Singh said:
'This analysis shows the tangible benefits which the offshore wind industry is already providing to areas throughout the UK, especially in areas which need new economic opportunities - but more importantly it highlights the significant growth in job creation in coastal, industrial and rural areas in parts of England and Wales, where it is set to increase nearly fourfold over the next four years.
'Ripping up existing and future contracts for offshore wind farms, as Reform UK is threatening to do, would put these jobs at risk and stifle further investment, so it’s essential that all parties commit to honouring existing contracts to preserve the UK’s market attractiveness in the face of strong global competition for private investment.
'The fact that two-thirds of Reform UK voters support offshore wind, and that most Conservative voters are worried about climate change, shows just how far out of touch the leaders of those parties are with their supporters. Most people across the political spectrum understand that offshore wind is playing a major role in strengthening the UK’s energy security, reducing billpayers’ exposure to energy price shocks on global gas markets, and moving the UK closer towards energy independence'.
RenewableUK engages closely with the unions through its Trade Union Forum to maximise job creation and ensure that workers from other sectors can transfer as smoothly as possible into renewables. Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary of the trade union Prospect, said:
'The energy jobs of the future are in clean energy. Politicians who oppose clean power are not only damaging our energy security, they are holding back the local economies of the places they seek to represent and the employment prospects of the young people they claim are being left behind.
'Trade unions have been campaigning to ensure renewables jobs are good quality, unionised jobs that people can build their lives around, and we have made good progress by securing a new Fair Work Charter.
'Renewables mean work, not woke, and it's time for the opponents to stop undermining the industry and get on board.'
James Crouch, Head of Policy and Public Affairs Research at Opinium, added:
'This analysis reveals a striking overlap between the geography of future offshore wind investment and Britain's changing political landscape. Many of the constituencies expected to see offshore wind growth are located in areas where Reform UK and the Conservatives are likely to perform strongly in future. Across the seven areas forecast to see the highest levels of job creation, four in five constituencies are currently on track to elect Reform UK or Conservative MPs.'
The research comes on the opening day of RenewableUK’s two-day Global Offshore Wind 2026 conference and exhibition at Manchester Central.
Source: RenewableUK
