Three leading business organisations have come together to urge the UK Government to place homegrown energy at the heart of its new Industrial Strategy.
Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Offshore Energies UK and OPITO say a thriving domestic energy sector is crucial to achieving the UK Government’s economic growth mission.
While plans for a green energy future and becoming a ‘clean energy superpower’ are welcome – the partners have urged ministers to recognise that the UK has a successful energy industry which supports 200,000 jobs.
The upcoming Industrial Strategy presents the government with an opportunity to not only protect the sector for the long-term, but to re-establish our domestic energy sector at the heart of a framework for growth.
The business organisations have today published a joint document that articulates a common vision for the sector - Securing the UK’s Energy future: A framework for growth.
It says three pillars – business, place and people – are the key components of any successful Industrial Strategy and should sit at the heart of the framework for growth.
The headline asks of government in the Industrial Strategy to secure the UK’s energy future are:
- Business: Create a competitive fiscal and regulatory environment that supports domestically produced energy by giving the necessary certainty that will make the UK the place to deploy long-term capital investment in the sector.
- Place: Prioritise domestically produced energy through a UK-first approach to energy for relevant projects, that actively supports local supply chains and communities.
- People: Develop an integrated UK energy workforce strategy that aligns standards with business need, while promoting compelling career pathways to secure talent for the sector's evolving future.
The offer from AGCC, OEUK and OPITO is to enter into a meaningful dialogue with government on co-designing and implementing an Industrial Strategy which recognises that the UK energy sector has a vital role to play in harnessing domestic resources, driving innovation and supporting critical infrastructure.
The partners say this will:
- Safeguard and create tens of thousands of skilled jobs
- Secure £billions of investment in the UK
- Generate increased corporation and income tax revenues
- Create the economic growth the nation craves
- Support the UK’s global net zero ambitions
The organisations represent different but complementary perspectives of the industry, from the importance of place-based economic growth to a business perspective centred on competitiveness and a people-focused outlook which seeks to champion a highly skilled energy workforce.
The report has been shared this morning with a wide range of government and industry stakeholders and a copy is attached to this email.