Develop clean British energy to create UK jobs

Andy Coleman

20 May 2013

By failing to invest in renewable energy R&D and infrastructure, the UK is in danger of falling further behind the market leaders (USA & China)

Andy Coleman, Director of StopDodo, the UK's busiest environmental job site

For almost 20 years I have published environmental career guides, magazines and green job websites, and witnessed the growth of the renewables market.  Within a relatively short space of time, renewables have grown from a 'hippy fad' to become a feature of everyday life employing thousands of people in the UK.  

Right now we have an opportunity to expand what is set to become the key utility sector, providing affordable, renewable power. Yet the UK Government does not seem to be taking it. And by failing to invest in renewable energy R&D and infrastructure, the UK is in danger of falling further behind the market leaders (USA & China). Ultimately, in the future we could find ourselves in the same energy deficit we are in now, reliant on buying our energy from countries that have had the foresight to invest in renewables.

The UK Government needs to phase out its reliance on fossil fuels and should not pursue nuclear energy. If the Government was to invest in niche areas of renewables such as 'tidal energy' we could meet much of our energy requirements. As the sustainability recruitment company Acre states, "Tidal technology has been advancing considerably over the past ten years. With the focus on wind energy this has passed many by, but tidal energy signifies a sleeping giant, representing exploitable power of at least 90GW according to sources (the equivalent of sixty EPR nuclear reactors)".

The UK has the chance now to grab global recognition as the world's leader in renewable energy.  In turn this will enable the UK to become energy self-sufficient, a global leader in an industry that has longevity and of course will create thousands of jobs. Join the campaign for clean British energy and ask MPs to create more job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

Andy Coleman is Director of StopDodo, the UK's busiest environmental and green job site with 32,000 unique users each week.

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