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Potential clean job creation in regions with high oil & gas employment

This place-based analysis by Transition Economics, commissioned by Platform, examines the potential for clean job creation in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, Fife & Tayside, Tyneside and Teesside. These four regions all have significant current employment within the oil & gas sector and its supply chains.

The report identifies three key sectors for potential clean job creation in the decade to 2032 within these regions: domestic energy efficiency retrofits, offshore wind (both fixed and floating, including manufacturing, construction and operations & maintenance), and hydrogen electrolyser exports.

Total clean job potential by region by 2032 (in domestic retrofit, offshore wind and hydrogen electrolyser exports)

  • Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire: 24,500 – 33,800 jobs
  • Fife & Tayside: 24,100 – 34,200 jobs
  • Teesside: 20,100 – 28,300 jobs
  • Tyneside: 29,100 – 42,600 jobs

Total clean job potential by sector by 2032 (in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire, Fife & Tayside, Tyneside and Teesside)

  • Domestic energy efficiency retrofit: 61,800 – 93,200 jobs
  • Offshore Wind: 30,500 – 38,200 jobs
  • Hydrogen electrolyser exports: 5,500 – 7,500 jobs

Transforming these jobs from potential numbers into reality will depend on the climate transition being delivered on schedule, alongside supportive policy frameworks and public sector investment. There are jobs-rich and jobs-poor models for decarbonisation. Reducing carbon emissions will in itself not automatically lead to significant job creation, and green jobs are not necessarily quality jobs.

However, place-based policies that stimulate job creation and learn from successes elsewhere can ensure that the sectors identified in this study create significant numbers of good quality jobs in the regions by 2032. By advocating for this future, local policy-makers can enable quality clean jobs for local residents.