Miliband pledges ‘thousands’ of clean energy jobs

UK energy secretary Ed Miliband has backed London’s clean energy drive to provide the largest employment opportunity “for decades”.

He said that “tens of thousands” of jobs were set to be created from the rollout of offshore wind and other technologies as part of plans to decarbonise the country’s energy system by 2030 followed by all sectors of the economy in 2050.

“It (clean energy) offers the biggest opportunity for job creation for decades and we must seize it,” Miliband told the Labour party conference.

“Tens of thousands more jobs for engineers, welders, electricians and construction workers.

“From offshore wind in the east of England to carbon capture and storage in the North East and here in the North West too. Hydrogen in Yorkshire to new nuclear in Wales.”

Miliband also confirmed that a fair work charter would be introduced from next year under the new Clean Industry Bonus scheme to boost trade union representation and strengthen employment rights, terms and conditions in the offshore wind workforce.

Legislation will also be brought forward to ban the fracking of shale gas.

He added: “Fracking will not take a penny off bills or create long-term sustainable jobs. It will trash our climate commitments, and it is dangerous and deeply harmful to our natural environment.”

Renewable UK deputy chief executive Jane Cooper said: “The energy secretary is right to focus on the economic benefits that clean energy industries bring to the UK, by highlighting the fact that they offer the biggest opportunity for job creation in decades.