Last year, the United Kingdom's clean energy sector grew by over 10%, faster than the country's overall economy, according to the World Economic Forum. 

The U.K. government announced plans to double down on the industry's rapid expansion and create more than 400,000 additional clean energy jobs by 2030, the BBC reported.

That would nearly double the current number of clean energy jobs — which stood at around 440,000 as of 2023 — and move the country closer to sustainable energy independence. 

This objective aligned with the U.K.'s pledge to reach "net zero," the point at which emissions are counterbalanced by those removed from the atmosphere, by 2050. The U.K.'s Clean Energy Jobs Plan outlined the country's plan to pursue "homegrown renewables" at an effectively low cost. 

"Well-paid, secure work must be at the heart of any green transition," Unite the Union said. 

The government plans to establish five "technical excellence colleges" to train graduates for careers in plumbing, heating, ventilation, electricity, welding, and more in the clean energy sector. 

The Clean Energy Jobs Plan also created initiatives to match underrepresented workers — including veterans, ex-offenders, school-leavers, and the unemployed — with opportunities in the clean energy industry.

By investing in broader clean energy infrastructure, the government can significantly lower consumer costs while reducing the air pollution that contributes to rising temperatures. For example, going solar can reduce household energy costs to near $0 while curbing pollution.

According to Ember Energy, clean energy will lower the average household's annual electric bills by £300 ($393) by 2030, saving the country £8.7 billion ($11.4 billion). 

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"Our plans will create an economy in which there is no need to leave your hometown just to find a decent job," said Ed Miliband, the U.K.'s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.

This "is a critical step forward in building the workforce required to deliver our future energy system," said Dhara Vyas, chief executive of Energy U.K.

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