The Institute for Employment Research (IER), Cambridge Econometrics and IFF Research in partnership were commissioned by RenewableUK and EU Skills to update its 2010 study into employment in the wind, wave and tidal energy sectors. The study looks at current and future employment and skills associated with the development of the UK wind and marine energy industries over the period 2010 to 2021.

The report, Working for a Green Britain and Northern Ireland 2013-23, published today reveals that together these important growth industries now directly employ 18,465 people full time. That’s equivalent to three times the number of people employed in UK coal industry (5,005 in June 2013 according to DECC) and a 74% increase in jobs since 2010. The report also shows that the offshore wind sector saw the biggest growth between 2010 and 2013, with the number of direct jobs doubling from 3,151 to 6,830. Looking to the future the report predicts that more than 70,000 jobs could be created over the next decade, nearly half of which would be in offshore wind.