UK’s growing green economy worth more than £100bn a year, research finds
CBI-backed research says the UK's net zero economy is worth £105bn, supports 1.1m jobs and pays higher-than-average wages.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
New research says the UK's net zero economy is already a major part of the country’s industrial base, with more than 1.1m jobs, £105bn in annual value and £455bn of investment in the pipeline. The report is being used to argue that stepping back from net zero would hurt growth, jobs and energy security.
A big group of researchers looked at the part of Britain’s economy that makes cleaner energy and helps cut pollution. They found it is already huge, like a busy factory district that brings in a lot of money and work.
The report says more than a million jobs are tied to this work, and people in those jobs often earn more than average. It also says there is a very large pile of future money ready to be spent on energy projects.
The main idea is simple: making cleaner power is not just about the planet. It is also about jobs, pay, and keeping the country strong when fuel prices jump around.
Analysis
What the report says
CBI Economics, working for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, says the UK's net zero economy is worth more than £100bn a year and directly or indirectly supports 1.1m jobs. The analysis puts gross value added at £105bn, which it says is close to 4% of UK economic output.
The report describes the sector as broad rather than niche. It includes direct work such as solar installation, home insulation, wind turbine manufacturing and electric vehicles, plus supply chains and related businesses. Around 308,000 people are employed directly in those activities, and the report says the wider workforce earns higher wages on average than the national figure.
Economic claims
The average net zero worker earns more than £43,000 a year, about 11% above the national average of £39,000, according to the research. It also says each worker in the sector generates nearly £120,000 a year for the wider economy, which the article notes is well above the UK average for adding value.
The report also points to £455bn of potential investment in energy infrastructure in the pipeline. It links that pipeline to government decarbonisation targets, including the 2030 goal for cleaner electricity and the 2050 net zero target.
Political context
The piece sets the findings against pressure from Conservatives, Reform UK and Tony Blair, all of whom have questioned the UK's net zero approach in different ways. CBI economist Louise Hellem argues the economy cannot afford to step back from an industry already contributing heavily to growth, while Katie White says clean power is the best way to shield households and businesses from fossil-fuel shocks.
The article also notes that North Sea oil and gas jobs have fallen for years, undercutting claims that fossil fuels offer a straightforward growth alternative.
Key points
- CBI Economics says the UK's net zero economy is worth £105bn a year and supports 1.1m jobs.
- The average net zero worker earns more than £43,000, about 11% above the national average.
- The report says about £455bn of energy infrastructure investment is in the pipeline.
- The article presents net zero as a growth and energy-security story, not only an environmental one.
- Critics of net zero are warned that stepping back could damage future competitiveness.
If the report's trend continues, the net zero economy could keep adding jobs, investment and higher wages across the country. The article suggests it may also strengthen energy security by replacing imported fossil fuels with cleaner homegrown power.
The main risk is political rollback: if targets are scrapped or support is cut, the article warns investment and growth could slow. The report also implies that relying on declining North Sea oil and gas jobs would not replace the scale of opportunity the green sector is already creating.
