Green energy transition jobs contributed £14bn+ to economies of Scotland & Wales in 2025 - CBI Economics report
Wed 27 May 2026
View all news
A new report from CBI Economics for the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) find that net zero-related industries contribute £4bn in Gross Value Added (GVA) and support over 41,300 jobs (4.3% of Wales' total economic output and 3.1% of employment). A parallel report for Scotland by the same consultancy finds that net zero-related industries contribute £10.2 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) and support over 105,000 jobs representing 4.9% of Scotland’s total economic output and 3.9% of employment.
The independent consultancy CBI Economics and The Data City, found that Wales' net zero economy is spread widely across the country and is represented by more than 1,300 businesses, mostly (87%) small or medium-sized. Around a sixth (15%) of these have started up in just the past five years.
Workers in the economy are highly productive generating £117,500 of value on average, around 1.7 times the Welsh average. This helps support higher wages with workers earning £39,812 on average, approximately 11% above the Welsh industry average (£35,796).
Wales' net zero-related jobs are geographically widely distributed covering energy generation, manufacturing, construction, engineering and professional services, from solar panel installers to electric vehicle charging companies. Around 160 firms are involved in electric heat pumps and other renewable heating sources.
Commenting on the report, Russell Greenslade, CBI Wales Director, said: “With our unique natural assets, strength in advanced manufacturing and well-established supply chains, we’ve long known that the net zero economy presents a major commercial opportunity for Wales.
“This new report underlines just how central the net zero economy is to our future prosperity. From onshore and offshore wind to carbon capture and emerging clean technologies, Wales can be at the forefront of the UK’s energy transition, with high-value, highly productive jobs created in every part of the country."
A separate report by CBI Economics for ECIU shows that Scotland’s net zero economy is well established and economically material. Net zero-related activity spans energy generation and infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, engineering, construction, environmental services and professional, scientific and technical services.
It is also predominantly made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. Around 90% of identified firms are classified as SMEs, including approximately 58% micro-enterprises, 19% small firms and 13% medium-sized businesses. This broad SME base spans supply chains, engineering services, low carbon technology and environmental services, underpinning the sector's reach across Scotland's regions.
CBI Economics report says that Scotland holds a central position in the UK’s energy infrastructure pipeline. Approximately £211 billion of planned UK energy infrastructure investment is located in Scotland, representing 34% of the UK’s total pipeline value and 88 GW of capacity. Major projects are in areas such as offshore wind, grid reinforcement and storage infrastructure. Workforce projections indicate that clean energy employment in Scotland could expand significantly by 2030.
Related Links
< Back to news list