Will Job Lossesin The Chemical and Oil Industry Be Replaced By Alternative Energy Jobs

23rd November 2025

Alternative energy jobs can replace many of the losses in chemical and oil industries, but the transition is uneven.

The UK's clean energy workforce is projected to nearly double from 440,000 jobs in 2023 to ~60,000 by 2030, creating about 400,000 new roles. However, job creation is not always in the same regions or skill sets as those being lost, meaning retraining and regional investment are critical.

Current Job Landscape

Chemical & oil industries

Mossmorran closure - 400-450 jobs lost.

Grangemouth refinery: ~400 jobs lost.

North Sea oil & gas: ~1,000 jobs lost per month, risking tens of thousands by 2030.

Green jobs (ONS data)

690,900 full-time equivalents in 2023.

Up 34.6% since 2015, showing strong growth.

Alternative Energy Job Creation

Offshore & onshore wind
Could support up to 145,000 jobs by 2030 (100,000 offshore, 45,000 onshore).

Clean energy plan (UK Gov)
£50bn investment since 2024, covering wind, nuclear, tidal, hydrogen, and carbon capture.

Hydrogen projects
First 10 projects in 2025 unlocked £400m investment and 700 jobs.

Net zero economy
Contributed £83.1bn to UK GDP in 2024, with rapid growth in jobs and supply chains.

Challenges

Mismatch of skills
Oil & chemical workers have transferable skills (engineering, process operations), but retraining is needed for renewables.

Regional disparity
Job losses are concentrated in Scotland's industrial hubs (Grangemouth, Fife, Aberdeen), while new jobs may cluster in offshore wind supply chains (Teesside, East Anglia, Humber).

Timing gap
Oil & gas jobs are disappearing faster than renewable projects are scaling up.

Solutions to Bridge the Gap
Retraining & reskilling: Expand apprenticeships and mid-career training for offshore wind, hydrogen, and CCS.

Regional investment
Direct clean energy projects to areas hit hardest by closures (e.g., Fife hydrogen hubs, Caithness tidal power).

Policy alignment
Ensure subsidies and industrial strategy support both job creation and fair transition.

Supply chain localisation
Build turbine, hydrogen, and CCS manufacturing in UK industrial heartlands to absorb displaced workers.