Unlocking the UK’s role in the global clean energy revolution
A new report from the Net Zero Technology Centre outlines how the UK can win a share of the £10tn global clean energy market by scaling innovation, investment and infrastructure.
The UK is at a pivotal stage in its journey towards net-zero. With increasing environmental challenges, it’s vital to continue momentum on clean energy innovation, unlock investment and develop infrastructure that supports long-term economic and environmental resilience.
The UK is positioned to lead several crucial areas of the global energy transition, such as floating offshore wind, low-carbon hydrogen and carbon capture. Technologies across these areas are moving from development to real-world deployment. The priority now is to expand successful solutions, encourage innovation and turn early gains into lasting value.
At the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), we understand that turning ambition into delivery is crucial.
Our latest Innovation Priorities report sets out where we believe the UK should focus over the next decade. But this is just the start. We are inviting industry to help refine these priorities. There is still time to shape the technologies and programmes driving the UK’s clean energy future.
Global demand for net-zero technology offers a potential £10tn prize by 2050. Analysis from Rystad Energy highlights a £1.2tn export opportunity between 2030 and 2040 across floating offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture to meet expanding demand across energy, industry and transport.
The UK has a strong track record and supply chain, from subsea engineering to ports and digital systems. However, this window of opportunity will not remain open indefinitely. To stay competitive, the UK will need to scale technologies, accelerate deployment and invest in infrastructure for commercial roll-out.
This opportunity goes beyond markets and technology. It offers the potential to create thousands of quality jobs and strengthen regional economies. The hydrogen sector alone could support 30,000 direct jobs and add £7bn in value each year by 2030. Floating offshore wind offers similar benefits, especially for Scotland’s ports and engineering firms.
Hydrogen and carbon capture provide clear opportunities to decarbonise heat, power and heavy industry. Success will rely on both technological breakthroughs and building the infrastructure to deliver them.
The North Sea holds Europe’s largest carbon dioxide storage resource at 78 gigatonnes. This represents a strategic advantage that the UK is well placed to make the most of. Realising this potential will require focused investment in infrastructure and innovation.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) plays a vital role in reducing industrial emissions and achieving negative emissions through methods like bioenergy with carbon capture and direct air capture. Building integrated CCS clusters that combine capture, transport and storage will help lower costs and improve efficiency. Digital monitoring and automation will be essential to ensuring these systems operate safely and effectively.
Hydrogen has an important role to play in decarbonising industry, shipping and aviation. Both green hydrogen from electrolysis and blue hydrogen produced with carbon capture will be important. Innovation must cover production, storage, transport and use.
International hydrogen trade also offers significant growth potential. Our Hydrogen Backbone Link project has already demonstrated that, with the right support, a new international market could be unlocked, generating infrastructure investment, creating jobs and strengthening the UK’s position as a clean energy exporter.
To maintain global leadership across clean energy technologies such as hydrogen, carbon capture and floating offshore wind, the UK must close the gap between current capability and the scale of deployment required. Investment in digital innovation and infrastructure will be essential to reduce costs and accelerate delivery. The potential rewards are significant, but other countries are moving quickly and will not wait.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s goal of a decarbonised power system by 2030 and the creation of GB Energy in Aberdeen, backed by £8.3bn in funding, represent positive steps. The next challenge will be turning policy into action, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves and colleagues, including Scottish Secretary Ian Murray and Energy Minister Michael Shanks, work to secure long-term growth and energy security.
Our team is ideally placed to help realise this vision. NZTC is a proven leader that has exceeded government targets since 2016. Over nine years, we have co-invested more than £420m in new technologies, creating 1,550 direct jobs in Scotland alone. We work closely with industry and government to turn ideas into real projects that cut emissions and generate economic value.
Businesses can help shape the next wave of clean energy innovation. Our Technology Trials Programme partners with industry to test technologies in real-world conditions and bring them to market faster. The Innovation Priorities report sets out the areas where we are actively seeking input. This is the moment to get involved and help direct the focus for the coming decade.
We want to build on our TechX Clean Energy Accelerator, which supports 10 to 12 startups annually. The intense programme offers training, mentoring and shares £500,000 in grant funding.
So far, TechX has helped 81 startups. The businesses we have accelerated through TechX have created 380 jobs, attracted £160m in investment and generated £36m in sales. More than 90 per cent continue to grow.
Our Rapid Infrastructure Deployment Programme will create a pathway for investment in clean energy projects at national, regional and local levels, focusing on those needing collaboration and industry support. It will generate ideas, identify opportunities and develop investment cases while coordinating between industry and funders to reduce risks for investors.
Similarly, through Joint Industry Programmes, NZTC will reduce investment risks in new technologies by targeting projects that address common challenges.
One example of a promising project is a “living lab” for floating wind, testing sensor and digital technologies in real-world conditions to improve performance and reduce costs. Another is developing gigawatt-scale hydrogen metering and compression systems, which do not yet exist but are vital for moving hydrogen at scale and supporting growth.
The UK has the talent, technology and resources to lead the global clean energy transition. With the right commitment and collaboration, the UK can turn potential into progress.
