Do wind farms
create jobs?
Yes! A report in 2002 by AEA Technology for Greenpeace (Sea Wind East)
found that building offshore wind farms off East Anglia to meet 25%
of UK electricity needs could create 60,000 new jobs. The offshore wind
industry requires many of the skills and equipment that the offshore
oil and gas industry has developed, giving opportunity for diversification,
often in areas that have seen serious industrial decline.
At present there are four manufacturing facilities in the UK either
assembling wind turbines or producing major components, and many others
supplying materials and parts.
Onshore wind farm developments can also provide an important source
of income for local people, helping to regenerate areas and enabling
farmers to diversify, aiding rural economies.
A recent DTI report demonstrates that some 8000 jobs are already sustained
by renewable energy in the UK, and that by 2020, this could rise to
between 17,000 - 35,000. It also highlights the significant economic
and social benefits that renewable energy could bring to the UK. You
can read the report here.
