UK Energy Transition: Decarbonising for a Net Zero Future

The UK energy transition is a critical step toward achieving net zero emissions by 2050, driving the shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon and clean energy technologies. While earlier targets aimed for major progress by 2030, the timeline was extended due to the complexity of decarbonising transport, industry, and power generation. 

With domestic transport contributing 30% of UK greenhouse gas emissions and industry contributing 14%, there is an urgent need for innovation. Meeting these goals will require strategic investment and access to senior-level renewable energy talent. 

In this article, we explore the UK’s race to net zero, the key initiatives driving industrial decarbonisation across energy and transport, the role of regional clusters, and how talent and innovation will shape the future of the energy transition. 

Contact CSG Talent for support attracting senior-level renewable energy talent. 

UK Net Zero Initiatives 

Decarbonising UK Energy & Transport Sectors 

The UK’s clean electricity target is key in the race to net zero, with the government aiming to generate 100% low-carbon electricity by 2030 and achieve a fully decarbonised grid by 2035. Meeting this goal will require tripling offshore wind capacity, which would mean reaching 44.1 GW. The government has an even more ambitious target of up to 60 GW by 2030, including 5 GW of floating offshore wind. 

Solar capacity will also need to be doubled by 2030 to a total of 34.4 GW. The government aims to exceed this too, with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan aiming for 45-47 GW of solar PV capacity by the end of the decade. 

The 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales will accelerate the UK's shift towards electric vehicles, aiming to reduce transport emissions substantially. The government has invested over £2.3 billion to help industry and consumers make the switch to electric vehicles, including extending the “Plug-In Van Grant”, investing in expanding the national charging network, and streamlining regulations by removing the additional training requirement for electric van drivers. 

The Jet Zero Strategy targets net zero UK aviation by 2050, with domestic flights decarbonised by 2040. To achieve this, the UK is mandating that by 2030, at least 10% of the fuel used in UK aviation must be sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a lower-carbon alternative to traditional jet fuel. 

Scaling Clean Energy Technologies 

Another strategy that will be crucial in the UK’s race to net zero is scaling low-carbon technologies through methods such as Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS), which the government has committed over £21.7 billion to fund over the next 25 years. The aim is to support CCUS across key industrial regions, aiming to capture 20–30 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2030. This is made possible by the UK's storage capacity of over 70 gigatonnes under the North Sea, providing a reliable and scalable way to manage captured emissions. 

In addition to this, UK Hydrogen Strategy and Investor Roadmap outlines a clear pathway to establishing a substantial 10 GW of low-carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. This includes both green hydrogen, produced via renewable-powered electrolysis, and blue hydrogen, derived from natural gas with integrated CCUS. With projects already underway and more in the pipeline, the UK is building a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem to support industrial decarbonisation and net zero targets. 

Local and Regional Net Zero Initiatives 

As well as government targets, net zero progress also relies on community-driven efforts. The £60 million Net Zero Living Programme, run by Innovate UK, aims to help regional authorities and businesses accelerate the transition to net zero across the UK. Since its launch in 2022, the Net Zero Living programme has funded 201 projects involving 296 partners with the aim of removing barriers, increasing innovation, and unlocking private investment. 

The Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge has supported the UK’s six largest industrial clusters to decarbonise at scale through the development of low-carbon technologies and infrastructure. With a budget of £20 million between 2019 and 2024, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) exceeded its initial goals and laid the foundation for developing at least four low-carbon industrial clusters by 2030 and the world’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040. 

Where are the Leading UK Net Zero Clusters? 

East Coast Cluster (Teesside and Humber) 

The Tees Valley Net Zero Cluster Plan is a strategy to transform the region into the UK’s first net zero industrial cluster by 2040. The plan aims to reduce emissions to net zero through the deployment of low-carbon technologies. A key part of this initiative is the Net Zero Teesside project, which will capture up to 10 million tonnes of CO₂ per year for storage in the North Sea. 

The plan also focuses on developing sustainable fuels and circular economy initiatives by working with over 40 high-pollution industrial facilities to identify infrastructure needs and decarbonisation potential. Supported by the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge, the cluster is expected to contribute significantly to the UK’s net zero goals while also growing the local economy. 

Humber Industrial Cluster Plan 

The Humber Industrial Cluster Plan aims to decarbonise the UK's most carbon-intensive industrial region, which emits 30% more CO₂ than any other cluster. Led by the Hull and East Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (HEY LEP) and CATCH, the plan outlines a strategic roadmap to achieve net zero by 2040. 

Key initiatives to achieve this involve the development of CCUS technologies, a hydrogen production and distribution network, and the creation of low-carbon fuels such as biofuels. The plan promotes collaboration between regional industries to transform the Humber into a global leader in sustainability. 

Net Zero North West Cluster Plan 

The Net Zero North West Cluster Plan provides a strategy to decarbonise the North West of England and parts of North East Wales by 2040. The plan revolves around the HyNet North West project, which focuses on hydrogen production and CCUS to reduce industrial carbon emissions. HyNet aims to capture 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ annually by 2028, with plans to increase capacity to 10 million tonnes by 2030. 

The project is expected to create 2,000 jobs and inject £2 billion into the supply chain across North Wales and North West England. The plan also highlights the region's strengths in advanced manufacturing and chemical production as it aims to leverage existing infrastructure and expertise to achieve net zero emissions. 

South Wales Industrial Cluster 

The South Wales Industrial Cluster plans to decarbonise a region responsible for over 16 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually. The plan outlines a strategy to achieve net zero industries in South Wales by 2040, which would be a 40% reduction of current CO₂ emissions across the whole of Wales. 

The region has a significant industrial base that includes the UK’s largest integrated steelworks, one of the UK’s seven oil refineries, and one of only four nickel refineries in Europe. The plan’s vision aims to retain 113,000 jobs and increase renewable energy job opportunities overall, as well as unlocking £30 billion worth of investment opportunities in the region. 

Scottish Net Zero Roadmap 

The Scottish Net Zero Roadmap outlines a strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, five years ahead of the overall UK target. CO2 emissions from Scottish industrial sectors currently stand at over 11 million tonnes per year, roughly 25% of all emissions from Scotland. Importantly, the roadmap recognises the need to deliver net zero in a way that doesn’t put jobs and livelihoods at risk, as those same industries produce essential products like steel and cement and employ over 300,000 people in Scotland. 

However, recent reports indicate challenges in meeting interim targets, with the UK Climate Change Committee deeming Scotland's goal of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030 as “no longer credible.” Despite these challenges, the Scottish government remains committed to achieving net zero by 2045. 

Repowering the Black Country 

Repowering the Black Country is a programme of initiatives helping businesses in the region take advantage of global clean energy opportunities and make the transition to a net zero future. Spanning Wolverhampton, Walsall, Sandwell, and Dudley, it’s the only non-coastal cluster in the country, and the largest overall. 

The plan focuses on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors like metalworking and ceramics to adopt low-carbon technologies, improve energy efficiency, and implement circular economy practices. The first action of the project is to develop four zero carbon industrial hubs in the Black Country, with the aim of reducing industrial carbon emissions by around 1.3 million tonnes. 

Hydrogen Energy Case Study: How CSG Talent Supported EET 

EET is developing the UK’s first low-carbon hydrogen production plant based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, that will be a core part of the HyNet low-carbon cluster. The company faced increasing pressure from ambitious timescales and a growth trajectory reliant on filling multiple business-critical roles. Without these key positions in place, EET could not progress to the next stage of government funding. The roles EET sought were highly niche and had very limited talent pools. 

To address this challenge, the renewable energy team at CSG Talent engaged in detailed conversations with candidates, explaining the company’s structure, future plans, and overall vision. Leveraging their well-established renewable energy recruitment network and deep understanding of large-scale projects, the team navigated the complexities of sourcing expertise from traditionally untapped pools, delivering a seamless and efficient recruitment process and ensuring candidates were aligned with EET’s mission.