The study from Robert Gordon University estimated that the workforce could increase to a total of 54,000 by the end of the decade compared to approximately 45,000 today if it becomes established as a 'Global Energy Hub' for offshore wind.
The government’s Energy Security Strategy currently targets 50GW of offshore wind, 10GW of hydrogen and up to 30 million tonnes of carbon capture and storage for the UK as a whole by 2030.
But the report warns that falling short on that goal could see the regional offshore energy workforce decline by up to 40 per cent over the same time frame to as low as approximately 28,000 jobs.
It finds that over £17bn in new regional investments between 2022 and 2030 will be needed to meet the targets in manufacturing and operational capabilities for the renewables sector – focused to a large extent on offshore wind. This is in addition to ongoing oil and gas investments in the region.
In 2021, around 90 per cent of the...