GB Energy won’t create enough new green jobs at scale to replace those potentially being lost in oil and gas, a union boss claimed today.
Derek Thomson, Unite Scotland regional secretary, said the jury is out when it comes to the impact of the new publicly-owned energy firm being set up in Aberdeen.
It comes just days after the board of GB Energy met for the first time ever in the north-east to discuss their plans to scale up the firm’s presence in the city.
Mr Thomson told MPs on the Scottish Affairs Committee on Wednesday that despite “great fanfare” it should not be seen as “some sort of saviour”.
“For Unite, it’s a wait and see with GB Energy”, the union chief said.
“We’ll engage with it where we can. I don’t think it should be sold as some kind of saviour to the oil and gas industry.
“I don’t think it’s going to come in and create the amount of jobs in Aberdeen to replace the amount of jobs that are potentially going to go in oil and gas.”
‘It’s not looking promising’
His concerns were echoed by Robert Deavy, Scotland senior organiser from GMB union, who raised questions over the funding on the table.
The union organiser said that while £8.3 billion was committed to GB Energy over the lifetime of the current parliament, only £100m was allocated in the latest budget.
He said: “Of course we’ll support it, we want it to work, we want it to create green jobs.
“But at this moment in time, it’s not looking promising.”
Meanwhile, union leaders shared concerns over the “catastrophic effect” moving away from oil and gas too quickly could have on the local economy and jobs.
They want to see a proper plan put in place to replace North Sea oil and gas jobs.
A new report released on Wednesday predicts Aberdeen will have the least economic growth of any UK city in the next three years.
Ian Perth, negotiations officer at Prospect union, said: “Everyone is clearly aware that it can’t go on forever. We know that.
“But moving away from it to quickly will cause a level of devastation to local communities and the economy that would just be unsustainable.”
‘Phased transition’
The UK Labour government launched a consultation earlier this month which pledges to develop a plan to ensure a “phased transition” for the North Sea and promising to create tens of thousands more jobs in offshore renewables by 2030.
A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokeswoman said GB Energy is at the heart of the government’s mission to make Britain a “clean energy superpower”.
He added: “Backed by £8.3 billion, GB Energy will own, manage and operate new projects, to help replace Britain’s dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets with clean, homegrown power.
“Owned by and for the British people, it will create jobs and build supply chains, ensuring taxpayers, billpayers, and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy.”
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