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Refining

18/9/2024 News

Grangemouth refinery to close as part of transition plans

Petroineos is planning to cease operations at the Grangemouth refinery, Scotland’s last, and transition to a finished fuels import terminal and distribution hub.

Workforce

Head and shoulders photo of Diana Davidson, standing outside, in front of hedgerow

1/4/2026 Comment / Diana Davidson

Britain’s energy transition faces a workforce reckoning

The UK has legally committed to one of the most ambitious energy transitions in the developed world. Even by 2030, it must accelerate offshore wind deployment, reinforce and digitise transmission networks, modernise distribution grids, expand nuclear capability, electrify heat and transport, and decarbonise heavy industry. Capital is available. Technology is advancing. Policy direction is broadly established. However, delivery depends on one factor which is now under acute pressure: skilled labour, writes Diana Davidson FEI, Founder and Managing Director of consultancy Vertemis.

Jobs

22/10/2025 News

Turbulent times for wind: Ørsted to cut workforce by 25% by 2027, while Ming Yang plans to build new UK wind manufacturing hub

Danish wind developer Ørsted has unveiled plans to slash its global workforce by a quarter – some 2,000 jobs – by the end of 2027, as it refocuses on offshore wind projects in Europe and strengthens competitiveness after a turbulent period for the sector. The move, part of a wider restructuring plan, follows political headwinds in the US and cost pressures across global supply chains. Yet optimism in the sector remains, as China’s Ming Yang has announced plans to invest up to £1.5bn in a new Scottish manufacturing hub for the wind sector, potentially creating thousands of jobs.

Oil and gas

Demonstrators holding placards outside the UK Supreme Court

26/6/2024 News

New fossil project approvals must consider Scope 3 emissions, rules UK Supreme Court

The UK Supreme Court ruled last week in favour of a climate campaigner in her legal challenge against plans to drill for oil in Surrey, in a case which some say could set a precedent restricting plans for future fossil fuel extraction projects in the UK.

Skills, education and training

Head and shoulders photo of Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK

22/3/2023 Comment / Hilary Leevers

Why and how we must secure tomorrow’s engineers for a greener future

Critical roles in engineering and technology still do not attract enough people to fill them. If the UK is to meet its net zero targets there needs to be significant growth in engineers and technicians, bringing more talent into what are often called ‘green’ jobs, says Hilary Leevers, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK, a charitable organisation that promotes education and engagement in engineering and technology.

Jobs

A man and a woman inspecting solar panels

15/10/2025 News

No improvement in female underrepresentation in global renewables industry since 2019, finds IRENA investigation

Women hold only 32% of full-time jobs in the renewables sector, according to a new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Although that ratio is higher than in other energy industries, it is still a long way from the 50% of the human population that they make up. Strategies are needed to tackle the issue and help drive the energy transition, it says. The report findings echo those of a UK-focused study by the POWERful Women (PfW) initiative earlier this year.

Jobs

Engineer at base of onshore wind turbine

9/10/2024 News

Highest annual growth of renewables jobs in 2023, reaching 16.2 million

In 2023, renewable energy employment experienced record growth, reaching 16.2 million jobs globally, up from 13.7 million in 2022, according to a joint report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the International Labour Organization (ILO). Less positively, a separate study by SolarPower Europe has revealed stagnation in solar job growth, with workforce projections in Europe revised downwards to reach one million jobs by 2027.

Jobs

Head and shoulders photo of Jo Alexander, standing in front of a brick wall

11/3/2026 Comment / Jo Alexander

Leavers’ party

Life After Oil is a new and growing community of people who have left oil and gas careers behind. We’re finding ways to support each other, using the experience of those who left some while ago, as well as those who have done so more recently. We’re trying to grow the community in order to strengthen that support as well as to make the scale and reasons for this exodus unignorable, writes Core Advisor Jo Alexander.

Energy policy

Offshore wind turbine during construction

12/3/2025 News

No new oil and gas licences, but more wind and hydrogen: UK government unveils new North Sea vision

The UK government is consulting on plans to make the North Sea ‘a world-leader in offshore industries, such as hydrogen, carbon capture and wind’. It is also looking to provide the oil and gas sector with ‘long-term certainty on the fiscal landscape’ by ending the Energy Profits Levy and developing a new regime to boost investment in jobs and growth.

Young professionals

Head and shoulders photo of young woman standing on stage in front of a microphone, against a black background

6/8/2025 Comment / Nicki Vass,Karolina Zieba,Shamus Hardie

Generation 2050: how to cope with redundancy

One of the scariest scenarios for any worker is finding out that their job may not be secure. Without doubt difficult and stressful, redundancy does come with upsides, reports Nicki Vass AMEI, Chair of the Energy Institute’s Aberdeen Young Professionals Network (YPN) chapter, alongside contributions from two other rising energy professionals, Karolina Zieba AMEI and Shamus Hardie.

New Energy World™

Search results:

Grangemouth refinery to close as part of transition plans

Britain’s energy transition faces a workforce reckoning

Turbulent times for wind: Ørsted to cut workforce by 25% by 2027, while Ming Yang plans to build new UK wind manufacturing hub

New fossil project approvals must consider Scope 3 emissions, rules UK Supreme Court

Why and how we must secure tomorrow’s engineers for a greener future

No improvement in female underrepresentation in global renewables industry since 2019, finds IRENA investigation

Highest annual growth of renewables jobs in 2023, reaching 16.2 million

Leavers’ party

No new oil and gas licences, but more wind and hydrogen: UK government unveils new North Sea vision

Generation 2050: how to cope with redundancy