Posts Tagged renewable energy

Solar power companies haemorrhaging green jobs

May 15, 2009 at 9:36 am · Filed under green jobs ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Though April’s budget held great news for environmental jobs, with over £1 billion devoted to cutting carbon emissions, the government’s message on green jobs is still confused.

Just prior to the budget, news emerged that British solar power companies were laying off swathes of employees, in the wake of government promises to create more green jobs and support those already in existence.

Solar power companies have struck out at the government, claiming that the renewable energy business is being strangled by funding cuts, delay and disinterest from ministers and civil servants.

Jeremy Leggett of Solarcentury told the Guardian:

“When I was asked to address the prime minister’s jobs summit just three months ago, cabinet ministers assured me personally that green jobs and investment would lie at the very heart of the government’s recovery programme.

“And yet a few weeks later the reality is that we are once again scrabbling about trying to patch up an underfunded grant scheme … and banging our heads against a brick wall of departmental delay and disinterest. The government appears to be sleep-walking to a green tech job-loss disaster of its own making.”

Many critics claimed that unless the government unveiled extensive provision for green energy and environmental jobs in the budget, green energy would suffer irreconcilably. Alistair Darling’s carbon budget may seem to have come to the rescue, but critics have still been quick to attack the budget as not providing enough money for businesses going green. Similarly, the government’s on-off relationship with green jobs is concerning; only the coming year will show whether commitment is real or simply the publicity stunt of a flailing administration.

Author
Rachel Charman, a writer for JuicyJobs; Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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Oldham set to become a green job beacon

March 2, 2009 at 11:49 am · Filed under green jobs ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

When you think “progressive”, you might be forgiven for not immediately thinking “Oldham”. The town’s council, however, is becoming something of an environmental beacon, with surrounding councils visiting the area and taking notes on how to become more sustainable and create green jobs.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet minister for the environment, has proudly revealed the town’s plans to the Oldham Advisor:

“The council recognises the huge challenge facing us with regards to climate change.

“Our aim is to create a local low carbon economy that will provide new jobs and support small businesses while at the same time meeting our obligations on national targets.

“Our aim is to be the greenest council, not only in Greater Manchester, but the whole country.”

The council revealed that a foreign green technology company is considering relocation to Oldham, which could create 500 new environmental jobs in the region. There are further plans to create green jobs through insulating homes, and that a new recycling scheme could create a further 350 environmental careers.

As well as this, the council’s regeneration department has been working hard to ensure sustainability in new developments in the town. The renewable energy policy in Oldham dictates that all new buildings must derive at least 10% of its energy from renewable sources, whilst 84% of Oldham schools are now eco-schools.

Whilst initiatives on a local level such as this are fantastic news, there is still a need for a nationwide, comprehensive green policy from central government ensuring consistency in the UK’s environmental efforts, as well as helping to tackle the rising unemployment with a large blow rather than in small swipes. If Chris Smith, chair of the Environment Agency, gets his way, this could happen sooner rather than later.

Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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Global ‘Green New Deal’ may create green jobs

February 5, 2009 at 2:35 pm · Filed under green jobs ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

The World Economic Forum in early February held good tidings for green job seekers and those working in environmental careers. The meeting, held in Switzerland, included an urgent address from UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon to governments and businesses to invest in green technology.

Mr Moon said that by business heads and governments working together a worldwide initiative could be created to invest in and develop renewable energy and green technology.

This, Mr Moon went on, would create millions of green jobs, helping to reverse the effects of the global financial downturn.

The address fits in with Mr Moon’s previous attempts to convince world and business leaders to push the green agenda. He said:

“We live in a new era. Its challenges can be solved by cooperation; and only by cooperation.

“By tackling climate change head-on, we can solve many of our current troubles, including the threat of global recession.”

This latest display of support for green technology as a tool to beat the recession comes after various similar initiatives around the world. In Northern Ireland in January, a conference bringing together scientists, environmentalists and government delegates was held, where the creation of green jobs to tackle rising industrial unemployment was discussed. The UK central government has recently approved the FIT scheme, to begin in April 2010, which will pay people for producing renewable energy.

The news will be welcomed by green job seekers in the UK. Whilst local authorities are implementing green volunteering schemes, central government’s implementation of green job policies has come under fire lately due to the early closure of its low carbon building programme. International pressure from bodies such as the UN, coupled with that of the credit crunch, could be just what is needed to open up the environmental sector to thousands of job seekers. Keep checking JuicyJobs.biz for great green job opportunities.

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Green jobs to be created by Scottish renewable energy project

January 23, 2009 at 7:40 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

A new 4 mega watt wave farm to be built on the Isle of Lewis was approved on 22nd January by the Scottish Government.

The Saltire Prize winning project is one of the first marine renewable energy projects to be approved in the UK.

Following on from initiatives in Northern Ireland and England to create green jobs to conserve energy and beat unemployment, the new wave farm will provide the island with 70 new environmental jobs.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said in a statement:

“Today’s announcement is a significant step in Scotland’s journey to become a world leader in renewables. The Siadar wave farm will be one of the largest consented wave electricity generating station in the world.

“This is proof of Scotland’s unique opportunities in renewables and evidence that we are already on the way to seizing every opportunity to maximise our natural resources and capability to generate clean, green energy.

“This is good news for the Western Isles and for Scotland but its long-term potential is global.”

Energy produced by the wave farm will be enough to power around 1,800 homes, and the farm will be one of the world’s largest.

The local community on the Isle of Lewis are excited about the creation of the wave farm. Mp Angus MacNeil said:

“Having visited the site and met with those involved in it, I know that this news will be greeted warmly, and that the community will now be eager to move forward to the construction phase.”

Numbers of green jobs are expected to expand this year, as the UK faces job losses in other sectors such as manufacturing and finance. If you are looking to change jobs, investing your career in an environmental job could be the wisest move you ever make. Check out the listings on JuicyJobs.biz now to start your search.

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Britain becomes world leader in offshore wind power

October 28, 2008 at 11:09 am · Filed under Green News ·Tagged , , , , ,

Sustainable energy is one of the most cutting edge technologies in today’s world.  If you are looking to work in energy production, but want a green job, green power such as wind power could be the right place for you. As well as being part of an ethical career, working in renewable energy will make you part of one of the most important changes to UK industry today, with heads of green businesses and environmentalists increasingly being involved in government consultations.

On 21st October, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that Britain has become the largest generator of offshore wind in the world, overtaking former global leader Denmark.

Speaking via video message to the British Wind Energy Association’s (BWEA) conference, Mr Brown said that Britain has the best wind and wave resources in Europe. Since 2005, gigawatts of installed wind capacity have more than tripled.

Mr Brown added his prediction that by 2030, “the North Sea will become to offshore wind what the Gulf of Arabia is to oil production.”

Mike O’Brian, Minister of State at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, revealed plans for five more offshore wind farms which are currently under construction.

There are also plans up for approval at the Department to increase the energy produced by offshore wind to 25 gigawatts in the future, which could potentially power every home in the UK.

Conversely, Nick Rau, renewable energy campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said that more could still be done by the government to build up renewable energy sources.  He claimed that the UK was still near the bottom of the European league for renewable energy, and that the government was still attempting to “wriggle out of” European renewable energy targets.

Working in renewable energy is one of the biggest opportunities to be part of an expanding technology.  As the announcement of the plans for more wind energy shows, green energy is increasingly becoming a political topic that the major parties are using to compete with each other.  If you are looking to move into an environmental career, a job in renewable energy would put you at the centre of one of the today’s hottest topics.  Keep abreast with environmental news and green job opportunities by checking JuicyJobs.biz regularly!

Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs.biz Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living.  For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.

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