Jack Abbott: Suffolk can be clean energy's 'beating heart'

Environmental because we are facing devastating and irreversible climate change. Economic, because, following years of stagnation, we need to boost growth and deliver well-paid jobs. The two things go hand in hand. 

The US has recognised the prize on offer and is investing hundreds of billions of pounds in new ‘green’ infrastructure.

The EU is set to embark on a similarly ambitious programme.

Labour has set out plans to establish GB Energy, a publicly owned energy company, make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 and establish a National Wealth Fund to secure good jobs. In contrast, the Government’s response this week felt half-hearted at best. It is a common theme. 

Take insulation, for example. The UK has the least insulated homes in Western Europe and this has left us exposed. The leakier our homes, the more energy we need to heat them, meaning our bills are higher than they should be. While Russia's illegal war in Ukraine has had ramifications when it came to energy prices, years of Government inaction left us unable to mitigate the impact. 

Last year, the Government was urged to undertake a great national effort to properly insulate as many homes as possible before the winter. They failed to respond in time, and instead were forced to subsidise energy bills at a huge cost to the taxpayer. It was a sticking plaster approach when it was critical to have a more impactful, cost-effective, long-term alternative. Labour wants to insulate 19 million homes over the next decade. That is the scale of ambition we need. 

We have suffered from this dither and delay for years when it comes to energy policy. While offshore wind is a real success story, the delivery of other renewable and clean technologies have been shackled, both by a lack of investment and by a patchy policy landscape. This has left us less resilient to the current energy crisis, paying more on our bills, and making it harder to reach our climate targets. 

It is vital we don’t extend the decade of inaction, but instead respond with the urgency that our environment and economy demands. And it is Suffolk that can lead the charge. 

Jack Abbott at the recent solar installation on Suffolk Food Hall by Ipswich firm, Greenscape Energy (Image: Greenscape Energy)

Over the coming years, we will see the construction of a number of significant energy projects. Thousands of jobs will be created and there will be a multi-million pound boost to the local economy. 

However, I want us to go even further and lay the long-term foundations of an energy industry that will thrive and grow beyond these individual projects. 

I want us to manufacture wind turbines, solar panels and other technologies here in Suffolk, not keep outsourcing to other countries. I want to see more locally-owned energy, so if a community hosts a site, they see direct benefits. I want to see a joined up, properly funded skills and employment strategy, to offer qualifications and job opportunities for our young people. 

A panel event run by Chamber UK: 'How can we Level Up Skills for the Future of Suffolk?' was largely focused on energy/net zero. Credit: Chamber UK (Image: Chamber UK)

I want the UK to be a clean energy superpower and I want our country’s net zero future to be centred here in Suffolk. 

This window of opportunity will not remain open for much longer. We can offer real vision and ensure that jobs, skills, manufacturing and investment remain here in Suffolk for decades to come. Or we can drag our feet, just focus on the individual projects before us and fail to maximise the benefits on offer. 

Yes, the Government must help create the right conditions, but if we are ambitious, Suffolk can be the beating heart of our country’s net zero future.