Introduction

Suffolk is home to some of the fastest growing sectors that drive the UK economy, backed by pioneering technology and far-sighted investment.
 
Suffolk is at the forefront of low carbon energy production with many new and established companies working in offshore wind, oil and gas nuclear and biomass industries, and making a major contribution to the UK’s power supply.
 
Unprecedented investment will see Suffolk leading the way as a net energy supplier to millions of homes with up to 5000 wind turbines to be sited off our coast and construction of the new Sizewell C nuclear power plant. The county is also capitalising on other new and emerging low carbon energy production techniques with local companies already installing biomass and bio-digestion plants.
 
On 21 March 2019 Suffolk County Council (SCC) voted to declare a climate emergency. SCC pledged to work with Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP), the UK Government and public sector to make the county of Suffolk carbon neutral by 2030.
 
Your participation in this interview/survey will help inform the scenario modelling Gemserv will undertake and the development of regional specific recommendations to support the growth of the retrofit and green skills markets.
 
The survey covers a range of issues including job growth requirements to meet net zero the ‘green’ skills needed to facilitate the transition and policy and financial support mechanisms to support and enable this growth.
 
Phase 1 of the study will cover the ‘retrofit’ sector, here defined as improvement works to existing homes to reduce energy demand and/or carbon emission through measures such as insulation, double glazing, and low carbon heating. Phase 2 will investigate the wider green skills market, providing insight into sectoral growth opportunities and the need for upskilling to meet a low-carbon workforce demand.

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