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20:52 GMT
LONDON, April 24 (KUNA) -- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that delivering the plan for change means winning the race for the clean energy jobs of the future, which will drive growth and help us reach clean power by 2030.
Speaking at the IEA (International Energy Agency) Future of Energy Security Summit in London on Thursday, he said the IEA was founded in 1974, in the midst of an energy crisis, to help us work together to secure energy supplies and reduce future energy shocks."
"Well, that has taken on a new urgency today. So our task is clear - to act - together to seize the opportunity of the clean energy transition. Because homegrown clean energy is the only way to take back control of our energy system, deliver energy security and bring down bills for the long term," he pointed out.
The Prime Minister brought forward an initial GBP 300 million investment ahead of Spending Review through Great British Energy to win global offshore wind investment for the UK.
"Workers and businesses in the UK's industrial heartlands will benefit from an initial GBP 300 million of funding through Great British Energy to invest in supply chains for domestic offshore wind," he said.
"It is expected that the investment will directly and indirectly mobilise billions in additional private investment - helping de-risk clean energy projects and supporting thousands of jobs and revitalising the UK's industrial heartlands.
"The public investment complements the GBP 43 billion of private investment pledged for clean energy projects since July," the prime minister noted.
Britain's engineers, technicians, and welders are being backed by this fast-tracked funding, brought forward by the Prime Minister ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will allow Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company, to invest in new supply chains for offshore wind manufacturing components such as floating offshore platforms and cables.
"This builds on the government's landmark investment in domestic supply chains through initiatives such as the Clean Industry Bonus and the National Wealth Fund.
As part of the government's modern Industrial Strategy, which will turbocharge growth in the UK's key sectors including clean energy, the new investment in domestic offshore wind is part of the Prime Minister's drive to ensure that the clean energy future is 'built in Britain'.
The funding will ensure that the nation builds resilient domestic supply chains for components which are essential to delivering clean power by 2030.
It comes after the Prime Minister said that a new era of global insecurity means that the government must go further and faster in reshaping the economy through the Plan for Change, and that this requires a new muscular industrial policy that supports British industry to forge ahead.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, "Delivering the Plan for Change means winning the race for the clean energy jobs of the future, which will drive growth and help us reach clean power by 2030.
"That is why I am bringing forward much-needed investment in our domestic offshore wind supply chains, strengthening our security and creating good jobs for our welders, electricians, and engineers.
"Let my message to the world go out: come and build the clean energy future in Britain."
"This new government funding is a clear signal of intent to secure those priorities and is vital to unlocking further co-investment from industry, Starmer added.
On his part, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said, "It is only by taking back control of our energy that we can protect families and businesses from the rollercoaster of global markets we don't control."
"That is why this government is doubling down on our clean energy superpower mission - driving economic growth, good jobs and investment across our country.
The Prime Minister, ministers and business leaders gathered in London today for the two-day summit on the Future of Energy Security - hosted by the UK government and IEA - as countries take action to protect themselves from future energy shocks in these unstable times. (end)
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