The UK celebrated some great news last week, as it became the first country to halve carbon emissions! Over the past few decades, the government has poured millions of pounds into changing the energy landscape in this country. As a result, the work of thousands of energy professionals has paid off in this milestone achievement!
Emission Reduction on a Huge Scale
UK emissions have dropped by 50% from 1990 whilst the economy has grown by 79%! This is especially impressive when considered in the context of the other major economies around the world. By comparison, France has seen only a 23% reduction. Years of work have gone into this achievement, and thousands of workers across the country have had a hand in this success.
Renewables are partially to thank for this major reduction. In 2010, only 7% of the UK’s total energy use could be attributed to renewable energy. However, now they are responsible for a massive 40%! Of course, this increase has contributed to the reduction of emissions since renewable energy is a clean energy source.
What This Means For The UK
For the past few decades, the government has worked to create a greener future for the country. Burning fossil fuels with reckless abandon reflected an attitude of the past. If we wanted energy security, we needed to change the way things were done. And this is exactly what has happened.
In no way are we at the end of this process though; there is still much work to be done. However, halving emissions is a great step in the right direction. It shows that the UK is working towards its ambitious energy goals, especially the target to hit net zero emissions by 2050.
What This Means For You
It took a lot to get to this point. Billions of pounds have gone into to reducing emissions, innovating energy use, and upgrading infrastructure. This pattern of investment is not likely to slow down anytime soon.
At the minute, the government’s attention has turned to domestic houses. In the UK, houses account for over 70% of our energy use. Thus, if we improve the energy efficiency of our homes then it could have a big impact on the country’s energy use as a whole. In light of this, general consensus has determined that Retrofit for domestic houses is the way forward. As we move into the next few years, thousands of retrofit professionals will be needed to carry out all this work.
Your Career In Retrofit
If you are considering a career in energy, now is a great time to get involved. There are many different roles involved in the retrofit process. With entry-level job options, and lots of opportunities for professional development, retrofit is a promising industry for anyone looking to get more involved in energy.
Energy Trust is currently offering funded retrofit training courses, so there really has never been a better time to get qualified. These funded spaces are only available for a limited time, so please consider enrolling soon. You can find out more on our website.
