𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗞 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

A maths lecturer once told stories that became Alice in Wonderland. AI and energy transition research come with their own rabbit holes. But one thing is clear. The UK’s shift to clean energy presents a generational opportunity to reindustrialise regions left behind by decades of offshoring and economic change, much of it driven by high energy costs.

Electrification powered by wind, solar, and battery storage requires a massive physical buildout. This includes cables, substations, transformers, and advanced power electronics to manage a decentralised, renewable-rich grid.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

As electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps replace petrol, diesel, and gas boilers, national electricity demand will increase sharply. Meeting this demand will require:

• Upgraded high-capacity transmission lines

• Modernised local distribution grids

• Embedded generation close to consumption

• A major expansion of battery storage

These are hardware-intensive sectors requiring skilled electrical, civils and mechanical labour, domestic manufacturing, and strong supply chains. This is how clean energy translates into durable jobs in logistics, installation, fabrication, and engineering, widely distributed across the UK.

𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

EV adoption alone could reverse decades of industrial decline.

Assume 30 million EVs on UK roads, each with a 50 kWh battery, charged once per week:

30,000,000 × 50 kWh × 50 weeks = 75,000,000,000 kWh or 75 TWh per year.

That may be close to 30 percent of current UK electricity demand and similar to what the UK industrial sector may have consumed in the past. This scale of demand could support new domestic manufacturing and large-scale grid investment on a local level, whilst is already happening nationally, but needs to happen for local communities as well.

𝗔 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Focusing on cables, transformers, and power electronics is not just a technical requirement. It is a national industrial strategy.

It creates high-value jobs in areas with legacy infrastructure

It supports UK manufacturing in high-growth sectors

It positions the UK as a global leader in clean energy delivery

All data are based on publicly available sources including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), BEIS, National Grid ESO, REPD, and recognised industry research. Where estimates are used, they are based on transparent calculations and should be independently validated before use.

Total energy consumption according to the Office for National Statistics may be  1,644 terawatt-hours (TWh) based on 2019 figures.