The transition to net zero is often framed as a cost or a constraint on the economy. But a growing body of evidence, including this new suite of reports from ECIU and CBI Economics, points to a different and more compelling story. Net zero is already one of the UK's most productive and geographically distributed industrial sectors, generating high-value employment, driving supply chain activity, and anchoring the UK within one of the defining economic transformations of our era.
The UK's net zero economy now generates around £105bn in Gross Value Added and supports 1.1m full-time equivalent jobs, spanning energy, manufacturing, construction, engineering and professional services. The sector is underpinned by more than 23,500 businesses, over 96% of which are small or medium-sized enterprises. For every £1 of economic value created directly by net zero firms, a further £1.85 is generated across the wider UK economy through supply chains and household spending.
This series of reports provides the most comprehensive assessment yet of the net zero economy's contribution at UK level and, for the first time, with standalone analyses for Scotland and Wales. Together they reveal a sector that has moved decisively from the margins to the mainstream of British economic life.
Explore the reports by nation
The three sections below summarise the key findings from each report. Click the link within each section to download the relevant report. The UK report, which covers the full national picture, is also available via the download panel on this page.
United Kingdom: scale, structure and the race for net zero
The UK's net zero economy generates £105bn in total Gross Value Added (equivalent to 3.8% of the UK economy) and supports 1.1m full-time equivalent jobs. Productivity within net zero firms is 48% above the UK average, with wages around 11% higher than the national average. The sector is underpinned by more than 23,500 businesses, over 96% of which are SMEs, and surpasses the direct economic contribution of the UK's entire architectural and engineering sector.
Looking ahead, the UK's renewable energy pipeline represents £455 billion of planned investment across 262 GW of capacity, approximately four times current installed renewable capacity. Two-thirds is already in active development or under construction. Policy stability, supply chain investment and workforce planning will be central to translating this ambition into delivered projects.
Download the UK Net Zero Economy in 2025 report >
Scotland: scale, industrial strength and regional opportunity
Scotland's net zero economy contributes £10.2bn in total Gross Value Added (equivalent to 4.9% of Scottish economic output) and supports over 105,000 full-time equivalent jobs. For every £1 of direct net zero GVA, a further £1.75 is generated across the wider Scottish economy. The sector's 3,000 businesses include a significant cluster of engineering and offshore services firms whose skills transfer directly from oil and gas into offshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture.
Scotland accounts for 34% of the UK's total energy infrastructure pipeline value, approximately £211bn, placing it at the centre of the UK's energy transition. Local economies including Perth and Kinross (12.0% of local GVA) and Aberdeen City (9.4% of local GVA) record particularly high concentrations of net zero activity.
Wales: scale and industrial transformation
Wales's net zero economy contributes £4.0bn in total Gross Value Added (equivalent to 4.3% of Welsh economic output) and supports over 41,300 full-time equivalent jobs. Productivity within net zero firms is 72% above the Welsh average, reflecting the technically intensive nature of the sector. Around 1,300 employers underpin the sector, with particular depth in energy generation, manufacturing, and engineering supply chains.
At a local level, net zero activity is significant across Welsh communities: Wrexham (7.0% of local GVA), Pembrokeshire (5.3%), Rhondda Cynon Taf (5.2%) and Newport (5.1%) all record notable concentrations. Wales's pipeline of £13.1bn in planned renewable energy infrastructure presents a clear opportunity to anchor further activity in coastal and industrial communities.
A transition already shaping the UK economy
Across all three reports, the picture is consistent. Net zero is not a future aspiration but a sector already operating at scale, generating high-value jobs and economic activity across every UK nation and region. The analysis also points to where the risks lie: the transition creates both opportunity and exposure at the local level, and understanding both matters for policy and investment decisions.
With £455bn of UK energy infrastructure in the pipeline and significant international competition for clean energy investment, the conditions for delivery matter. Policy stability, domestic supply chain capacity and workforce planning will all play a role in determining how much of that value is captured here.
Methodology and technical annex
The analysis underpinning all three reports uses a consistent methodology developed by CBI Economics and The Data City, incorporating Real-Time Industrial Classifications (RTICs), Input-Output modelling and analysis of the Renewable Energy Planning Database. This edition also reflects updated ONS Blue Book 2025 national accounts data, which affects year-on-year comparability. A full account of the data sources, classification framework and analytical assumptions is set out in the accompanying Technical Annex .
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Reports produced by CBI Economics, commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Analysis reflects 2025 data. Findings represent the views of CBI Economics and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CBI, its members, or ECIU.
