Purpose is important: We want jobs that contribute to net zero

Tackling the trilemma is one of the key issues facing the energy sector today. Yet those in the Young Energy Professionals (YEPs) Forum believe the government is not doing enough to simultaneously achieve the goals of affordability, sustainability and security of supply. Robert Birch, member programmes and policy executive at Energy UK, presents an insight into what the YEPs think needs to be prioritised on the road to net zero.

A new survey has shown 90% of Young Energy Professionals (YEPs) believe that the government is not doing enough to bring down energy bills in both the short- and long-term.

In our report, ‘Tomorrow’s ideas, today: Resolving the Energy Trilemma’, the Young Energy Professionals (YEP) Forum asked members about their thoughts on the energy trilemma: simultaneously achieving affordability, sustainability, and security of supply.

We focused on how well the government is delivering effective policy in these areas, highlighting best practice at a local, national, and international level, and asked what the YEPs believe the top priorities should be to achieve each pillar of the Trilemma.

Current price hikes are extremely concerning for customers and businesses alike, owing to the UK’s dependence on the volatile international gas market. Low-carbon, domestic energy is now undoubtedly the cheapest and most geopolitically secure option for our energy supply, therefore it is unsurprising that we call upon government to ramp up investment in green energy while also focusing on demand reduction.

Our main findings are clear: the government is not doing enough across the board to protect consumers from energy price shocks in the short term, reduce gas demand to ensure long-term energy security, and above all, greater investment in energy efficiency should be prioritised.

The UK has an ageing housing stock with some of the most expensive homes across Europe to heat, highlighting the need for a clear strategy to prioritise domestic energy efficiency. Yet, our survey showed that young people see no action being taken to fix this fundamental issue which addresses all three pillars of the trilemma and makes absolute sense, given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Our report highlights that 92% of respondents do not believe the government is prioritising greater energy efficiency in the short term while 80% of those surveyed further believe that long-term energy efficiency targets will not be met.

The priorities set out are clear and reflect the wider issues: in the short term, YEPs support government intervention to protect consumers and those in fuel poverty. In the long term, importance is placed on investment in cheap renewables, building a successful, profitable, and future-proof energy market and establishing the necessary policy and infrastructure to reach net zero.

The report also showcases the ambitions and motivations of young people that choose to work in the energy industry; those that participated in the survey want to become increasingly involved in the decision-making to meet net zero targets. This becomes even more apparent with the fact that being able to contribute to reaching net zero was the number one reason that YEPs look at when deciding whether to take a job or not.

Young people want to have their voice heard, have a seat at the table and contribute to the greater good. We can contribute to both the short- and long-term solutions to the energy trilemma to build a reliable and future-proof energy system and, ultimately, implement energy policy that is committed to reaching sustainability targets.