New analysis by RenewableUK and Opinium suggests that England and Wales areas set to benefit most from offshore wind job growth are also constituencies where Reform UK and the Conservatives are projected to win around 80% of seats at the next general election, highlighting a growing disconnect between renewable-sceptic political positions and local economic opportunities.

The findings indicate that offshore wind could become a major source of employment in coastal, industrial and rural regions outside London and the south east, where much of the UK’s future energy infrastructure is expected to be built and maintained.

According to RenewableUK’s Skills Intelligence database, the top seven areas for offshore wind job creation in England and Wales by 2030 are Yorkshire and The Humber (7,041 jobs), Cleveland (3,242), Pembrokeshire (3,054), Cumbria (2,318), Suffolk (2,337), Lincolnshire (2,055) and Norfolk (1,852), totalling 21,899 projected jobs in these regions alone.

The analysis also shows that 5,779 people already work in offshore wind across these areas, including roles in manufacturing, operations and maintenance, ports, training facilities, R&D centres and developer offices. If investment conditions remain stable, total employment in these seven regions alone is expected to grow nearly fourfold by 2030.

Across the UK, offshore wind currently supports around 40,000 jobs, with projections suggesting this could rise to 95,000 by 2030 as capacity more than doubles, reinforcing its position as one of the country’s largest industrial growth sectors.

RenewableUK also highlights strong investment momentum in the sector, noting that the industry has invested around £100 billion in UK offshore wind projects over the past 25 years, with a further £100 billion expected over the next five years as operational capacity expands significantly.

In the most recent Allocation Round 7 auction for new clean energy projects, the UK secured 8.4GW of new generation capacity, expected to unlock more than £31 billion in investment across turbines, foundations, cables, substations and construction.

Looking ahead, RenewableUK says more than double that capacity — 17.1GW across 20 projects — is eligible to bid in Allocation Round 8 later this year, potentially attracting over £61 billion in investment, including more than £23 billion in new turbines.

The analysis comes alongside polling cited by RenewableUK showing that support for offshore wind remains strong among Reform UK voters, with 66% backing the technology despite party leadership opposition, while overall support across all voters stands at 72%. Separate polling from King’s College London and Ipsos also found that 63% of Conservative voters are concerned about climate change.

RenewableUK Chief Executive Tara Singh said the findings demonstrate “the tangible benefits which the offshore wind industry is already providing” and warn that proposals to cancel offshore wind contracts would risk jobs and investment while undermining the UK’s energy security.

She added that offshore wind is helping reduce exposure to global gas price shocks and strengthening energy independence, while urging all political parties to honour existing contracts to maintain the UK’s attractiveness for investment in a competitive global market.

The organisation also works with trade unions through its Trade Union Forum to support workforce transition into the sector. Sue Ferns OBE, Senior Deputy General Secretary of Prospect, said clean energy represents “the energy jobs of the future” and warned that opposition to renewables could harm both energy security and local economies.

James Crouch of Opinium said the research reveals a “striking overlap” between offshore wind investment geography and political trends, noting that many constituencies set for significant job growth are also those likely to elect Reform UK or Conservative MPs.

The report was released on the opening day of RenewableUK’s Global Offshore Wind 2026 conference and exhibition in Manchester.