U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the country will go full steam ahead on green energy.  According to the Guardian, he announced the plan at a conference in London on Thursday, April 24.

His speech “made clear that the prime minister sees renewable energy as core to the U.K.’s future prosperity and national security,” per the Guardian.

Starmer said: “We’re paying the price for our overexposure, over many years, to the roller-coaster of international fossil fuel markets, leaving the economy and, therefore, people’s household budgets vulnerable to the whims of dictators like [Vladimir] Putin.”

Not only does the Prime Minister want to bring energy security to the country, but he also wants to spur green job growth.

“That is the change we need. We won’t wait — we will accelerate,” he said.

The U.K. has already made major strides in transitioning from dirty energy to clean energy. For example, a recent report showed that in 2024, only 29% of the U.K.’s electricity came from coal, oil, or gas.

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Also in 2024, the U.K. became the first country to stop coal production.

One of the reasons the U.K. is committed to clean energy is that it will save its residents money. For example, installing solar panels can save you $1,500 a year on your energy bills.

Additionally, clean energy can be a powerful driver of job growth. A 2024 report highlights this growth — the clean energy industry created 2.5 million jobs in 2023. This job expansion can be a powerful tool for a country like the U.K., which needs economic growth.

Switching from dirty energy sources can also have a positive impact on the environment because renewable energy, such as solar energy, doesn’t produce polluting gases or air pollution. When solar energy replaces dirty energy, it can reduce reliance on dirty energy sources that have harmful effects on the environment and human health.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agrees with the direction the U.K. is going. “Reliable and affordable energy is the lifeblood of our economies, it underpins our national security, and it sustains our industrial and economic competitiveness,” she said.

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