Exclusive:UK minister Michael Shanks urges public to have 'patience' with GB Energy

Michael Shanks said the state-owned company had made “huge strides” since being set up last year and that the number of jobs it helps create “will only go up and up”.

He was speaking after King Charles III unveiled a plaque on a visit to the firm’s new headquarters in Aberdeen on the day they announced £750,000 in funding for skills, training and employability work in the north east.

The King has praised the “genius” of engineering skills as he attended a number of engagements - also including Peterhead Port - highlighting the energy transition in the region.

GB Energy chairman Jurgen Maier said in 2024 that the HQ could have “1,000 or more” employees. This has since been rolled back to 300.

When asked if the public had been misled over the number of jobs that would be created, Mr Shanks said: “I think we've always said throughout that there will be a few hundred people working in the HQ, but that Great British Energy's job creation will go far beyond an office in Aberdeen.

“We want to get out to the industry itself, to the supply chains, to build investments that create jobs right across the north-east of Scotland and across the whole country.

“That's where we've already seen in the investment decisions that Great British Energy's made, 1,500 jobs supported by those investments, and that number will only go up and up.”

Read more: King hails ‘genius’ engineering skills on visit to GB Energy’s new Aberdeen headquarters

Rather than being an energy supplier, GB Energy is an energy investment company created with the aim of speeding up the transition to clean energy.

When asked if he understood why some people were disappointed about this, Mr Shanks said: “We never said at any point that Great British Energy would be an energy supplier.

“We were really clear that we wanted to be an energy investor and generator.”

Read more: GB Energy officially opens Aberdeen HQ with £750k training pledge

He continued: “But I think people also need to have a sense of patience about what GBE will deliver in the future, but also recognise what it already has.

“So first thing is, it's it's only had a year to set up, and in that time, it's invested almost a quarter of a billion pound in putting solar panels on schools and hospitals, saving millions of pounds in public services.

“It's invested in more than in hundreds of community-led energy projects. £1 billion invested in almost 1,000 projects. We've just announced £750,000 invested today to get young people not in education, training, or employment involved in the energy industry.

“It's made huge progress in the past year, huge strides. It's got a lot more to do in the future, and today is about saying that commitment to Aberdeen that we made two years ago is absolutely critical because we do want an absolutely strong and proud future for the energy industry here in the northeast of Scotland, and Great British Energy is an important part of that.”

Read The Steamie newsletter

Mr Shanks said the King’s visit was “really important” and put GB Energy “on the map”.

The King told a reception at the GB Energy HQ: “It is remarkable, always, to see the extent of all the engineering skills in this part of the world.

“It is a huge tribute to the effort and the genius of so many people in the north east of Scotland and wonderful to know all these traditions are breeding so many brilliant engineering brains.”

Mr Shanks said: “I think it marked a real moment for Great British Energy's setup here in Aberdeen.

“The whole aim has been to centre Great British Energy right in the energy capital of Europe, but also make a statement about what we see as the future of this city and of the north east of Scotland.

“To have the King come and visit that and spend time meeting young people who have been involved in projects with Great British Energy and a whole range of other stakeholders who are here was a really important moment to put Great British Energy on the map.”