SKILLS GAP
OEM EMPLOYMENT POTENTIAL SUGGESTS OFFSHORE WIND WILL CREATE MORE JOBS THAN FORECAST BUT DO WE HAVE THE SKILLS?
In 2011, Cambridge Econometrics undertook a survey presenting three scenarios for employment growth in the offshore sector by 2020. The Cambridge research group made the following estimates based on installed capacity…
• 31GW will create 42,400 direct full time employees (FTEs) and 25,300 indirect FTEs
• 23GW creates 29,700 direct FTEs and 17,500 indirect FTEs
• 13GW projection creates 1,800 direct FTEs, and 6,400 indirect FTEs
These figures are based on the total number of jobs across the offshore wind supply chain. When considering jobs generated by wind turbine manufacturers alone – installation, commissioning, operations and maintenance - it is clear Cambridge Econometrics have underestimated the huge potential the offshore wind sector has to create jobs.
CURRENT OFFSHORE PROJECTS By looking at current offshore projects for example, we already get a flavour for the OEM sector‘s potential to create jobs. The 150MW Ormonde wind farm off Barrow- In-Furness, Cumbria, is currently one of the largest offshore wind farms in the UK and has already provided employment for hundreds of people.
For example, REpower alone employs 30 full time Operations & Maintenance staff at their O&M facility. These range from Site Managers and Health & Safety professionals, to Maintenance Engineers, Supervisors, Store Keepers, Planners and Assistants.
OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE O&M will be one of the biggest employers in the offshore wind sector in the future, offering secure, long-term employment opportunities (up to 25 years). However, the offshore sector also provides many shorter terms roles (between six and twelve months on one project) particularly around the installation and commissioning phase of development.
For example, at Ormonde 160 people were employed to install 30 turbines on site, consisting of a team of 30 working in the harbour on commissioning and assembly works, 50 installation engineers working on the vessels and 80 commissioning engineers to get the turbines up and running post installation.
ROUND THREE DEVELOPMENT Once Round Three is underway, we will see an employment boom in offshore wind.
At REpower for example, by 2016 we believe it is realistic to be installing and operating two 300-600 MW wind farms per annum. A single 500MW wind development is likely to create 70 full time long-term O&M and support roles per project.
INSTALLATION The installation and commissioning phase will generate a phase of continuous employment, with a further 160 roles moving from one project to another year after year. Based on our target of building two 500MW projects per annum this equates to approximately 1000 jobs generated by just one OEM over five years.
TURBINE MANUFACTURERS Taking a look at turbine manufacturers across the sector, the figures get even more impressive.
From 2015 the industry could expect to build around five 500MW and above projects per annum in the UK on an ongoing basis. So we are looking at around 25 projects and 12.5GW over five years.
This level of development will generate 350 O&M jobs a year alone. In five years this will rise to 1750, ten years 3500 and so on. Similarly, the installation and commissioning
phases for 5 projects a year will require around 800 people. So in total wind turbine manufacturers could contribute 4,500 jobs over 10 years in O&M, installation and commissioning alone.
TIP OF THE ICEBERG When scaled up, employment generation by OEMs produce some impressive figures. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. When considering additional roles that support the development and operation of offshore wind farms, the consultancy businesses that provide advice on all aspects of development and operation, local supply chain businesses, manufacturing plants, developers, utility companies, grid infrastructure services, transport, logistics etc; it is clear the industry has far greater potential to create jobs than Cambridge Econometrics estimate.
THE REAL QUESTION This is a huge positive for the sector, and a message that we must shout from the rooftops, but in truth, the challenge for the industry is not whether it can create jobs.
The real question is; do we have the skills to fill them?
Currently, the UK lacks many of the skills required for the offshore sector, particularly turbine engineers and mechanics. Much of this talent can be found abroad in Germany and Scandinavia, where the industry is more mature.
22
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108