FEATURE WHY SAFETY MATTERS


The new UK Labour government has announced an ambitious energy


transition programme aiming to deliver a


decarbonised electricity system by 2030. This has brought the subject


into renewed focus over recent


months, with plans outlined to accelerate investment in the industry.


However, the practical reality behind the headlines is that in order to meet ambitious timeframes, safety must be prioritised. Without comprehensive safety procedures in place, there is a very real risk of setbacks, particularly in the area of investment, which may impact the ability to meet the 2030 goal.


Dräger has identified five key safety areas which we believe must be addressed as the energy transition starts to accelerate:


CHALLENGE PERCEPTIONS Unlike the oil and gas sector, many people view green energy and the wider energy transition industries as ‘clean, green and safe’, while the oil and gas industries have, over many decades, been characterised as ‘dirty, oily, black and dangerous.’ The reality is quite different, and in many respects the safety risks involved in energy transition industries are not vastly dissimilar to those faced in the oil and gas sector.


Indeed, research has found that injury rates in the offshore wind sector are up to four times higher than in the offshore oil and gas industry, a trend which the research anticipates will increase due to the growth and implementation of new technologies creating additional challenges.


Understanding and accepting the safety realities is a vital priority for those operating in the clean energy sector, and every opportunity should be taken to encourage the transfer of safety knowledge from other, related industries such as oil and gas.


Whilst most people would agree that a move away from a carbon-based economy should be carried out as quickly as possible, this must not be at the expense of safety. To do so risks setbacks which have the potential to harm the overall end goal of protecting the planet for future generations.


PUT SAFETY FIRST It is clear that the safety industry has a key role to play in communicating the need for rigorous safety standards


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Megan Hine, Energy Transition Safety Lead at Draeger Safety UK, identifies five key issues that need addressing as the energy transition ramps up.


across renewable energy industries, in line with the mature and well-advanced safety standards in the oil and gas industry.


We firmly believe that the success of renewable energy will depend on confidence and trust in these newer industries. Having comprehensive safety measures in place is a vital component to building and maintaining public trust in the new energy industry, and to ensure that it is seen as a safe and dependable energy source for the future. Any significant safety incident that erodes this trust could be extremely damaging as well as risk leading to consequences for future investment.


Investment will be key to meeting the government’s decarbonisation plans and some estimates suggest that investment levels will need to be boosted by a further £48bn. Having comprehensive safety standards in place has a key role to play in securing trust and confidence in the long-term viability of investments, and will act as an enabler to acquire finance, insurance and planning for the future.


BOOST R&D COLLABORATION With a growing emphasis on the need for innovation to help reduce the global reliance on fossil-fuels, many of the current advances being seen in the energy transition are new to market, and in some cases, not yet widely tested.


Whilst this type of innovation is an important – and indeed unavoidable – element of the energy transition as a whole, it also presents significant challenges from a safety perspective.


It is vital for all involved to recognise the importance of partnering and collaborating with those at the forefront of research in the clean energy space. Partnerships with academia, research and development (R&D) and industry experts, as well as those with working experience of new safety risks, are vital for the innovation to move forward in a safe and optimum way.


Dräger has been working with the University of Aberdeen for several years in relation to its research into hydrogen and renewable energy, both supporting its students’ understanding of the safety risks and also by working to advise on safety technology installations for the University’s hydrogen lab.


Many of the considerations around new safety risks ultimately come down to ‘fundamental’ understandings of material properties and processes – for example mechanical performance, embrittlement, chemical reactivity. This type of knowledge can often be very effectively transferred into technological breakthroughs (improvements in materials usage, safer processes, processes that are easier to implement).


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