TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT Going Green: The Future of Renewable Energy
Complete Training Solutions Chief Operating Officer Danielle Kershaw on the future of renewable energy
The last 16 months have been a challenging time for all sectors, with many businesses being forced to completely reassess their operations and adjust their ways of working to comply with national restrictions. Despite a year of turmoil and disruption, the renewables industry has remained a powerful force and has demonstrated its agility and flexibility. 2020 was the second-best performing year in history for the global offshore wind industry, with a total of 6.1GW in energy being commissioned worldwide.
In 2020, the UK reached a milestone in its pursuit of a greener future, as renewable energy consumption surpassed fossil fuel use. The UK is a leader in renewable energy technology and installed capacity, and in 2020 alone, 29% of the total global installations came from the UK.
In recent years, there has been more investment from the Government to ensure a greener, more sustainable future. To reverse global warming and slash greenhouse gas pollution, the UK committed itself to reducing 57% of emissions by 2030 and 80% by 2050. There is no doubt that a low carbon, renewable energy revolution will be the key to meeting the targets. Recent plans set out by the Government outlined a boost in investment in renewables that promised to create jobs, slash carbon emissions, and boost exports. If the UK is to meet targets, capital investment in offshore wind developments will be crucial.
Despite the attractive investments outlined by the Government, there is
Danielle Kershaw
an uneven bias in the geographical location of future wind farm projects. There is a lack of investment in the North-West for wind farm developments, an issue that needs to be addressed at a national level. The North-West currently holds a 19.2% regional share of operational wind farms in the UK. With no future developments in the pipeline for the North-West, this could cause enormous problems for the workforce in the region.
A recent report published by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) highlighted global predictions for offshore wind capacity. The report predicts that the UK will remain at the forefront of renewable energy, with capacity expected to grow to 40.5GW by 2030. The growing surge in offshore wind developments will undoubtedly cause a surge in demand for skilled workers to develop, install, and maintain the farms. For the exponential targets to be met, at least 16,000 workers would be needed for the construction and installation process. Couple that with the figure
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of workers needed to operate and maintain wind farms, and the sector is faced with a major skills demand.
Training providers will play a key role in ensuring the current and future renewables workforce are equipped with the skills and knowledge to facilitate the development, construction, installation, and maintenance of wind farms.
“As Chief Operating Officer at Complete Training Solutions, my team is committed to supporting the Government in meeting its Net Zero ambitions. Whilst the investments go a long way in supporting the UK to deliver on its green revolution promise, training will be a key factor in the success of the plans. Without a skilled and robust workforce, the UK will be faced with challenges and obstacles, including increased costs due to a lack of staff training. Upscaling the renewables workforce whilst attracting new workers into the industry will be a key enabler in ensuring the Net Zero ambitions are met.”
– Complete Training Solutions Chief Operating Officer, Danielle Kershaw
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