Download - Wind power – the skills challenge
Wind power – the skills challenge
Dr Gordon Edge
Director of Policy
RenewableUK
A word on who we are…
Wind capacity – strong recent growth
Working for a Green Britain
Employment and skills in the UK wind and marine energy industries
• Published: Feb 2011
• Making the case for added value from the industry in terms of employment – that accompanies the environmental and security of supply benefits
• Available online:
www.renewable-uk.com
Key Questions – and Research Approach
• Number of Full Time Equivalent Employees directly in UK onshore, offshore, small wind & marine energy?
• How has the workforce developed since 2007? (Bain & Co) • What are the skills challenges faced?
How was the research conducted? • Institute of Employment Research & Cambridge Econometrics: • Literature review to develop methodology • Telephone interviews with 253 members• Questions on industry spend to cross reference employment figures• Modelling to estimate total employment (~500 ‘direct’ companies
active in the UK) • Analysis provided by RenewableUK & Consultants
Key Findings
• 10,800 FTEs directly in wind and marine energy : 2010
• 91% increase in large wind related direct FTE count since 2007 (4,800 9,200 FTEs)
• We moved from 2.2GW installed capacity to ~4.2GW in same three year period – but other factors have also driven employment
A tale of two sectors
• The skills challenges facing onshore and offshore wind development in the UK are very different– Both now and in the future
Onshore wind – Develop and Operate
• Onshore Wind:– 2007: 4,064 FTEs
– 2010: 6,100 direct FTEs
– 48% increase relative to 2007
Future Scenarios – Onshore
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
18000
2010 Base Case Added Value Dynamic Growth
UK content onshore
• UK will take only a small share in the capital value of onshore wind
Scenario UK market share of: 2009 Assumption 2020 Assumption
A (low) UK 5% 5%
EU 1% 0.5%
B (medium) UK 5% 10%
EU 1% 1%
C (high) UK 5% 12%
EU 1% 5%
2020 European Market (-UK) = 196,000 MW installed
Onshore challenge
• Increase in build rate of onshore wind will require some more installation staff– From ~1,000 today to perhaps 2,000
– Not hugely challenging
• Rapid increase in cumulative capacity will strongly drive need for skilled maintenance technicians– From ~1,200 today to perhaps 5,000
– Will require large intake of apprentices, new entrants with transferable skills
• Low share of manufacturing leads to low need for recruits
Offshore wind – Manufacture and Export
• Offshore Wind– 2007: 731 direct FTEs
– 2010: 3,100 direct FTEs
– Employment has more than quadrupled relative to 2007
Future Scenarios – Offshore
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
2010 Base Case Added Value Dynamic
UK content offshore
• UK takes significant share of offshore capital value in both UK and EU
Scenario UK market share of: 2009 Assumption 2020 Assumption
A (low) UK 5% 10%
EU 3% 6%
B (medium) UK 5% 40%
EU 3% 25%
C (high) UK 5% 50%
EU 3% 30%
2020 European Market (-UK) = 30299 MW
Offshore challenge
• Rapid increase in build rate of offshore wind will require many more installation staff– From ~1,200 today to perhaps 6,000– Very specialised skill set, competition from oil and gas
• Extremely rapid increase in cumulative capacity will strongly drive need for skilled maintenance technicians– From ~600 today to perhaps 10,000– Will require huge intake of apprentices, new entrants with transferable
skills– Very specialised skill set, competition from oil and gas
• High share of manufacturing leads to massive need for recruits– From virtually zero to ????
Factories – Healthy Industry
• ~ 5 turbine plants• ~ 5 foundation
plants• ~12 cable
factories• £1bn CapEx• Decisions need to
be taken between 2011 and 2013
• Perhaps 10,000 direct jobs, many more in supply chain
Cable factory requirements are extended from 2022’s figure onwards
What has been achieved to resolve skills & employment related issues in the UK?
Best practice:
Individual initiatives:
Companies, training providers, universities across the UK are developing innovative and successful solutions
Collective initiatives:
Organisations coming together to define issues and develop successful solutions to these
What more can be done?
• Seeking best practice examples from European counterparts– But also keen to share our experience
• Exchange forum on ideas• Focus:
- Transfer training- Higher Education- Vocational Training
Useful Contacts:
• Dr Gordon EdgeDirector of [email protected]
• Fruzsina KemenesSkills & Education Policy [email protected]
• Chris StreatfeildDirector of Health & Safety [email protected]