Employment in the Renewable Energy Sector ...

EARTHCARE Save the EARTH: Counsellors and Advisors in Renewable Energy

Employment in the Renewable Energy Sector - Overview & Example Job-Profiles -

Handbook for Career Advisors and Occupational Councillors

Draft version July 2006

Community action programme on vocational training Procedure B Second phase: 2000 –2006 PILOT PROJECTS, LANGUAGE COMPETENCES, TRANSNATIONAL NETWORKS AGREEMENT n° EL/2004/B/F/PP-148259

Through informed guidance and easily accessible resources, it is hoped that individuals will be able to benefit by engaging in fulfilling renewable energy career opportunities whilst simultaneously facilitating the growth of the renewable energy sector.

Project co-ordination: IDEC SA Iroon Polytechniou 96, 18536 Piraeus, Greece Legal notice: Neither the European Commission, nor any person acting on behalf of the Commission, is responsible for the use which might be made of the information contained in this publication. The views expressed in this publication have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as a statement of the Commission’s views.

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Contents 1. 2.

Introduction........................................................................................... 5 Wind energy........................................................................................... 7

2.1 2.2 2.3 3.

Photovoltaics ....................................................................................... 14

3.1 3.2 3.3 4.

6.

7.

5.1 5.2 5.3

State of the art ..............................................................................................22 Potential .......................................................................................................23 Employment.................................................................................................23

6.1 6.2 6.3


Hydropower ......................................................................................... 26

Solar Thermal....................................................................................... 29

State of Art...................................................................................................29 Potential .......................................................................................................31 Employment.................................................................................................32

General Occupations............................................................................ 34

8.1 8.2 8.3 9.


Biomass................................................................................................ 22

7.1 7.2 7.3 8.


Geothermal energy .............................................................................. 18

4.1 4.2 4.3 5.

State of the art ................................................................................................7 Potential .........................................................................................................8 Employment...................................................................................................8

Rational Use of Energy................................................................................34 High Performance Buildings........................................................................34 General Occupations (related to whole of RES)..........................................36

Conclusions .......................................................................................... 37

ANNEX: Job Profiles .................................................................................... 39

Administrative Manager ......................................................................................40 Architect...............................................................................................................42 Chemical Engineer...............................................................................................44 Civil Engineer ......................................................................................................46 Drilling Engineer .................................................................................................48 Drilling Technician ..............................................................................................49 Electrical Engineer...............................................................................................50 Energy Consultant................................................................................................52 Environmental Engineer ......................................................................................53 Hydro-Geologist ..................................................................................................55 Landscape Architect.............................................................................................57 Lawyer .................................................................................................................59 Manufacturing Engineer ......................................................................................61 Marketing Executive............................................................................................63 Material Scientist .................................................................................................65

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Mechanical Engineer ...........................................................................................67 Micrositing Engineer ..........................................................................................71 Planning Consultant .............................................................................................73 Project Manager ...................................................................................................75 Public Relations Officer.......................................................................................77 Renewable Energy Installations Assessor ...........................................................79 Research Engineer ...............................................................................................81 Sales Technician ..................................................................................................83 Social Advisor......................................................................................................85 Technician specialised in Renewable Energies applied to Buildings. .................86 Technician specialised in Renewable Energies applied in Industry. ...................88

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1.

INTRODUCTION

The importance of renewable energy generation to the sustainable development of mankind is now widely recognised and continues to grow as concerns over climate change and security of energy supply increase. The main energy renewable energy sectors are: wind, photovoltaics, geothermal, biomass, hydropower and solar thermal energy. Current technologies in each of the renewable energy sectors are now capable of generating a significant proportion of our energy needs and improvements continue to be made in areas of efficiency, reliability and economics. Political action covering regulation, financial incentives and national target setting is also becoming more established. However, one of the main barriers to the successful development of renewable energy and achieving the targets set across Europe, and the rest of the world, is the availability of trained persons to allow and drive the necessary industry expansion. The contribution of renewable energy to employment could be considerable. According to the advance renewable strategy scenario, as stated in the MITRE report1, which is based on best practices, new policies and attitude change, the net employment growth in the sector is expected to be 1,660,000 by 2010 with a total of 2,463,000 new jobs by 2020. Assuming no change in existing policies, net employment growth is still expected to create 950,000 new jobs before 2010. Despite these predictions and current employment growth in the sector to date, shortfalls in trained and competent personnel exist. This condition will escalate as the industry attempt to grow to meet energy targets and needs. As these sectors become established a new of set occupations are currently developing throughout Europe. However, difficulties often arise for students and individuals who are interested in this area in finding the necessary career guidance. General awareness of the range of employment opportunities available in this sector can also be an issue. Earthcare has therefore been established to help ensure adequate numbers of skilled employees are available in the emerging renewable energy disciplines, through the provision and dissemination of key resources. These resources have been created during close collaboration and exchange of experience from 8 partners across 5 countries in Europe as part of the European Commission funded Leonardo da Vinci programme. Aims •

To improve awareness of the diverse range of job opportunities in the field of renewable energy;

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To provide readily available information and resources on employment prospects in various renewable energy sectors in Europe, detailed description of occupations, available training courses and information on potential employers and job offers;

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To boost employment, create successful careers for individuals and contribute to the unhindered growth of renewable energy.

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Meeting the Targets and Putting Renewables to Work, Overview Report. MITRE: Monitoring & Modelling Initiative on the targets for Renewable Energy (ALTENER Programme)

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Target Groups •

Occupational counsellors and career advisors working with schools, universities and centres for training and employment;

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Students in secondary or higher education seeking more information on renewable energy career options and prospects;

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Mature adults considering transferring their current skills to a new career in renewable energy;

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Associations involved with the training and development of career advisors.

Earthcare Handbook: This handbook, entitled “Employment in the Renewable Energy Sector”, is a tool for occupational counsellors and career advisors to help guide those who may be interested in pursuing a career in renewable energy. The handbook consists of two parts. The first provides an overview of the different technologies within the various renewable energy sectors. This includes an assessment of the current state of the art of each technology and the potential for development and employment. The second part of the handbook provides example job-profiles covering the majority of skilled professions and occupations that exist in the renewable energy labour market. Many professions are applicable to a range of renewable energy sectors and although variations occur between countries and companies the job descriptions are designed to cover the widest range possible. Other Earthcare Resources This handbook is part of a complete support package for occupational counsellors and advisors that comprises: •

Renewable Energy Training Course Database A database of renewable energy training courses in Greece, UK, France, Italy and Spain including both higher education courses and vocational training.

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Renewable Energy Company and Job-Offer Database To aid the search for jobs and information on some of the major employers in the industry, a Renewable Energy Company and Job-Offer Database has been created.

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Training Curricula and Training Courses Resources for counsellor and advisor training courses including presentations and training curricula.

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Earthcare web site www.idec.gr/earthcare A web site has been created where further details on the project can be found and electronic versions of the above resources, in five languages (Greek, English, French, Italian and Spanish), can be freely downloaded and used.

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2.

WIND ENERGY

The reality of the wind energy as a mature and beneficial technology is evident and the continued growth of the sector is well documented. Wind is still one of the fastest growing energy sources and Europe is reinforcing its global leadership in wind technology. The numerous successful installations throughout the EU states, current incentives and inherent benefits of generating clean energy bodes very well for future expansion and the associated increase in employment opportunities.

State of the art The current state of wind turbine technology is advanced. Although rotor designs vary the most common in use today, for on and offshore applications, is the three bladed horizontal axis machine operating both at “near-fixed” speed and variable speed. Their speed and power are controlled by either stall or pitch regulation. Variable speed and pitch control now dominate along with the relatively new doublefed induction generators2. The rotor may be attached to its generator via a gearbox and drive train, or the generator may be coupled directly to the rotor in an arrangement known as ‘direct drive’. Rotor blades are typically manufactured from glass polyester or glass epoxy, sometimes in combination with wood and carbon. The tubular towers supporting the nacelle and rotor are made of steel in most cases although some use concrete towers for the very largest turbines. Europe has 75% of total global installed wind power capacity, surpassing the USA who led the world in the 1980s. Capacity is expected to treble by 2010 (to 75GW). Europe also holds the dominant position in wind turbine manufacturing and wind power technology R&D in general which to a large extent has arisen from EU’s longterm commitment to R&D programmes combined with close cooperation between industry and research institutions. Manufacturing in the EU now supplies 90% of the global demand for wind turbine technology. Within Europe, Germany leads the way with an installed total capacity of 15,688MW (2004) which produces 6.2% of the national electricity demand3. Spain follows with 6,420MW supplying about 5% of the nation’s electricity with the development stemming from regional governments keen to create local jobs. Denmark has over 3,200MW of installed capacity, which supplies 20% of annual national electricity consumption. Danish designed and manufactured wind turbines have dominated the world market, and today account for 38% of global sales. In the UK, wind is expected to supply 1.5% of electricity (installed total capacity of 600MW) by the end of 2005, which is equivalent to the annual electricity needs of just under one million UK households.4 The resources needed (especially in terms of employment) to enable unhindered growth of the wind sector arise from the key drivers in this industry, i.e. to reduce costs, to improve equipment efficiency, and to deliver projects that meet installation targets whilst appeasing regulatory bodies and others such as financial groups and local communities.

2 3 4

http://www.windstats.com/ Vol. 17, No. 4 - Autumn 2004 The Current Status Of The Wind Industry www.ewea.org/documents/factsheet_industry2.pdf http://www.bwea.com/map/2004.html

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Potential The potential for growth of the wind industry, and therefore employment, is considerable. Turbines continue to grow in size and capacity, e.g. with the production of a 126m diameter 5MW turbine (REpower), and the steady rate of increase shows no sign of slowing. Although commercial wind turbines have been in operation since the 1980s and wind turbine technology is advanced, a large scope still exists for research and development in all areas to improve economical and technical aspects. Indeed this research and development is essential if the next generation of larger turbines (5MW rated and above) are to achieve the reliability levels achieved by the smaller turbines (i.e. up to 2MW) in recent years. The EU is currently in the process of completing the Internal Electricity Market, which is aimed to be fully liberalised by 2007 and should benefit wind energy integration. The security of energy sources for the EU has played an important political role in progressing political aspects as in two decades Europe is expected to be importing 70% of its energy (compared with ~50% today). It is worthwhile noting that the recoverable wind resource in the North Sea alone is enough to meet EU electricity demands. Offshore wind in general is currently in its infancy providing less than 2% of Europe’s total production. However the EWEA’s (European Wind Energy Association) installed offshore wind energy capacity targets for the EU-15 is ~15% in 2010, rising towards 65% in 20205. Although accessibility may currently be an obstacle to large scale offshore development, improvements in installation procedures and operational reliability will enable the industry to make the most of the inherent advantages such as: high quality wind resources (typically 40% more than energy than onshore6); good yield predictability relative to sites on complex onshore topographies; and the large available area. The greatest advantage however is the absence of noise emissions constraints and disturbance to communities which mean higher tip speeds and consequently smaller transmission ratios and lighter drive trains and therefore lighter and cheaper units. As confidence grows in the advancing wind industry technology, and when standardisation of components and certification of equipment (e.g. for larger multiMW turbines) are improved, investors and insurers confidence will also grow which will have positive knock-on effects. For example transmission and distribution network operation will face increasing pressure to improve integration of wind energy (developing codes of practise) for large scale and decentralised contributions. Indeed this process has already started with the introduction of new grid codes in Germany, the UK and elsewhere. Germany and Spain are expected to remain the countries leading development in the EU, with considerable development anticipated throughout the EU especially in France, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Denmark.

Employment In Europe the number of people employed in the wind industry has increased from 25,000 in 1998 to more than 72,000 by 2002 (including manufacture, installation and 5 Strategic Plan for Wind Industry R&D: First Report, Page 10. EWEA (2004) 6 Strategic Plan for Wind Industry R&D: First Report, Page 27. EWEA(2004)

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maintenance) and current trends are equally encouraging7. To meet the global target of 12% wind electricity in 2020 the EWEA estimates a requirement of 1.8million jobyears. They also state the importance of: establishing where skill shortages may occur along the growth curve; developing training schemes; incorporating wind energy technology into the curricula of higher educational institutions; and also producing educational material for primary and secondary schools. It is estimated that the UK sustains 5,500 jobs in manufacturing, development, construction and operation of renewable energies with 1,600 associated with wind energy8. Manufacturing and project development related employment dominate with operation and maintenance playing a relatively small role. The EWEA have quoted a ratio of 10:1 between manufacturing and O&M per MW installed. However, there is an important distinction to be made for the purposes of this handbook between full time employment and full time “skilled” employment. For example, data from the Danish Wind Industry Association9, which represents companies that dominate manufacturing, states only 50% of manufacturing workforce are skilled or “salaried” workers – the rest are “manual” production line workers. A general list of the occupations within the wind energy industry is given below. It should be noted that occupations connected with the various renewable energy sectors, either directly or indirectly, full-time or part-time, are far reaching and this list is only for full time employment directly linked with the wind industry that requires some form of trained skill.

Project Development and Consultancy From contract research and development (R&D) and land acquisition to turn-key delivery. Includes feasibility and scoping studies, field surveys including wind resource assessment, expert evidence, design, development, numerical/physical models, visualisation, regulatory compliance, procurement, commissioning and operation, transmission & distribution of energy, inspection, management and integration with other renewable technologies. Occupation

Description

Project Manager

A project manager is responsible for general project coordination and management and will often have their role linked with other disciplines.

Planning Consultant

A planning consultant will be concerned with wind farm site selection and other aspects of importance in initial stages of a development such as feasibility studies, surveys and coordination with regulatory bodies. They will investigate overall viability identifying key obstacles to the development and propose solutions. They will liaise with local planners and may be involved in Environmental Impact Assessments.

Risk Analyst

A risk analyst will perform technical reviews of contracts, specifications, method statements and designs. They will

7 The Current Status of the Wind Industry, page 4. EWEA(2004) 8 Renewable Supply Chain Gap Analysis, Summary Report, DTI, January 2004 9 http://www.windpower.org/

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identify any technical risks and also strategies for their mitigation. They will also provide monitoring and certification of milestones during design and construction, and operational audits. They may provide due diligence services to banks and other project sponsors. Environmental Engineer

The environmental engineer will be to provide expert evidence on how a proposed development may affect the environment. This will include, for example, assessing the impact of noise, blade shadow/flickering and electromagnetic interference to ensure a development does not interfere with broadcasts. The environment engineer will often undertake visual impact assessments - wireframe views, photomontages, Zones of Visual Influence (ZVI’s). They will have a major role in drawing up the Environmental Impact Statements.

Micrositing Engineer

Micrositing involves designing the detailed layout of individual turbines within a proposed wind farm to make the most of the local climate and topology. It will involve using software packages to arrive at the optimal wind turbine layout and ensure that the wake of one turbine does not adversely affect the performance of another.

Energy Consultant

An energy consultant will be responsible for a wide range of tasks including the integration of wind energy with other technologies and the negotiation of grid connection with utilities.

Electrical Engineer

The electrical engineer will complete the overall design of the electrical system including specification of components and selection of suppliers. Electrical engineers working for turbine manufactures may also devise advanced control algorithms for the alleviation of turbine structural loads and optimisation of energy capture. They will also specify measurement systems and test programmes. They supply, install and calibrate instrumentation and data acquisition system in order to perform data collection, analysis and reporting for wind turbine design verification.

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineers will design components such as: rotor hub, pitch system and nacelle structure. Blade Element Momentum (BEM) codes are commonly used for aerodynamic design with Finite element analysis (FEM) software often used to analyse stress and fatigue as part of aeroelastic analysis.

Civil Engineer

Civil engineers deal with wind farm infrastructure such as turbine foundation design, utility buildings and road layouts.

Structural Engineer

Structural engineers will design towers which often may reach in excess of 120m. They may also assess soil samples and design the turbine foundations in conjunction with civil engineers.

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Resident Engineer

Resident engineers are sent on site to provide monitoring and ensure the proper delivery of all wind farm works – wind turbines, civil engineering, electrical engineering, operations and maintenance.

Offshore Wind Management of marine surveys, health & safety, submarine power cabling, and foundation design & construction. Also specialist contractors related to the marine environment. Occupation

Description

Offshore Wind Consultant

Specialist in offshore wind farm design.

Geoscience Consultant

This will include reporting on geophysical and geotechnical aspects, wave and current measurement, carrying out meteocean modelling and wind monitoring.

Offshore Service Provider or Electrical Engineering consultant.

Designing connection to shore and negotiating with DNO (Distribution. Network Operator) where appropriate. Connecting offshore wind farm to the electricity distribution system or the transmission system (national grid) depending on size and location.

Specialist Sub Contractor

Deals with aspects marine development such as shipping and underwater operations.

Weather and Environmental Offices Wind data and monitoring, Environmental Impact Assessments, and scientific experts such as meteorologists, communications specialist, geologists, biologist, and ornithologists. Occupation

Description

Wind Resource Analyst

The wind resource analyst must understand the wind regime of a site and thus be able to accurately predict the energy output of a proposed wind farm. The available energy is a cubic function of the wind speed so the analyst plays particular attention to the accuracy of the wind resource assessment. Wind monitoring and assessment via a comprehensive range of validated analytical approaches such as Measure Correlate Predict (MCP) is a key aspect of this job.

Environmental & Scientific Advisor

Specialist in various scientific and environmental aspects of the impact of any proposed development.

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Manufacturing From turbines and associated components to structures and cabling. Occupation

Description

Manufacturing Manager

General project management and day to day running of manufacturing operations.

Manufacturing Developer / Engineer

This encompasses a wide range engineering fields relating to manufacturing e.g. Electrical and Power Systems Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Applications Engineer, Requisition Engineer, Offshore Application/Requisition Engineer, Converter Engineer, Production Engineer, Control Engineer, Electrical machines specialists, Protection Engineer, Switchgear and ancillary plant Technician, Site Technician, Aerodynamicist, Communications/IT Engineer, Materials Specialist, Metallurgist, Signal Processing Specialist (and other research engineers).

Construction and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Management, structural fabrication, installation & erection, O&M, monitoring, structural inspection. Also specialist contractors related to e.g. cranes for turbine erection. Occupation

Description

Construction Manager

General project management and day to day running of construction operations.

Construction Engineers

Covers a wide range of discipline including: Civil Engineers, Structural Engineers, O&M (Operations and Maintenance) Manager, O&M Engineers, Technician and Specialist Subcontractors.

Public Relations and Marketing Occupation

Description

Public Relations Officer Political/community profiling, site assessment, local authority and community consultation, planning PR support, stakeholder relations, national government/interest group public affairs, communication strategy implementation and media training. Marketing Executive

Marketing of wind turbine products and services.

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Associated Occupations

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Electricity Utilities Coordinator

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Financier

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Financial advisor

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Legal Officer

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Insurer

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Health and Safety Consultant

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Certification provider

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3.

PHOTOVOLTAICS

One of the most promising new energy resources is the direct conversion of solar radiation to electrical energy, using photovoltaic (PV) systems. The use of the PV technology has multiple environmental benefits, although in many cases costs are not yet competitive with conventional bulk electricity generation. However, it is often attractive for grid remote supply and today PV technology is developing fast as a sustainable alternative energy solution with the PV market is experiencing sustained and rapid growth. Associated with this demand for PV technology is the creation of new job opportunities across research, manufacturing and system design and installation.

State of the art The photoelectric effect was discovered in 1887. By the 1960s, silicon based PV cells were being used routinely in space. Nowadays, PV systems are used in a wide range of applications, to supply a range of energy demands from remote power supplies for telecoms repeaters to solar home systems, and more recently grid connected PV systems. In recent years, worldwide intensive research and development (R&D) in PV technology by a number of research institutions, universities and the industry has lead to outstanding stability under real operating conditions. Conversion efficiency levels for terrestrial applications now reach up to 20% for the best crystalline silicon modules whilst space cells are now capable of converting more than 35% of solar radiation into electrcity. The fundamental unit of a PV array is the solar cell. Groups of cells are electrically interconnected in series and/or in parallel constitute the so-called PV module. The most important electrical characteristic of a PV module is the peak power, usually expressed in Wp. This represents the electrical power that is produced when a PV module operating at 25oC is exposed to 1kW/m2 of solar radiation (formally known as Standard Test Conditions – STC). PV modules are interconnected to form arrays; these are designed to meet the specific demands of a given application. An autonomous PV system comprises a PV array, an energy storage system (battery) and power electronics to control battery charging and where required provide DC to AC convertion. A typical grid-connected PV power supply system requires only the PV array and a grid-compatible DC/AC converter known as an inverter. According to 2004 statistical data, the dominant PV cell technology used by the industry is crystalline silicon with approximately 90% of the total market. Other solar cell technologies, such as amorphous silicon, CIS, CdTe, and other thin-films, are available commercially but are also under research and development to improve stability and efficiency whist reducing manufacturing costs. Thin films are expected to increase market share on the back of this R&D. Installed PV systems can be either privately or publicly owned. Increasingly, the most popular type of PV system for homes and businesses is grid-connected. Connection to the local electricity network allows any excess power produced to be sold to the utility, contracts permitting. In countries that have an established premium feed-in tariff policy, this can be considerably higher than the usual tariff paid by the consumer to the utility. In these cases the electricity produced is all fed into the public grid and sold to the utility. This is the case in countries such as Germany,

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France and Spain. A system that can be connected to the local electricity network can also include a back up battery but whether this is attractive depends entirely on the local reliability of the network supply. The other major type of PV system is the off-grid system, which is completely independent of the network and connected to a battery via a charge controller. The battery stores the electricity generated and acts as the main power supply. An inverter can be use to provide AC power, enabling the use of normal appliances without mains power. Typical off-grid applications are rural electrification or industrial applications such as repeater stations for mobile phones. Rural electrification means either small solar home systems (SHS) covering basic electricity needs or solar mini grids, which are larger solar electricity systems providing electricity for several households. Finally, there is the so-called PV hybrid system topology, which can be combined with another source of power – a biomass generator, a wind turbine or diesel generator – to ensure a consistent supply of electricity. A hybrid system can be grid connected, stand-alone or grid support. PV power systems offer several benefits beyond simple energy delivery that can make comparisons with conventional electricity generation not always appropriate. If the amenity value of the energy service that PV provides, or other non-energy benefits, could be appropriately evaluated, it is clear that the overall economics of PV generation would be dramatically improved in numerous applications, even in some grid-connection situations. A main feature of PV technology is the ability to produce electrical energy at the site of consumption. Since power is generated close to the point of use transmission losses are reduced. Service reliability for consumers is also improved and the maximum demand is limited. PV offers important social benefits in terms of job creation, energy independence and rural development. Significantly, much of the employment creation is at the installation point (installers and service engineers), giving a boost to local economies. Solar power can be easily installed in remote areas that may not be targeted for grid connection for many years and therefore, those communities can reduce reliance on energy imports. Additionally, PV systems do not pollute the environment, the best solar modules have lifetime of over 25 years, they do not have moving parts and do not create noise during operation, PV systems have relatively low transfer costs and negligible maintenance and operation costs. PV modules can be integrated into building roofs and facades and a PV system is a modular installation and thus can always be expanded according to developing enduser requirements. Today, the main reasons that prevent a wider usage of PV technology are the presently high costs of PV modules and limited or unfavourable legislation to support market development, especially for grid-connected systems. However, in many cases such as in remote areas or at sites where energy production costs are high, e.g. islands, PV system technology is a technically reliable and financially favourable solution. A total capacity of about 562 MWp was installed in Europe, by the end of 2003. Germany has the highest total installed capacity in Europe reaching up to 398 MWp (2003). The second highest installed capacity is in Holland (approx. 48 MWp). Japan however leads the world in terms of both the domestic market and manufacturing.

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Potential The efforts required to meet the CO2 emission targets set at Kyoto, as well as the increasing need for more and cleaner energy, has lead to the conclusion that technologies such as PV must be further developed and supported. The European Union has set a target to double the proportion of energy generated from renewable sources in the 15 member states (before the latest enlargement) to 12% by 2010. This includes a specific target to achieve 3 GWp of PV capacity. Also, the EU has a target for 1 million solar roofs as part of its renewable energy “Campaign for TakeOff”. Other countries around the world have similar targets for large numbers of grid-integrated PV systems, California in particular has just launched a large scale PV programme. The comparative advantages of PV systems led to a market growth of 33% and to a billion Euro annual turnover in Europe, for the years 2002 and 2003. An average annual growth of the PV market in Europe can be estimated at about 25%, including industry and services. The market growth has been followed by more investments in research and innovation. In order to maintain these rates of development the highest priorities should be given to reducing the cost of PV systems and to the implementation and adopted of policies supporting the application of PV technology. The feed-in tariff, as for example in Germany, is considered to be a highly effective support system. PV development in Germany was initiated in 1993 with the “1000 solar-roofs” programme for the installation of PV roof-top systems of 2-4 kWp capacity. The programme was so successful that by its final phase, approximately 2500 systems were installed. The target of the following “100,000 solar-roofs” programme was to install a PV capacity of 300 MWp by the end of 2004. This target was also exceeded. In the rest of Europe, Spain has an overall target to double its proportion of renewable energy to 12% by 2010. The 1998 feed-in law, which was revised in March 2004, with some significant changes and new conditions, should stimulate the PV market. Italy launched a solar roof programme in 2001, but success has been very limited. The Italian parliament has decided to introduce a premium feed-in tariff, but the level of the tariff and other conditions have not yet been defined. Luxemburg has an extremely attractive support system, with investment support up to 45 € cents/kWh feed-in tariff. The UK had 5.9 MWp of capacity installed by the end of 2003, mostly as a result of capital grants totalling 56 million €, offered by the government. Austria introduced a national feed-in tariff at the beginning of 2003 as did Cyprus in 2004. In Greece the implementation of a feed-in tariff for PV is under discussion. Other European countries are also pursuing solar programs, mainly targeted at the grid-connected sector.

Employment Based on a research carried out by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) from 1995 to 2004 an estimated 151,109 jobs have been created in the PV sector worldwide. The majority of these jobs have been created in the installation and servicing of PV systems rather than in their manufacture. EPIA concluded that today’s 17 jobs per MW in production will be reduced to 15 in 2010, decreasing to 10 jobs per MW between 2010 and 2020. About 30 jobs per MW will be created during the process of installation, retailing and providing other local services up to 2010, reducing to 26 jobs per MW between 2010 and 2020. As far as maintenance is concerned, it is assumed that with the more efficient business structures and larger systems of the industrialised world, about one job per installed MW job will be

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created. Since the developing world markets will play a more significant role beyond 2010 the proportion of maintenance work is assumed to steadily increase up to 2 jobs per MW, by 2020. The result of this research and analysis is that by 2020, an estimated 2.25 million full time jobs would have been created by the development of solar power around the world. Over half of these would be in the installation and marketing of systems. The significant European PV market growth of the 2002 and 2003 led to 15,000 job openings, many considered as skilled or “high tech”. The estimated annual growth is 3,500 – 4,000 new direct jobs, every year in Europe. These new jobs will be created in the industry (cell and module production, electronics, batteries, wires, metal constructions), in the research sector (PV materials, PV system designers, software development, codes and standards), in the building sector, and in marketing and promotion. A general list of the occupations within the PV sector is given below: Occupation

Possible Areas of Occupation in the PV Sector

Electronic Engineer

Ingot/cell production, module production & marketing, PV system designers, Electronics industry (inverters, chargers etc.), Battery industry, Software development, Codes and standards, Energy market development.

Mechanical Engineer

Ingot/cell production, module production & marketing, PV system designers, PV system installers, PV system marketing, Metal constructions industry, Software development, Energy market development, legislation.

Production Engineer

Ingot/cell and module production, Electronics industry (inverters, chargers etc.), Battery or Wiring industry.

Electrical Engineer

Electronics industry (inverters, chargers etc.), Software development. PV system installers, PV system marketing, Wiring industry.

Physicist

PV materials and cell development and characterisation, ingot/cell production, PV system designers (meteorology), Battery industry, Software development.

Material Scientist

PV materials, ingot/cell production, Battery industry, Wiring industry, Metal constructions industry.

Architect

PV system and façade designers (built sector).

Civil Engineer

PV system installers, Software development.

Technician – Electrical

PV installation, Electronics industry (inverters, chargers etc.), Battery industry.

Technician – Mechanical

PV installation, Electronics industry (inverters, chargers etc.), Battery industry, Metal constructions industry.

Economist

Module production & marketing, PV system marketing. Energy market development, legislation.

Lawyer

Energy market development, legislation.

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4.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

Geothermal energy is a proven resource for direct heat and power generation. In over 30 countries geothermal resources provide a directly used heat capacity of 12,000MW and electric power generation capacity of over 8,000MW. It also meets a significant portion of the electrical power demand in several developing countries. The accessibility is geographically specific, with some countries like Iceland having abundant easily exploited resources, whilst, for example, the UK has more limited potential. As the world's largest energy resource, geothermal energy is almost inexhaustible. The resource is constantly replenished by circulating ground waters, therefore if the energy is extracted at a sustainable rate, the resource will be available for future generations. A prosperous future for geothermal energy is possible where energy is environmentally conscious, abundant, reliable and affordable and where significant employment potential is created.

State of the art Geothermal energy technology makes use of the heat that flows from the Earth's hot interior towards the surface via convective circulation. This geothermal energy potential beneath our feet is vast and it represents a promising solution as we become ever more concerned about global warming, pollution, and rising fossil energy prices. Furthermore, increased development of geothermal energy yields the potential to gain better control of local energy resources via a secure, safe, domestic source of energy. Geothermal resources may be especially important in developing nations where no indigenous fossil fuel resources, such as oil, coal or natural gas, exist. Geothermal energy differentiates 3 sectors: electrical; thermal; and ground source heat pumps (although the latter is strictly not geothermal but rather an indirect form of solar energy). 1. Geothermal origin electrical production is represented in a small number of countries in Europe such as Italy, Portugal and France. This technology requires high temperatures and therefore significant civil engineering works must be carried out in order to reach the hot dry rocks on the hot aquifers (where temperature exceed 150°C). At the end of 2003 the installed electrical capacity in the EU totalled 823 MWe where as the thermal capacity (including heat pumps) reached 5,283 MW. Costs of geothermal electric power are strongly dependent on the character of the resource and the project size. The main factors influencing the cost are the depth and temperature of the resource, the geothermal “well” productivity, environmental compliance, project infrastructure and economic factors such as the scale of development, and project financing costs. 2. The production of heat from geothermal energy is obtained by exploiting aquifers with temperatures ranging from 30°C to 150°C (so-called low and medium energy applications). The extracted heat is then distributed through heat grids. In the European Union, middle and low energy geothermal energy

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represented a thermal capacity of 1,131 MW in 2003 and has been increasing by around 5.5% per year in recent years. 3. Ground source heat pumps are another way to produce heat efficiently from thermal energy held in the soil. Heat pumps are equipped with collectors buried either vertically or horizontally. Vertical heat pumps require drilled bore holes (or wells created via hydraulic machinery if rocks are not present) and are viable if land is not available for horizontal arrangements. Heat pumps are not always defined as renewable energy sources devices. However, they can be very energy efficient. Heat pumps are rapidly developing in many European countries, mostly in Sweden, but also in Germany, France, Austria, Finland and Italy10 Countries

Quantity (units)

Capacity (MW)

Sweden

212,000

1,270

Germany

79,650

675

France

45,500

670

Austria

37,000

640

Finland

22,000

360

Italy

20,000

320

435,350

4,153

TOTAL

Potential The potential for growth of geothermal energy, and therefore employment, is significant and targets have been set by several organisations. The Kyoto CO2 emission targets, as well as the increasing demand for cleaner sustainable energy, has inevitably lead to the conclusion that technologies such as geothermal energy must be further developed and supported. As previously stated, in Europe the objective is to double the proportion of renewable energy in the 15 member states to 12% energy by 2010. If the heat production sector maintains a 10% growth per year until 2010, it could reach 7,030 MW by 2010. The current trend for production of heat would bring the total up to 8,200 MW by 2010. This is considerably higher than the targeted 5,000 MW (EU White Paper on Renewable Energies). Therefore, geothermal energy is showing a real potential. As for electrical production, the difference between the current trend and the White Paper objectives are small (1010 MWe and 1000 MWe respectively).

10

Source EurObserv’ER 2003

19

Comparison between current trends and White Paper objectives for geothermal energy production End 2003 11

White Paper 2010

Current Trend 201012

Geothermal Electricity

823 MWe

1000 MWe

1010 MWe

Geothermal Heat

1131 MW

5000 MW (including heat pumps)

8200 MW (including heat pumps)

Geothermal Heat Pumps

4153 MW

Targets for a geothermal energy development planned by 2020 by EGEC (European Geothermal Energy Council) are estimated at 48,000 MW for geothermal heat, and 3,000 MWe for geothermal electricity.

Employment The predicted increase in renewable energy penetration gives rise to a net increase in jobs throughout the EU. Over 1,600,000 new jobs in renewables may be created by 2010 in the EU-15, in the case of the “Advanced Renewable Strategy” scenario. Employment potential in the geothermal energy sector13

Geothermal

Current Policies

Advanced Renewable Strategy

2010

2010

2,000

2020 3,000

5,000

14

2020 10,000

For the EU-15 as a whole, in the “Current Policies” scenario, renewables account for 0.8% of total employment, while in the “Advanced Renewable Strategy scenario” the rate rises to 1.3%. Jobs in geothermal energy are mainly located on site, i.e. where the heat resource is located (contrary to other competitive fossil fuel energies). Geothermal energy requires an increased supply of experts in the field of soil mechanics and aquifer modelling. To a certain extent, activities are similar to those carried out to the oil extraction industry. Several other associated occupations are not specific to geothermal energy. Some are related to civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering (if the 11 12 13 14

Source EurObserv’ER 2003 European Commission White Paper on Renewable Energies (1997) Source MITRE (Monitoring and Modelling Initiative on the Targets for Renewable Energy) If advanced strategies are respected (i.e. if all actors in the renewable energy sector work together), employment may reach 5000.

20

project is a geothermal electricity power plant), project management and business development. Occupation

Description

Civil engineer

Civil engineers deal with construction and infrastructure

Electrical engineer

Electrical engineers are responsible for energy production, distribution, development and maintenance of energy installations, and automatic control instruments.

Project manager

A project manager is responsible for general project coordination and management.

However, some occupations are specific to geothermal industry. These are: Occupation

Description

Hydro-geologist

The hydro-geologist specialises in resource prospecting and assessment, and manages water exploitation.

Drilling engineer

Drilling engineers are responsible for the design, development and maintenance of efficient and sustainable wells in order to access underground water.

Drilling technician

The drilling technician carrys out the drilling works in order to extract groundwater reserves.

Other occupations such as heat technician or heat engineer are also emerging.

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5.

BIOMASS

Biomass energy has three main sources: wood, waste and crops (usually for alcohol based fuels). Wood can be obtained from sustainably managed forests or from wood waste streams e.g. the pulping liquor by-product from the paper industry. Waste, the second-largest source of biomass energy, comes from municipal solid waste (MSW), manufacturing waste and landfill gas. Biomass alcohol fuel, or ethanol, is derived almost exclusively from corn crops. Biomass energy is among the most promising alternative energy sources, especially for CHP technology (a highly efficiency method of converting the energy produced by combustion into Combined Heat and (electric) Power) and also in the longer term for sustainable liquid fuels. Biomass also presents opportunities not only for energy production (bioenergy) and fuel synthesis (biofuels) but also for product synthesis (bioproducts). The main advantages of biomass are provided by the abundance of raw materials, the ease of energy extraction, its development in underdeveloped areas and the consequent creation of employment. Its use does not contribute to the greenhouse effect since the CO2 (a green house gas) produced during combustion is taken up in equal measure the growth of that biomass. Also, the low sulphur content results in a negligible contribution to the production of acid rain. Finally it is a renewable energy source, being an indirect form of solar energy, and in the case of anaerobic digestion for methane production, at the end of its life cycle it has the potential to produce fertiliser.

State of the art Bioenergy installations can range from a few hundred kW to multiple MW and can be combined with different technologies as appropriate to local conditions. Today, biomass meets about 15% of the world’s primary energy needs, with 55 million TJ/year (1,230 Mtep/year). The use of this source, however, varies widely between different countries. Developing countries overall take on average 38% of their energy from biomass, with 48 million TJ/year (1,074 Mtep/year), but in many of these countries the resource meets up to 90% of the total energy needs, through the burning of wood, straw and animal waste. Nations such as Nepal, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Niger, Gambia, Morocco, India, Somalia, Bolivia, Sudan, Thailand and Libya, as well as Brazil and Mexico have very high usage rates. Also the People’s Republic of China, whose development is following the forms of the Western free market, benefits from such alternative energy sources. In industrialised countries, biomass contributes just 3% to primary energy needs with 7 million TJ/year (156 Mtoe/year15). The USA takes 3.2% of its energy from biomass, equivalent to 3.2 million TJ/year (70 Mtoe/year) compared to 3.5 % in Europe (40 Mtep/year) with peaks of 18% in Finland, 17% in Sweden and 13% in Austria. It should be noted that most car engines currently in operation in the European Union can use a fuel mix containing a low percentage of biofuel. The most recent 15

Million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe)

22

technological developments enable some engines to use of higher percentages of biofuel. Some countries already use mixes containing 10% or more of biofuel. Pure vegetable oils produced by pressure, extraction or similar treatments, raw or refined, but not chemically modified, can be used as biofuel. The use of biomass in Europe, therefore, satisfies a fairly marginal share of primary energy consumption compared to its potential, with the exception of countries such as Austria and Scandinavia. These leading biomass countries have installed large biomass cogeneration plants and biomass district heating scheme. France, which has the largest agricultural surface area in Europe, is also investing in the production of biodiesel and ethanol and it has adopted a policy of complete tax exemption for the use of ethanol as a fuel. The UK, meanwhile, has developed negligible production of biofuel, since it is presently considered uneconomic, and has concentrated in particular on the development of biogas recovery from waste dumps, both for thermal use and for electricity production. However, the UK is now committed to providing 5% of transport fuels from biomass sources by 201016. Sweden and Austria, which have a long tradition of using wood for burning, have continued to increase the use of biomass for both for heating and district heating, boosting coppice plantations (willow, poplar) which have yields that are 3 to 4 times higher than average.

Potential Bioenergy is among the most promising areas within the renewable energy sector. It has the greatest potential in volume among all renewable energies and has the advantage that it can be stored and used when needed. Hence it can provide a constant, non fluctuating supply of energy. The European Commission’s estimation of the contribution of biomass to Europe’s total energy capacity in 2010 was 135 Mtoe17 (compared to 44.8Mtoe in 1995). This has already been surpassed. The potential for Bioenergy is very large and widely distributed throughout the world with additional bioenergy resources available from a number of easily accessible resources from agricultural, forest and forest industry residues, waste streams as well as from new energy crops. The Biofuels Directive18 states a 2010 reference target for biofuel consumption of 5.75% for gasoline and diesel. However, this target may be difficult to reach, even in an optimistic scenario19, as the time required to set up the infrastructure for the production of biofuels can be considerable.

Employment According to the RAEL (Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory) research centre at Berkeley University, the use of renewable energy sources generates an increase in jobs above that produced by similar investment in traditional energy sources.

16

Promotion and Use of Biofuels in the United Kingdom, UK Department for Transport (June 2006) European Commission White Paper on Renewable Energy (1997) 18 2003/03/EC: Directive on the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport 19 Meeting the Targets and Putting Renewables to Work, Overview Report. MITRE: Monitoring & Modelling Initiative on the targets for Renewable Energy (ALTENER Programme) 17

23

It can be argued that the use of renewable energy represents the start of a cycle of innovation, investment and employment that could in particular benefit economically depressed rural areas. By way of example, a nuclear plant creates little employment, and for generally highly qualified staff; an energy plant based on the use of biomass creates greater employment for every Megawatt produced and requires less qualified workers. Biomass creates new and stable jobs, can assist in rural regeneration and contributes to a balanced growth of agriculture. High demand for biomass conversion and utilisation technologies can be expected in the future in both industrialised and developing countries. This may give rise to export opportunities for European technologies and services, particularly for small and medium capacity plants. A list of some of the occupations within the Biomass sector is given below and is divided into the two areas of plant design and management:

Biomass Plant Design Occupation

Specialisation

Chemical Engineer

Process design and waste treatment

Civil Engineer

Waste disposal structures and infrastructure such as access roads

Mechanical Engineer

Turbine engine / Endothermic engine design

Thermo-hydraulic Engineer Thermal plant / Hydraulic plant design

Biomass Plant Operation Occupation

Description

Plant Manager

Has overall management responsibility for the plant, and for management of resources, work organisation and budget reporting to the Board of Directors.

Administrative Manager

Administrative and human resource management of the company.

Marketing and Energy Sales Promotion and dealing with energy buyers. Manager Environmental Engineer

Responsible for minimising the environmental impact of production and handles relations with control authorities.

Safety Manager

Will be given responsibility, exercised at different levels, for the general safety of the plant.

Energy Manager

Responsible for energy production and creating value from innovating plant design.

Waste treatment expert (differentiated collection

Deals with waste treatment and processes upstream from energy production.

24

and management) Plant Operator

Responsible for the technical operation of the plant and monitoring of the various phases of energy production.

Technician

Responsible for maintenance and troubleshooting within the plant.

Energy Distribution Expert

Responsible for the distribution of the energy produced (in all its forms) to the customer.

In addition agronomists, plant breeders and farm managers have an important role to play on the biomass crop production.

25

6.

HYDROPOWER

Hydropower is one of the oldest and most mature of the renewable energy sectors with the origins of the modern hydropower plants predating the 1900’s with the invention of the efficient Francis turbine. It is by far the most widespread in terms of generated electricity and accounts for approximately one sixth of world electricity20. Hydropower plants vary considerably in size and capacity of energy generation. Although hydropower is a clean energy, in the sense that it creates no direct emissions, large plants are not universally considered sustainable due to their potentially major environmental impact. In contrast, the environmental impact of small-scale hydropower installations is limited, therefore it is commonly regarded as a new renewable energy source.

State of the art Hydropower is generated when running or falling water passes through a turbine causing it to rotate and, through a series of gears, turn a generator (which produces the electricity) Hydropower installations based around rivers generally use a dam to collect and store the gravitational potential energy of the water. A controlled release of this stored water is diverted by channels through the turbines for electricity generation and is subsequently discharged downstream. The difference between large and small-scale installations is not only the size. In large installations the construction of large dams and reservoirs may alter significantly the local flora and fauna and have major environmental consequences. Small-scale hydropower is one of the most environmentally friendly energy conversion options available it does not interfere significantly with river flows. The categorisation of hydropower installations varies between countries. However. the upper limit of small-scale hydropower adopted by ESHA (European Small Hydropower Association) is 10MW and this is now becoming accepted as the common threshold. Hydropower is the foremost electricity-producing renewable energy technology in terms of installed capacity and energy yield, both in Europe and the world. Although it is difficult to determine the total installed capacity from small hydropower installations it has been estimated at 5% of the total hydropower. In Europe there are more than 17,400 small hydropower plants installed.

Potential Small hydropower has a huge potential, which could allow it to make a significant contribution to future energy needs. Europe has both physical resources and state-of the-art technology for further expansion. Besides the development of new installations, there is also considerable potential for improvement and optimisation of existing plants. Proper maintenance and refurbishment of existing plants could contribute to the development of small hydropower.

20

Key World Energy Statistics 2003, IEA, 2003.

26

Despite the very promising potential, the development of small hydropower market is difficult because of institutional and environmental barriers in gaining permission to implement new small hydro installations. Main barriers come from environmental NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) and local communities, who often oppose new installations because of the perceived local environmental impact e.g. on fishing and river environment. Recently the European Union passed the water framework directive 2000/60/EC, establishing new environmental regulations that affect the development of small hydropower. To overcome the barriers, new technologies are being developed, which reduce local environmental impact. Small hydropower can in fact have a positive effect on local environment e.g. by reducing the risk of river flooding. The best market in Europe is the refurbishment of existing plants. Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Sweden are the countries, which contribute the most to EU-15 hydropower production. Spain and Italy have showed considerable growth in installed capacity over the last decade, while almost all countries except Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Nederland’s have increased their production. Some countries such as Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and United Kingdom have developed only small hydropower sectors during the last decade. In 2001, electricity production in EU-15 counted for 2% of total and 9% of renewable energy production.

Employment The employment generated by hydropower technology is found manufacturing, engineering, civil works, consulting and R&D sectors.

in

the

The European hydropower manufacturing industry dominates the world market. The majority of the market share is held by a small number of well established international companies which mainly deal with large projects or in collaboration with local subcontractors for small hydropower projects. The market of very small projects is dominated by the presence of small manufacturing companies that are working in national or regional level. According to SCPTH (Syndicat des cosntructeurs de petit turbines hydrauliques), the hydropower manufacturing industry employs about 4000 people. The engineering/consulting/R&D sectors also generate employment, although these jobs are within departments or teams within larger organisations rather than in specialised small hydropower companies. The employment generated by small hydropower is in mechanical and electrical engineering, in environmental sciences and in technical operators. A general list of the occupations within the hydropower industry is given overleaf.

27

Occupation

Description

Civil Engineer

Civil engineer deals with construction of associated infrastructure such as dams, penstocks and pipework.

Electrical Engineer

Electrical engineers are responsible for energy production, distribution, development and the maintenance of energy installations, automatic control instruments and grid connection.

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineer will design, develop and maintain mechanical equipment and components.

Technician

A technician will be involved in different tasks related to the operation and maintenance of installations and monitoring of processes.

Resource Manager

A resource manager is responsible for water resources management.

Environmental Specialists

Biologists, hydrologists, ecologists, wildlife habitat specialists. Environmental specials will monitor and assess potential impacts on the environment and wildlife habitats.

Landscape Architect

Landscape architects will minimise the impacts of new large scale hydropower stations on the surrounding taking into account ecological conservation and sustainability.

28

7.

SOLAR THERMAL

A number of solar energy capturing systems have been developed and refined in order to get the maximum benefit from direct solar energy which can generate more than enough energy in many countries to provide hot water and space heating. Sun-generated thermal energy has unquestionable advantages: its high energetic quality, its low ecological and environmental impact and its native and inexhaustible character. The main drawbacks are that this energy reaches the earth in a scattered form which can make its recovery in a marketable form complicated and that once captured this energy can be difficult to store. However, at larger scales and higher temperatures this thermal resource can be converted to electricity e.g. through solar thermal chimneys.

State of Art The use of solar thermal energy at small scale is expanding fast, related mainly to domestic use. Solar thermal energy is produced by installations (thermal collectors) which collect (and in some designs concentrate) solar radiation and transfer the energy to a working fluid, raising its temperature. The heat from solar panels can be used to meet a number of needs: •

Space heating for homes, hotels, schools, factories, camping sites, swimming pools, hospitals, etc.

•

Hot water for home and industrial uses or dining halls, collective laundries and kitchens (through public funding).

•

In agriculture, e.g. as solar greenhouses which can improve crops both in quantity and quality, or farming drying places which use up much less energy if combined with a solar thermal system.

•

Stand-alone power supply at water purification or desalination plants.

•

To generate cooling (via absorption chillers).

The European market growth of solar thermal power is 25%, 12% and 26% in 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively21 with most of these solar thermal systems installed private homes. Several essential measures have been taken ensure this growth continues. These can be summarized as follows: •

Developing local, regional, nationwide and European regulations enforcing these types of systems within new and reformed houses;

•

Incentive promoting and public funding;

•

Training of qualified staff capable to meet the demands for designing, installation and maintenance;

•

Through campaigns to raise the general awareness about the advantages of using solar thermal panels for hot water and heating.

Currently, there are three main types of widely used solar collectors: 21 European Solar Thermal Industry ESTIF (Solar Thermal Markets in Europe - 2004/ 2005/ 2006 ) http://www.estif.org/9.0.html

29

•

Open plane plate collectors. These are usually made of plastic material and

are directly exposed to solar radiation. The use of this simple kind of collector is usually limited to swimming pools heating as it can only generate temperatures up to 30-40°C.

•

Closed plane plate collectors. These consist of a glass cover placed above

an insulated energy capturer plate. These collectors make use of the so called “greenhouse effect” and can generate temperatures between 30-70°C.

•

Vacuum collectors. Designed to reduce heat losses the heat captured by

each element (vacuum tube) is transferred to the plate within the tube which is usually made of copper. Heat losses are reduced due to the vacuum effect and so temperatures of 50-95°C are possible.

Solar collectors, like PV modules, should be placed in locations with no or minimal shading, orientated/tilted according to the designer’s instructions and fixed on a stable surface. Natural Circulation Solar thermal Systems: Natural circulation systems are very simple, require little maintenance and can accommodate any type of solar panel. All natural circulation systems are based on the principle that the density of a fluid inside the primary circuit decreases when heated causing it to rise by natural convection. This energy gain can therefore be transferred to a separate water storage system inside the collector. In natural circulation systems, the storage unit should be placed above the panel a short distance away (even though there are also natural circulation systems with storage units behind the panel). Also, the pipelines linking the panel to the storage unit should be inclined at the same angle. Natural circulation systems can also be classified into direct exchange systems and indirect exchange systems. Direct systems circulate water that will be consumed through the collector without the use of anti-freezing fluid. These collectors are typically used for water heating for sanitary uses in countries where temperatures remain above zero degrees centigrade. Indirect exchange systems circulate water mixed with anti-freeze fluid. The heating occurs through a heat exchange process in the storage unit which keeps the fluids separate. Forced circulation solar thermal systems: In a forced circulation system fluid within the solar collector is pumped around the close circuit. This pump is activated by a thermostat controlled by temperature probes placed in the collectors and the storage unit. The components of this type of system are: solar collectors; storage/exchanger unit; differential thermostat; circulation pump; expansion vessel; heat exchanger and valves. Apart from water heating for sanitary use in cases where natural circulation cannot be used, forced circulation systems are commonly used for the heating of swimming pools. Forced circulation systems are more expensive than natural circulation systems and more difficult to install.

30

Potential The solar thermal energy market is growing strongly due to reasonable capital and installation costs and low maintenance requirements, and of course also the rising costs of conventional energy supplies in most countries. Highly industrialised countries are using natural resources at an increasing rate. 80% of the use of this technology in Europe is located in three countries: Germany 55%, Greece 12% and Austria 12%. The remaining countries are implementing solar thermal subsidizing policies. In 2005 the European installation of solar thermal panels was 34m² horizontal surface per 1,000 inhabitants (24kWth/1,000 inhabitants). Denmark, Sweden and Holland pioneered the installing of big solar thermal systems in the eighties. Some years later, Germany and Austria discovered the potential of these plants22. Andalucia, in Spain, has the biggest installed extension of solar thermal panels: 217,651 m²(2003). In 2004, the German thermal energy sub-sector had a turnover of 550 million euros and a total installed power of 525 MW (equivalent to 749,700 m²)23. China is the world leading country in panels output with 76% of world’s production, followed by Europe with 12%. As a representative figure on a world scale, only 69TW were produced by solar thermal energy in 2001. The forecast for the period between 2010-2020 is to reach 1.4 billion m² (1022 TW) of solar panels installed in Europe24. The target to be achieved in Europe is 6% of energy requirements supplied by solar thermal energy. At present, Spain, France and Italy are the leading countries at thermal panel production in Europe. As previously stated, institutional support is required to aid the propagation of solar thermal energy. The French Government is promoting the establishment of these plants by subsidizing up to 40% of the investment costs25. Italy is promoting solar thermal energy by issuing certificates which authorize the installation of panels if a number of specific regulations are followed (e.g. if the panels are mounted in the correct orientation on appropriate surfaces and are unshaded). Despite the differences in climate and available solar resources between countries within the European Union, solar thermal technologies will be able to deliver enough energy to contribute substantially to the energy requirements of homes in each country. Consumer confidence in the use of solar thermal energy is higher than it was ten years ago when unregulated installers operated in some countries. Nowadays, in those countries where the use of thermal energy is widespread, clients are able to readily identify and use several different products and services. It is worth noting

22

www.estec2005.org

23

ASIT and ESTIF are reaching an agreement to use a conversion factor (0.7 kWth/m²) to compare KWth/m² (Thermal kilowatt per square metre of solar panel) with MWth (thermal megawatt). Thermal solar plants are measured in terms of collector’s horizontal surface (m²) and as a result, it has been difficult to compare output to other renewable power sources, typically expressed in MW or MWp. 24 ESTIF 25 ESTIF

31

that 77% of the total amount of energy used in a typical home goes for heating, cooking and hot water. ESTIF, founded in 2002, is the organization which represents the thermal solar energy in Europe. ESTIF also collaborates with CEN (Comité Europeo de Estandarización “European Commitee for Standardization”) with the aim of obtaining official approval for its regulations, products and processes.

Employment Recent research in this field26 shows that, by around 2020, more than 900,000 new direct and indirect jobs related to the use of renewable energies will have been created. It is estimated that a third of these would be a result of an increase in the use of solar resources. According to this data, and considering the weight of thermal solar energy compared to photovoltaic power, it is estimated that around 200,000 of those new jobs will be within the solar thermal energy sector. Many of the professionals who participate in this sector (architects, engineers, installation and maintenance technicians, draughtsmen, dealers etc) do not work exclusively in this field. However, it is quite clear that the increase of job offers related to this technology will also benefit the related professions. Other research27 shows that policies and public programmes are needed to encourage energy efficiency and therefore encourage private investments for renewable energy technology. In the E.U., Germany (the largest user of solar thermal energy) has 11% of its specialized technicians, engineers and operators in the solar thermal sector28. The increase of jobs related to thermal solar energy has considerably increased with respect to 200429. The most jobs in greatest demand in this sector are: installation and maintenance technicians, technical sales professionals, installation designers and trainers. The professions linked to these posts are the engineers and plumbers with some knowledge of electrical wiring and welding. The occupations involved in solar thermal labour market are:

Occupation

Description

Technician specialised in Renewable Energy Applied to Buildings

Technicians are involved in installation and maintenance of solar thermal systems.

26 27 28 29

PREDAC Report July 2003 ESTIF and IDAE PREDAC (July 2003) “New Jobs in the field of renewable energy and rational use of energy in the EU” www.solarweb.net, www.infoempleo.es www.infojobs.com,

32

Sales Technician

Specialized in selling solar thermal installations and collectors

Project Engineer

A project engineer may design hot water and heating systems, as well as cooling systems using absorption chillers powered by solar thermal energy.

Architect

Architects may integrate renewable energy into conventional building design.

Draughtsman

Along with conventional projects a draughtsman may draw plans on projects that implement renewed energy.

Renewable Energy Installations Assessor

Responsible for checking solar collector installations to ensure they meet the technical design specifications and compliance with official regulations.

33

8.

GENERAL OCCUPATIONS

Rational Use of Energy Besides the renewable energy sectors described above, there is important activity in the area of “rational use of energy”. This includes generating awareness, providing guidance, encouraging investments and facilitating change related to energy management and improved end use efficiency. In this category we may encounter the following jobs which are directly linked to this sector: •

Energy consultant;

•

Social advisor for energy management;

•

Experts responsible for studies in local communities;

•

Energy and water managers in industry and local authorities.

High Performance Buildings The high performance buildings sector is a growing part of the construction industry and the potential for further growth, and the associated increase in employment, is clear. Escalating public and political concern regarding global environmental issues such as global warming and CO2 emissions, as well as local environmental concerns, is reflected in the attempts to tackle these at an international level (e.g. Kyoto) and more stringent targets set for the European Union which cascade into national policies, legislation and building regulations. Buildings in the UK are thought to use up to 50% of total national energy consumption and release a similar level of CO2 emissions. New environmentally conscious buildings, retrofitting and upgrading old buildings, and integrating renewable energy schemes will go towards ensuring future generations inherit a healthy planet. Energy is a valuable commodity and the application of environmental or “sustainable” design concepts in commercial and residential building is increasing in popularity. These include, for example, the use of: passive solar design (to maximise the use of free solar energy); advanced materials such as high performance glazing (to reduce heat loss and minimising heat gain in the summer); thermal mass (to naturally regulate temperatures); natural ventilation (instead of energy intensive air conditioning); natural daylighting (in place of artificial lighting); efficient on site renewable energy generation; and sustainable master-planning (for whole community design). The body of practical knowledge available to building designers is now extensive but design tools are still often incapable of addressing these issues in the appropriate manner. To adequately predict the interaction of these concepts with unique building forms, sites and climatic data, and to help drive the move toward sustainable buildings, new technologies and new consultancy skills are being called

34

upon. Successfully generating and realising these sustainable concepts and visions requires a highly skilled work force and opportunities exist for intelligent, fresh thinking, environmentally motivated individuals. The main challenge however is to bring architects and building services engineers up to date with existing knowledge in the area and to make them aware of the importance of modern low energy design. Zero emission and zero energy buildings are a proven reality and future employees in this sector will work towards realising these and associated new technologies via cost effective and reliable design and construction processes.

Occupation specific to the ‘high performance’ aspect of buildings •

Environmental Engineer The environmental design engineer will produce the environmental concepts (such as natural ventilation schemes) and ensure that these are successfully integrated into the design process. All aspects of sustainability will be considered including waste management.

•

Energy Consultant The energy consultant will identify and advise on energy minimisation potential and promote the use of building integrated renewable energy schemes.

•

Architect

•

Cost Consultant

•

Structural Engineer

•

Mechanical Engineer

•

Building Services Engineer The correct design of the building services is vital in getting the most from ventilation and lighting systems. The use of complex computational monitor and control systems such as BEMS (Building Energy Management Systems) can be very beneficial in ensuring the most is made of installed systems.

•

Building Simulation Specialist Many simulation programs are now used to aid the design process - such as dynamic thermal simulation software, air flow analysis software, daylight visualisation software and irradiation maps. The simulation engineer will ensure that the performance of environmental concepts are optimised to minimise energy consumption whilst maximising occupant comfort levels.

•

Fire Engineer

•

Acoustician

•

Master Planner (for new communities)

•

Post Occupancy Specialist (monitoring)

•

Building Energy Inspector

•

Technical Advisor

•

Building Technologies Researcher

35

•

Building Control Officer

•

Specialist Contractor

Specialist Sustainable Features •

Sustainable Technologies Designer / Developer

•

Sustainable Technologies Manufacturing Engineer

•

Sustainable Technologies Promoter / Salesperson

•

Sustainable Technologies Installer

General Occupations (related to whole of RES) In renewable energy we can find occupations that are common to most sectors which include some non-engineering based professions such as lawyers, economists, salesmen etc. Listed below are some general professions which can have an important role to play in all renewable energy technologies. In all cases some specific skills and competencies, as well as training, are required. •


•

Education Provider and Trainer

•

Developer/Investor

•

Lawyer

•

Marketing Executive

•

Member of Government and Statutory bodies

•

Public Relations Officer

•

Researcher Engineer

•

Sales Technician

•

Specialist Recruitment Consultant

36

9.

CONCLUSIONS

Renewable energy has a very important role in the European Economy. The growth of the sector contributes to: energy independence; technological development; exports; sustainable development of rural and isolated areas; and employment. Renewable energy generation is also central to action against climate change and the European Union strongly supports the Kyoto protocol and associated targets. The EU has planned to double the contribution from renewable energy to 12% of total energy consumption by 201030. This target is achievable within this timeframe provided Member States adopt suitable positive and proactive measures.31 Although some of the renewable energy sectors described in this handbook are more mature than others, all are currently capable of significantly contributing to these goals and furthermore technologies are continuously undergoing development. The sector is already creating significant employment in manufacturing, research and development, consultancy, engineering services, agriculture (energetic crops), finance and planning, sales, government and education. A significant number of jobs are located in rural and isolated areas or near small cities and therefore contribute to regional development and social equality. The majority of new jobs are currently being generated in bioenergy (biomass and biofuels), wind energy and solar energy. Many of the professions identified and described in the annex originate from the more traditional science and engineering or business and management areas. Therefore, to a large extent the renewable energy professions are transferable to and from other sectors with a relatively limited requirement for retraining. However, some new professions have emerged plus a range of specialised technicians and system installers. The current and future shortage of skilled personnel in these and other emerging renewable energy occupations is a major obstacle to the success of renewable energy development. The creation of the Earthcare handbook and other resources created from the project (see www.idec.gr/earthcare) are steps taken to begin to address this issue. It should be noted that many of the job profiles described in the handbook are applicable to a range of renewable energy sectors and although variations occur between countries and companies the job descriptions are designed to cover the widest range possible. Additional information, e.g. job profiles from real companies, can be found in the Earthcare web site in the job database section or by following the web addresses in the companies database. Given the importance of this area, continuous development of these resources is required. While Earthcare remains a platform for occupational councillors and career advisor to work from it is also available to support further research. Additional work is required in several areas, for example, in analysing and developing job profiles to quantifying their future demand and in defining more specific training routes. Curricula and additional resources for renewable energy education in secondary schools should also be developed and also research into conversion courses for transferring skills from those wishing to make the move from other industries experiencing less growth.

30

European Commission White Paper on Renewable Energies (1997) Meeting the Targets and Putting Renewables to Work, Overview Report. MITRE: Monitoring & Modelling Initiative on the targets for Renewable Energy (ALTENER Programme) 31

37

Uptake of the currently available resources is of course a crucial element to ensure the increased need for specialised personnel in the renewable energy sector is satisfied. In the absence of precedents and procedures, positive and proactive Career Advisors and Occupational Councillors are therefore required to raise awareness and provide information and guidance on opportunities in the renewable energy sector to individuals who are keen start a new career and make a difference.

38

ANNEX: JOB PROFILES This section contains example renewable energy job-profiles which provide details of some of the main professions and occupations found in the renewable energy sectors. The majority of these job-profiles can be found in several renewable energy sectors. The table below lists the renewable energy job-profiles described in this annex and indicates in which sectors they may find employment. Applicability of Renewable Energy Occupation to Renewable Energy Sectors Occupation

Administrative Manager Architect

Renewable Energy Sector

Photovoltaics X

Wind power X

X

Chemical Engineer

X

Civil Engineer

X

Solar Biomass Thermal energy X X X

X

X

Hydropower X X

GeoRational Buildings thermal use X X X X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Drilling Engineer

X

Drilling Technician

X

Electrical Engineer

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Energy Consultant Environmental Engineer

X

X X

X

X

X

X

X

Hydro-geologist

X

X X

X

Landscape Architect

X

X

Lawyer

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Manufacturing Engineer

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Marketing Executive

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Material Scientist

X

X

X

X

X

X

Mechanical Engineer

X

X

X

X

X

X

Meteorologist

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


X

X

X

Planning Consultant

X

X

Project Manager

X

X


X

X

X

Renewable Energy Installations Assessor Research Engineer

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Sales Technician

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Social Advisor Technician in Renewable Energy Applied to Buildings Technician in Renewable Energy applied to Industry

X X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

39

X

X

X

X

X


An administrative manager will generally be responsible for ensuring the tasks not directly related to the core activities of a company are carried out successfully. These may include office or facility management, human resources management and/or accounting. They will be involved with day-to-day coordination and ‘troubleshooting’ and will often act as a focal point for communication for all parties (internal and external) reporting directly to the senior/executive management. Main tasks •

Office/facility management i.e. managing of premises, office equipment and IT, furniture and fittings, maintenance and cleaning, stocks and supplies, and catering;

•

Human resources management i.e. recruitment, training, legislation, pensions and healthcare, and social events;

•

Accounting i.e. invoicing, payroll and expenses, banking, taxation;

•

Dealing with suppliers including the section of suppliers, handling purchase orders and budgets, monitoring relationships and quality control;

•

Dealing with customers and clients which may include credit control and monitoring relationships;

•

Implementing appropriate organisational change to a company’s administration policies and procedures;

•

Can also assist in the organisation and management of complex projects.

Sk ills •

Good organisational and resource management skills;

•

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills;

•

Ability to promptly respond to and resolve problems effectively;

•

Good IT skills and a basic proficient with mathematical and statistical techniques related to accounting and reporting.

Educational b ackground Ideally with be qualified to degree level in a related area e.g. business, management accounting or human resources. Previous Job experience Managerial experience in public administration, businesses and private organisations including aspects relating to economic, legal, institutional and management issues. Job opportunities Administrative and managerial roles in all renewable energy sectors.

40

Working conditions Office based work.

41

Architect

An architect will often adopt a leading role from the earliest stages of a project and will be responsible for the overall design of the development/site layout and the project management. Although it is unlikely that an architect interested in renewable energy will work on renewable energy installations (e.g. biomass or hydroelectric generation plants) on a permanent basis they can play an important role in the integration of renewable energy technologies and high performance “sustainable” design features into other projects such as residential, commercial and public buildings. Main tasks •

Draw up a design brief based on the clients requirement and factors relating to the local environment;

•

Design the building envelope to, where possible, incorporate inherent sustainable features such as natural ventilation, natural daylight and the specification such items as high performance facades or rainwater harvesting;

•

Participate in the design and integration of on site renewable energy generation systems into the building envelope (e.g. solar, wind, or ground source energy);

•

Work with planning departments, surveyors, lawyers and engineers (e.g. structural environmental, mechanical, electrical, public health, fire and safety engineers);

•

Develop detailed architectural drawings and prepare work packages for the tendering process;

•

Liaise with the main building contractor and supervise during construction period;

•

Building performance monitoring or applied research and development.

Sk ills •

Well developed project and people management skills;

•

An adept communicator, both verbally and in writing;

•

Capable of leading creative processes;

•

The ability to think clearly and have good spatial awareness;

•

Can to work accurately and efficiently under strict deadlines;

•

Knowledgeable user of Microsoft Office and specific software design packages for architects (e.g. AutoCad, ArchiCAD, etc.) and specific software programmes for the design of passive buildings (e.g. TRANSYS) etc.

42

Educational b ackground •

Degree in Architecture (which may take around 7 years of education and training);

•

A Masters degree in Environmental Architecture would be an advantage when aiming to work with renewable energy and sustainable design.

Previous Job experience Experience in issues related to project management and reporting, passive building design and contemporary design topologies using new architectural materials and equipment. Job opportunities Architect offices specialising renewable energy installations or in sustainable design and renewable energy integration. Some opportunities may exist in public research institutes, with public authorities and in universities. Working conditions •

Mainly open plan office environment;

•

May frequently travel to project sites or to project meetings including trips abroad;

•

Requirement to physically access parts of project site on foot;

•

Project deadlines will often dictate an architect working long hours.

43

Chemical Engineer

A chemical engineer, sometimes referred to as a process engineer, will typically be a key member of multidisciplinary teams of designers and engineers. They will use scientific principles to develop processes that generate energy or turn raw materials into useful products in the most efficient, cost effective, safe and environmentally conscious manner. Main tasks •

Design and supervision of plants for renewable energy generation e.g. hydro/geothermal installations and the production of biomass derivatives;

•

Day-to-day process management of energy generation plants including, onsite trouble-shooting and quality control;

•

Operate and maintain plant equipment with some supervision duties and development of procedures;

•

Waste management, safety and environmental protection;

•

May involve research into new processes (or adapting and improve existing technologies) and converting laboratory scale tests to commercially-viable large-scale operations e.g. towards the mass production of cells and modules for the PV industry.

Sk ills •


•

Highly numerate with strong IT skills;

•

Ability to work accurately and efficiently in teams under project deadlines;

•

Safety and security conscious e.g. being aware of all relevant security measures in industrial environmental conditions, especially those related to hazardous processes (e.g. battery industry processes involving acids);


Degree in Chemical Engineering;

•

MSc or PhD in Chemical Engineering will be necessary for research and development work.

Previous Job experience Experience in project management, plant design and energy generation. Job opportunities Chemical engineers will often become project leaders and take responsibility for teams of engineers and technicians in the following areas:

44

•

Renewable energy sectors such as biomass, hydro, geothermal energy;

•

Photovoltaics industry e.g. in the production new PV materials, ingots and cells, and battery or other storage technologies;

•

Materials processing industry e.g. metal / wiring production.

Working conditions •

Generally office based work with frequent site inspections of plant or manufacturing production lines;

•

Potentially hazardous conditions e.g. high acid concentration in production lines of the battery industry;

•

Possibility of shift work e.g. in PV ingot/cell manufacturing and battery manufacturing.

45

Civil Engineer

Civil engineers will deal with the construction of buildings, plants and infrastructures (foundations, roads, pipelines etc) associated with several renewable energy sectors. They will be based in project development and construction teams and will be involved with the onsite work. Main tasks •

Preliminary site access studies, surveys, topographical constraints assessments and soil investigations;

•

Work with project managers, engineers and architects to produce conceptual design work for civil infrastructure (e.g. access roads, foundations and utility buildings);

•

Local resource analysis e.g. access to water or local availability of materials such as sand;

•

Engineering coordination and preparation of plans for work to be executed;

•

Produce and review tender packages, cost estimates and managing contracts;

•

Analyse problems arising during on-site construction phase and provide solutions.

Sk ills •

Effective workload management and can meet demanding timescales when working on several projects in parallel;

•

Technical skills e.g. understanding foundation design principles and road construction techniques including knowledge of soil layers and the interaction with piles and foundations;

•

Can work efficiently in multi-disciplinary teams, which including non-engineers, and the ability to work alongside the CAD team in the production of engineering drawings;

•

Ability to understand and communicate complex issues effectively;

•

Good motivation and high level of confidence.


A background in civil engineering and the construction industry with preferably a degree in civil engineer;

•

Knowledge of the renewable energy industry would be an advantage but is not essential.

46

Previous Job experience Experience with project management, renewable energy plants, infrastructure design, construction or transport systems would be beneficial. Job opportunities •

Companies involved in designing construction works, plant and infrastructure;

•

Companies involved in the construction and maintenance of civil engineering works, plants and infrastructure;

•

Public offices handling design, planning, management and monitoring of urban and local systems;

•

Companies, bodies, consortia and agencies working in the management and control of construction systems and services;

•

Service companies performing feasibility studies.

Working conditions Work will be in offices and on site. Sitework is in all weathers and involve extensive travelling, sometimes overseas.

47

Drilling Engineer

Access to the underground geo-thermal energy is provided by the drilling of wells and the drilling engineer will lead the planning, costing, scheduling and execution of all the necessary operations for the drilling of these wells. They will use their knowledge of physics, engineering and geology to make practical decisions to ensure an efficient drilling process. The safety of the drilling crew will be a prime concern of the drilling engineer. Main tasks •

Analyse data from surveys and making key decisions e.g. selecting the appropriate well-head equipment;

•

Co-ordinate and supervise the work of the drilling team;

•

Ensure low environmental impacts e.g. with the disposal of the extracted soil and rock;

•

Prepare well data sheets, reports, and lead meetings.

Sk ills •

Well developed management and organisational skills;

•

Confident with the ability to motivate a team;

•

Good written and verbal communication skills;

•

Ability to work independently as well as part of a team;

•

A knowledge in geology and mechanical engineering concepts;

•

Ability to drive.


A degree in a relevant engineering subject, e.g. civil or mechanical engineering, or science based subject e.g. geology.

•

A master degree or PhD can improve employment prospects, salary and employment options.

Job opportunities Private drilling companies Working conditions Travelling or working abroad, sometimes for long periods, is not uncommon, depending on the company.

48

Drilling Technician

For the production of geo-thermal energy, the driller conducts drilling works in order to pump freshwater from groundwater reserves. He often works in teams, under the supervision of a drilling engineer and assisted by other drilling technicians. The drilling technician works on the ground or on a drill rig, implementing the drilling program with defined drilling depth and diameter which have been specified by the supervising drilling engineer. Main tasks •

Setting up and operating the drilling equipment in a safe manner;

•

Judging access and utility clearance needs;

•

Maintaining the drill rig and auxiliary vehicles;

•

Assisting the field logger e.g. in surveying test boring locations.

Sk ills •

Knowledge in mechanics and welding;

•

Basic knowledge in geology, hydrology and geo-techniques;

•

Flexibility and readiness to travel;

•

Ability to handle heavy equipment and ability to drive


Training as a mechanic will be beneficial.

Job opportunities Private drilling companies. Working conditions •

Outdoors work during the drilling operation (which can take up to several weeks) with the possibility of working abroad;

•

Physical work

49

Electrical Engineer

Electrical engineers play an important role across all renewable energy sectors and are one of the engineering professions with the greatest demand. They will be responsible primarily for electricity generation, transmission and distribution, development and maintenance of equipment, and where required automatic control systems. The electrical engineer will complete the overall design of the electrical system including specification of components and selection of suppliers. Main tasks •

Lead the design of electrical systems relating to the renewable energy sectors;

•

Preparing reports on the economics of proposed renewable energy projects, including calculations of important financial indexes e.g. payback periods;

•

Provide technical support during project development phases;

•

Interface with transmission entities in support of grid interconnection requests;

•

Develop of detailed layouts (using CAD packages) for project electrical systems;

•

Develop project technical specifications for electrical equipment;

•

Prepare contractor bid packages;

•

Review and evaluate contractor proposals;

•

Perform basic and applied research and development work including laboratory and outdoor experiments, measuring and data acquisition, proposal preparation, project reporting etc.;

•

Development of specific software programmes for RE systems.

Sk ills •

Good managerial skills, both with people and projects;

•


•

An analytical mind and a logical approach to problem-solving;

•

Ability to work accurately and efficiently under strict timetables;

•

Good IT skills including ability to use specific software packages for electrical engineers (e.g. Spice, LabView, etc.), specific software programmes for renewable energy systems (e.g. PVSYST, WASp, etc.) and the ability to development software using programming languages such as, Fortran, C++ or Visual Basic.

•

Conscious of safety and security related to industrial and construction site conditions and also those related to hazardous or high risk processes (e.g. when dealing with high voltage electricity or climbing wind turbine towers);

50

Educational background •

Degree in Electrical Engineering.

•

MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering will be beneficial for research and development work.

Previous Job experience Experience in issues related to electromechanical installations, project management, economics, design and equipment, proposal submission and reporting. Job opportunities •

Wind industry (electrical generator manufacturing, electrical control system);

•

Photovoltaics industry;

•

Other renewable energy sector (mainly biomass and hydro-electric);

•

High performance building design companies;

•

Electronics and Power Electronics industry (inverters, chargers, grid-interface equipment, LV/MV substations, wiring industry etc.);

•

Public research institutes, public authorities, universities, utility companies, regulatory authorities;

•

Companies developing specialist software.

Working conditions •

May vary between office environment, working with design teams, working onsite and could include shifts work (PV module manufacturing);

•

Requirement to physically access parts of project site on foot, some at high elevation and in limited space conditions, and may involve transferring of materials and equipment;

•

May include frequent travelling to project sites or to project meetings, including trips abroad.

51

Energy Consultant

The energy consultant will advise public authorities, companies and individuals on ways to improve energy efficiency and how to take advantage of suitable renewable energy technologies. Main tasks •

To inform local authorities about producing electricity using renewable energy sources and present the advantages of such options for sustainable local development (e.g. benefits relating to economics, energy security, community development and the environment);

•

To work with companies from both the private and the public sector in order to plan and implement projects for the incorporation of renewable energy sources or the reduction of energy consumption;

•

Promotional events to generating awareness on issues such as EU policies, directives, incentives or “carbon trading” opportunities;

•

Site inspections and producing reports for industrial clients on the economically viability of installing heat recovery mechanisms or producing useful energy as a by-product of their activities.

Sk ills •

Good technical knowledge of environmental issues, renewable energy and energy efficiency;

•

Adept with economics involved with energy production and consumption;

•

Good communication and presentation skills.


Degree in engineering or environmental science would be preferred;

•

Post graduate studies in energy / renewable energy will be beneficial.

Previous Job experience •

Experience dealing with people, preparing presentations;

•

Experience in consulting and/or in renewable energy.

Job opportunities Government offices and local development agencies or bodies concerned with energy generation and conservation. Working conditions Office based with substantial travel to a variety of sites.

52

Environmental Engineer

An environmental engineer will work within teams of engineers and designers in consultancy/project development offices related to high performance buildings or large scale renewable energy sites e.g. wind farms and biomass or hydroelectric developments. They will be keen to encourage enthusiasm for the principles of sustainability and renewable energy within relevant groups. Main tasks •

Provide expert evidence on how a proposed development may affect the environment. This will include preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and assessing steps to mitigate the impacts;

•

Inform the design and development layout from an environmental perspective taking into account the issues unique to each new site;

•

Developing project briefs with the design team;

•

Computer modelling e.g. energy performance prediction or virtual prototyping and visualisation assessments;

•

Life cycle analyses e.g. to identify material which can recycled after decommissioning;

•

May include liaising with local communities and press to address social aspects of developments and communicate the positive social benefits such as local employment, energy security, cleaner air, economic benefits.

Sk ills •

Capable of working in an lively project orientated working environment and being adept at project and resource management which will frequently involve participation in several parallel projects;

•

Flexibility e.g. to evolve and adopt new roles in an expanding industry;

•

Ability to work independently and within teams;

•

Good IT skills including the ability to work with computer models;

•

Problem solving skills;

•

Communication and interpersonal skills e.g. ability to communicate effectively with fellow team members and with the wide range of external stakeholders connected with the operations.


Education up to degree level essential;

•

Master in relevant environmental based subject will be beneficial.

53

Previous Job experience Experience with design team, consulting and environmental issues or renewable energy. Job opportunities Opportunities for rewarding careers in renewable energy development project offices and with environmental consultancies in the building industry. Working conditions High energy office environment with occasional site inspections.

54

Hydro-Geologist

The hydro-geologist leads resource prospecting and assessment for geothermal energy installations. Hydro-geologist often specialises in one specific field such as geo-physics, drilling, geo-chemistry or hydraulics. Main tasks •

Collecting samples and data in the field to identify exploitable ground water, its quantity and quality for adduction, irrigation or geo-thermal use;

•

Assessing environmental impact of a project with potential impact on ground water and water collecting equipment intended for domestic use;

•

Determining ground water collecting sites and setting related protection perimeters;

•

Monitoring, assisting and following-up drillers’ works in the field to avoid pollution of the resource from drilling activities;

•

Supervising ground water evolution and quality in order to foresee any alteration of water adduction;

•

Conceiving soils and implementation.

ground

water decontamination

plans and

their

resources

and

Sk ills •

Strong technical background in hydro-geology, water environmental engineering, data analysis and reporting;

•

Project management and organizational skills;

•

Effective leadership and interpersonal skills;

•

Can work independently and as part of a team;

•

Ability to adapt and be flexible to varying work conditions (travelling, outdoor work).

Educational b ackground The hydro-geologist position requires a masters degree in Hydrogeology, Geology, Civil Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or Environmental Engineering with a strong emphasis in groundwater. Since hydro-geologists may often carry out work abroad fluency in foreign languages can be beneficial. Previous Job experience Employment as a hydro-geologist will often require previous experience in environmental project management and in environmental field investigation techniques.

55

Job opportunities The majority of hydro-geologists are employed by mining and petrochemical companies. Nevertheless the growing environmental sector, especially the geothermal energy field, also requires hydro-geological expertise and typical employers are: •

Engineering consultancies;

•

Environmental and hydro-geological consultancies;

•

Land developers;

•

Local, national or international environment agencies;

•

Universities and research institutes.

Working conditions Hydro-geologist is a highly demanding job requiring strong personal involvement and flexibility. Most jobs are office-based but with considerable need for fieldwork in a variety of weather conditions. Travel within a working day is common with occasional overnight and overseas travel.

56

Landscape Architect

A Landscape Architect will usually be based in landscape architectural consultancies that can be used by design teams involved with the development of high performance buildings or large scale renewable energy generation plants powered by hydro or biomass energy. They will ensure sound landscape and ecological conservation and enhancement throughout the development process. Main tasks •

Analyze the natural elements of the site such as the climate, soil, slope of the land, drainage, vegetation, sun paths and examine the site from various perspectives;

•

Work with architects, surveyors, and engineers to help determine the best arrangement of roads, walkways, buildings and utilities;

•

Assist in the preparation and implementation of environmental enhancement schemes liaising with planning authorities and local communities;

•

Collaborating with environmental scientists, foresters, and other professionals to find the best way to conserve or restore natural resources including the identification and use of native species in landscaping schemes;

•

Prepare detailed plans of the site, including written reports, visual impact assessments, sketches, models, photographs, land-use studies, and cost estimates;

•

Draw up contracts and oversee the tendering process for contractors (who carry out the work);

•

On-site supervision and “troubleshooting” during the construction phase.

Sk ills •

Enthusiasm and imagination;

•

Good graphics skills;

•

The ability to manage workload and meet demanding timescales within projects running in parallel;

•

The ability to work alongside the CAD team (in the production of engineering drawings) and in multi-disciplinary teams;

•

Good communication skills.


Degree level qualification in landscape architecture or architecture;

•

A post-graduate qualification in landscape design would be a distinct advantage;

•

Membership of a relevant professional body.

57

Previous Job experience Experience of landscape architecture in areas such as horticulture, botany, geology, architecture, construction, planning law, surveying, site assessment (which can ultimately contribute to obtaining a chartered status). Job opportunities Good prospects in companies offering varied work and travel with increasing opportunities to work on sustainable developments and renewable energy projects. Working conditions Large open office environments with experienced team members, working regular hours with periods of overtime to meet project deadlines. It is not uncommon for Landscape architects to open their own specialist practices.

58

Lawyer

A Lawyer will be based in law firms and may work with a variety of different parties involved with the development of high performance buildings or large scale renewable energy developments such as wind farms or hydro, biomass or geothermal plants. They may advise government agencies, developers, designers/engineering practices, lenders, export credit agencies, offtakers and contractors. Main tasks •

Planning law – working within a framework of legal controls on the freedom of property owners to use and develop their property in the interests of the wider community;

•

Environmental law – ensuring development activities lie within a range of measures taken to protect human health and the physical environment against damage through pollution and the impact of human activities on the natural world;

•

Lobbying and law reform – facilitating, for example, renewable energy grid connection and distribution;

•

Intellectual property – advising on all aspects of the exploitation, use and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights for new and emerging renewable technologies e.g. thin film photovoltaic cells;

•

Business affairs – encompassing the whole range of legal issues affecting business and the way in which they operate such as company law, insurance law, employment law, tax law, contract law, competition law;

•

Corporate finance – dealing with the ways in which companies raise funding for business development and acquisitions;

•

Civil litigation – resolving public and private legal disputes on civil matters through negotiation or through the courts;

•

Professional negligence – resolving disputes between people or organisations that are caused by the negligence of professionals to be resolved through negotiation or through the courts;

•

Conveyancing – legal processing involved in transferring the title of a property (land) from a seller to a buyer.

Sk ills •

Ability to pay attention to detail, carry out close critical reading and follow dense arguments;

•

Able to negotiate crucial issues;

•

Intellectual ability – the law is a complex entity;

•

Commitment – training can be rigorous, requiring substantial effort and resources;

59

•

The ability to manage workload and meet demanding timescales;

•

Ability to understand and communicate issues effectively.


Education in law up to degree level essential;

•

A post-graduate qualification in law would be a distinct advantage;

•

Membership of a relevant professional body;

•

Any law specialist will need to have a good general knowledge of all aspects of law.

Previous Job experience Experience with renewable energy e.g. ensuring conformity with relevant legislation (energy distribution, environmental impact, etc) will be of benefit for those wishing to pursue careers dealing with the various renewable energy sectors. Job opportunities Most companies will offer very good prospects and varied work. Working conditions Large open office environments with experienced team members, working regular hours with periods of overtime to meet deadlines.

60

Manufacturing Engineer

The role of a Manufacturing Engineer encompasses a wide variety of activities from the production of main renewable energy producing equipment and associated components to structures and cabling or pipework. The objective of the Manufacturing Engineer will be to increase the efficiencies, simplifying maintenance and lower the manufacturing cost through innovation. Renewable energy is technology orientated and Manufacturing Engineers should be keen to be at the cutting edge of “state of the art” technology. Main tasks •

Conceptual design, analysis, CAD and tasks involving the application of heat transfer, electromechanics, stress analysis,, fluid mechanics and the mechanicals of materials;

•

Perform feasibility studies of new concepts and innovations, e.g. flexible wind turbine blades and variable speed wind turbine generator systems;

•

General manufacturing facilitation including resource management and handson trouble-shooting;

•

Supporting suppliers and business partners to assure that the design intent and conceptual definitions are realised;

•

Acquisitions - to ensure a reliable supply of components (analysing global markets, comparing quotes, negotiating and reporting on cost savings);

•

Implement methods of improving reliability and reducing operation and maintenance (O&M) costs e.g. improving reliability will be a major contributing factor towards successful offshore wind farm growth;

•

Development of more efficient testing and verification methods to both shorten development periods and improve the quality of the verification process;

•

Development of performance indicators such as equipment efficiency, economic performance and design lifetimes;

•

Monitoring plant safety and environmental impacts.

Skills •

Creative and innovative mindset focused upon quality, cost and performance;

•

Can apply engineering methods form first principles, challenge traditional methods and recognize and implement more effective solutions;

•

Self motivated and able to work in small teams with minimum supervision taking personal accountability for delivery of results;

•

Good communication and IT skills.

Educational background Degree in mechanical, electrical or production / manufacturing engineering.

61

Previous Job experience Experience with manufacturing, resource management, mechanical/electrical concepts, equipment design and renewable energy technologies will be advantageous. Job opportunities Opportunities in manufacturing of technologies within all renewable sectors e.g. wind energy, a well established industry in a period of long term growth, where the current level of production of large “mega watt” turbines and associated components is unable to meet the demand. Working conditions Varied environments including offices, manufacturing plants, laboratories and workshops.

62

Marketing Executive

Marketing executives play a key role in stimulating interest in new and existing renewable energy products and services and will lead product launches, promote company or brand images and develop marketing strategies to increase business. They can be actively involved in all stages of business development including market research, planning, product development, pricing, packaging, advertising and sales. Main tasks •

Market research and identify new markets;

•

Formulate of long-term marketing plans outlining budgets and timeframes;

•

Forecast customer demands and advise on product development and pricing;

•

Establish contacts and outsource new clients;

•

Collate, produce and disseminate promotional material;

•

Create advertisement campaigns;

•

Organise and attend events and exhibitions related to the renewable energy sector;

•

Maintain and develop both existing and new customer relationships including carrying out customer surveys to assess demand, brand positioning and awareness.

Sk ills •

Managerial, organizational and numerical skills;

•

Good interpersonal, communication and presentation skills;

•

Excellent writing abilities;

•

Good head for business and problem solving skills e.g. to overcome obstacles such as variations in currency exchange rates, import restrictions and local taxes.

•

Entrepreneurial, motivated and enthusiastic attitude;

•

Environmental awareness and interest for renewable energy;

•

Basic technical knowledge in renewable energy.

Educational b ackground A degree in marketing or business or substantial work experience in the marketing field. Previous Job experience Experience in related areas such as market research, product placement and sales.

63

Job opportunities •

Renewable energy equipment production and service companies;

•

Renewable energy equipment distribution and installation companies;

•

Sale and marketing consultancies;

Working conditions Marketing executives are office based and will travel to meet customers, public authorities or to participate in specific events such as exhibitions or shows. As products and services may require different promotional strategies in different countries a marketing executive may be required to spend time evaluating new markets abroad.

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Material Scientist

A material scientist is mainly concerned with R&D and laboratory testing of new materials. They will aim to improve performance and reliability whilst decreasing costs and they may also aid in the development of related full scale manufacturing processes. Main tasks •

Participate in basic research and development (R&D) e.g. laboratory experiments, usage of specific machinery and measuring devices for material characterisation;

•

Proposal preparation and project reporting for the development of new materials e.g. for more efficient and stable PV cells and chemicals for higher storage, longer life batteries;

•

Monitors the efficiency of the production mechanisms for particular substances and the performance of the products under typical and extreme conditions;

•

Assesses issues connected to environmental safeguarding and health.

Sk ills •

Adept in basic R&D science and laboratory work;

•


•

Familiar with scientific methodology, as well as being able to apply innovative methods and techniques and use complex equipment;

•

Has developed the ability to work both in a team and independently;

•

Good IT skills e.g. to carry out bibliographic research from a wide variety of data banks and information networks;

•

Can document and communicates technical information;

•

Has basic knowledge of quality control and safety in laboratories.

Educational b ackground Degree in Material Science or Applied Chemistry Previous Job experience Laboratory experience e.g. in the chemical and biological sector. Specialised field experience, e.g. electrochemistry for the battery or the PV industry, would be beneficial. Job opportunities Opportunities in materials sector e.g. in the emerging biomass and photovoltaic industries.

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Working conditions The work is mainly laboratory based.

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Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical engineers are particularly important for the success of renewable energy technologies. They will design, develop and maintain a wide variety of mechanical equipment and components. They will also extend into a number of other areas such as laboratory work, computational simulations and project management. As part of their design work they will strive to ensure high efficiencies, improved reliability and reduced lifetime costs of the system.

Main tasks •

Lead the design of mechanical systems relating to renewable energy sectors;

•

Design and supervise manufacturing lines and production processes;

•

Report on project economics including calculations of important financial indexes, e.g. payback periods;

•

Reliability engineering turbomachinery);

•

Develop project technical specifications, CAD drawing and prepare contractor bid packages;

•

Review and evaluate contractor proposals;

•

Perform applied R&D work including laboratory and outdoor experiments, measuring and data acquisition, proposal preparation, project reporting etc.

and

failure

analysis

(bearing,

insulation

and

Sk ills •


•

Highly numerate with strong IT skills;

•

Good managerial and organisational skills;

•


•

Safety conscious with an awareness of security measures in industrial and construction site conditions, especially those related to hazardous or high risk processes (e.g. acid liquid usage in battery industry, wind turbine tower climbing, etc.).

Educational b ackground Degree in Mechanical Engineering. Additional postgraduate studies will be required for research and development (R&D) work such as a MSc or PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

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Previous Job experience Experience with mechanical or electromechanical installations, economical issues, design and equipment, proposal submission, project management and reporting. Job opportunities •

Photovoltaics industry (production of ingots, cells and modules);

•

Wind industry (blade, rotor, nacelle and tower manufacturing, mechanical control system);

•

Other RE Systems (mainly solar thermal, biomass, hydro-electric)

•

Sustainable building construction industry;

•

Battery and other storage technologies industry;

•

Public research institutes, public authorities, universities, utility companies, regulatory authorities.

Working conditions Office based with opportunity for hands-on experience on-site within energy generation plants or renewable energy technology manufacturing lines.

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Meteorologist

A meteorologist will study all aspects related to atmospheric conditions, climate and weather systems. Their main goal will be to make short and long term weather or climate predictions by interpreting data collected by satellite, radar, remote sensors on aircraft or ships and weather stations all over the world. The data will be interpreted by detailed mathematical and computational models in order to produce reports for a variety of customers including the renewable energy and construction industry. Main tasks •

Collection and processing of data such as air pressure, wind speed and direction, humidity, temperature, rain fall and incident solar radiation;

•

Forecasting using sophisticated analytical techniques and computational models;

•

Liaise with energy companies e.g. to allow electricity grid distributors to compensate for peaks or troughs in wind energy production;

•

Research into the causes and effects of weather patterns, pollution transport and climate change;

•

Development of systems and software programmes for the analysis and prediction of weather data.

Sk ills •

Highly numerate with strong IT skills including computer programming;

•

The ability to work accurately and efficiently under strict timetables;

•

Good managerial and communication skills.


Degree in mathematics, physics or a related subject such as environmental science;

•

Postgraduate studies or specialisation in meteorology will be beneficial.

Previous Job experience Experience in issues related to setting-up of instrumentation and sensors, and the measuring and processing of weather data. Job opportunities Most opportunities will be at Meteorological Offices, with a smaller number working for environmental research institutions and environmental consultancies.

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Working conditions Mostly office based however some meteroligists may be based in mobile station or station in remote areas such as Antartica.

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A micrositing engineer, or wind resource analyst, will analyse local wind data and terrain in order to determine the most efficient distribution of wind turbines for a proposed wind farm. They will work within project development offices and will be part of a close team of consultants whose main functions will range from contract R&D and land acquisition to turn-key delivery. The available energy in the wind is a cubic function of the wind speeds so the analyst plays a particular important role in ensuring the wind farm is as productive as possible. Main tasks •

Wind monitoring using a comprehensive range of validated analytical approaches and tools such as Measure Correlate Predict (MCP);

•

Collaborate with parties such as meteorological institutes;

•

Perform critical analysis of anemometry, wind and terrain data, assess and validate model results, write technical reports and report to clients;

•

Determine optimum wind turbine arrangements so the airflow from an upwind turbine will not affect the performance of a downwind turbine;

•

Assess the environmental impacts of a wind farm such as: noise, blade shadow/flickering, electromagnetic/broadcast disruption, interference to airplane or bird flight paths;

•

Create visualisation assessments e.g. wireframe views, photomontages and Zones of Visual Influence (ZVI’s);

•

Financial modelling and economic analysis;

•

Offshore resource assessment taking into account exclusion zones such as shipping lanes, grids, pipelines, the military, water depth etc.

Skills •

Ability to work independently and as part of a team;

•

Ability to work with numerical and physical models;

•

Capable in areas of meteorological science, data interpretation and engineering application;

•

Free thinker capable of further current best practices e.g. improving resource assessment and forecasting techniques.


Education up to degree level is preferable;

•

Master in relevant environmental based subject will be beneficial.

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Previous Job experience Experience with wind industry and environmental aspects will be beneficial. Job opportunities Opportunities for rewarding careers within wind energy project development offices and wind energy consultancies. Working conditions High energy office environment and varied site locations.

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Planning Consultant

Planning Consultants usually work within project development offices for large scale renewable energy sectors such as wind, biomass or hydro energy holding a key position within a team of designers and engineers. Planning consultants may also be required for smaller scale renewable energy projects involving photovoltaic or geothermal installations and for projects involving high performance buildings. They will be largely involved in the important initial development and pre-construction stages of the project. Planning Consultants will be keen to develop these rapidly evolving industries towards European Standards on economical viability, performance and reliability (for use with developers, investors and insurance companies) and also in other areas such as Standard European planning procedures for site assessment. Main tasks •

Commercial analysis of projects (including economic feasibility studies and risk analysis) and communicating with key stakeholders e.g. as a ‘Technical Adviser’ or ‘Banks Engineer’ to parties financing renewable energy projects;

•

Aid in site selection and this may include liaising with external expert consultants e.g. resource outsourcing for offshore surveying in the wind industry;

•

Engage with planning authorities, coordinate with regulatory bodies and advise on planning matters;

•

Carry out technical reviews of contracts, specifications, method statements and designs identifying any technical risks and also strategies for their mitigation.;

•

Manage resources, providing monitoring and certification of milestones during design and construction, and operational audits;

•

Deal with vendors, suppliers and service providers ensuring their fulfilment of obligation – including processing the necessary documentation such as invoices, insurances and corporate guarantees.

Sk ills •

Good project and resource management skills;

•

Can work with clients on a day to day basis;

•

Good problem solving skills e.g. when identifying key obstacles during investigations into the overall viability of renewable energy projects;

•

Strong understanding of planning authority development policies and national guidance, combined with the ability to negotiate with parties such as landowners;

•

Ability to understand and communicate complex managerial and technical issues effectively;

•

Ability to work effectively with great attention to detail under considerable time pressure;

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•

Able to deal with conflicts;

•

Good motivation and high level of confidence;

•

Good written communication and some legal knowledge on contract drafting.


Education up to degree level essential;

•

Masters in related subject beneficial;

•

Specific discipline is less relevant than the ability to be flexible and accurate;

•

Technical background preferred.


Experience managing multiple parallel projects will be useful and with programs such as Microsoft Project;

•

Experience of within renewable energy sectors is desirable.

Job opportunities Good opportunities within wind energy project development offices/wind energy consultancies. Other opportunities with companies working on large scale projects such as: biomass or hydro electric developments; photovoltaics; geothermal installations; and high performance buildings. Working conditions Office environment. May have opportunity for some international travel.

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Project Manager

A successful Project Manager must simultaneously manage the four basic elements of a project: resources, time, money and scope. They will ensure that the scope of the project is completed with the available resources in time and on budget. They co-ordinate the design and development as well as manage contracts and lead the communication between all relevant parties. Main tasks •

To define the project objectives and scope i.e. what is (and importantly, is not) to be accomplished;

•

Determine available resources and assemble the project team;

•

Construct the project timeline and set major milestone or deliverables in the programme;

•

Analyse feedback and negotiate project adjustment in collaboration with the project stakeholders;

•

Analyse feasibility studies, economic assessments and risk factors;

•

Create detail plans and alternative scenario, and assign resources;

•

Define and implement organisational and documentation procedures;

•

Monitor projects and make sure that deadlines are met;

•

Perform critical path analysis and plan for any preventive and corrective measures;

•

Coordinate with lawyers, public authorities and funding organisations and ensure smooth communication between all relevant parties.

Skills •

Confident manager and communicator;

•

Dynamic and positive leader, motivator and team-worker;

•

Ability to delegate tasks, negotiate and deal with conflict effectively;

•

Good problem solving skills;

•

Ability to cope with pressure and deadlines;

•

Writing skills for compilation of contracts, reports and deliverables.


A master degree in a relevant engineering is preferable. management background is necessary.

Previous Job experience

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A technical and

•

Experience working on projects and in teams;

•

Experience in office environment, office software and project management software;

•

Experience in renewable energy.


Opportunities in consultancy/project management/construction firms;

•

The project manager can also be employed on a work contract by the stakeholder.

Working conditions Office environment. The work will also involve visits to the project sites which may mean travel abroad.

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Public relations (PR) is the practice of conveying information to the public through the media on behalf of a client, with the intention of changing the public's actions by influencing its opinions. Public relations serve as advocates for a variety of organizations, businesses and associations. They build and maintain positive relationships with the public by developing and implementing their organization's overall strategic public relations programs. Programs may often include media relations, community relations, internal communications and investor relations. The role of Public Relation Officers is especially important to the growth of the renewable energy sector, whose future is dependant upon an increased public and political awareness, acceptance and aspirations. Main tasks •

Prepare public relation programs and information regarding the positive impacts an organization, a project or a new technology;

•

Organise photographic sessions, producing short videos, design brochures and create newsletters;

•

Disseminate information through press releases and publications such as magazines, newspapers, periodicals, and other forms of media such as television, radio and the internet;

•

Plan and execute special communication events;

•

Representing an organization and public speaking at exhibitions, press conferences and tradeshows;

•

Tracking trends and identifying opportunities where their company might receive media coverage due to a widely covered news event.

Sk ills •

Concise and persuasive writing abilities;

•

Good public speaking skills and networking skills;

•

Effective managerial and organizational skills;

•

Entrepreneurial, motivated and enthusiastic attitude;

•

Environmental awareness and interest for renewable energy;

•

Basic technical knowledge in renewable energy.

Educational b ackground A degree in marketing or significant previous work experience in this field. Specific training in engineering or renewable energies will be beneficial if the company produces technical products such as renewable energy equipment.

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Previous Job experience Experience in producing dissemination material (such as articles, brochures, web sites etc), organising and arranging events and public speaking will be desirable. Job opportunities •

Renewable energy production companies;

•

Public relations consultancies;

•

Environmental associations promoting sustainable energy use;

•

Public organizations responsible for renewable energy promotion.

Working conditions Public relations work is based in a typical office environment. The officer may travel to meetings, e.g. with representatives from the media, and participate in photoshoots, press conferences or promotional events.

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Renewable Energy Installations Assessor

This is an emerging job especially in certain regions, for example, where the implementation of solar thermal energy systems in building is mandatory. A Renewable Energy Installations Assessor will check whether renewable energy technologies have been installed to the official standards and the correct administrative procedures have been carried out. Although opportunities related the inspection of small scale renewable energy systems applied to buildings may be more rapidly developing, there may be opportunities for the inspection of larger scale renewable energy generation plants. Main tasks •

Inspect and evaluate renewable energy systems in buildings e.g. solar thermal, PV, wind turbines or geothermal systems;

•

Identify current or anticipated future problems and make suggestions to improve the installation;

•

Issue certification when the installation meets the given standards;

•

Report any misuse or important deviations and initiate the penalisation procedure when necessary;

•

Review budgets and write technical reports.

Sk ills •

Technical ability including knowledge of renewable energy systems which can be integrated with buildings (solar thermal panels and associated components, photovoltaic panels etc.);

•

High standards and the ability to focus on details;

•

Interviewing and listening skills;

•

Ability to discuss technical issues and be persuasive;

•

Ability to deal with pressure and take responsibility for decisions.

Educational b ackground Education up to degree level in a relevant engineering or science subject would be preferable. Training may be offered by the employer e.g. in specific technical areas or renewable energy sectors and will include training on relevant technical codes and regulations. Previous Job experience Experience installing renewable energy systems or with inspection (e.g. through building control offices or auditing companies) would be beneficial.

79


Local energy agencies and regional government offices;

•

Specialist consultancy companies involved in installation, maintenance, and building construction.

Working conditions Office based with frequent regional site visits and outdoor work.

80

Research Engineer

A research engineer will undertake basic or applied research relevant to different aspects of renewable energy such as: new technologies, processes, resources, energy conservation and transport, and this may extend to include aspects such as policies, strategies etc. The work of a researcher, if carried out effectively, will help drive the future success of renewable energy and they may be in a position to make substantial contributions. Main tasks •

Organize, supervise and implement research and development (R&D) projects that aim to further renewable energy technologies;

•

Develop and test materials and technologies with a particular emphasis on improving performance/efficiencies, reliability and economic aspects;

•

Develop the required substructure for the support and implementation of research programs e.g. applying for funding and grants;

•

Provide technical services and consultancy to industrial partners in the form of specific technical know-how, use of specialised equipment or developed technologies;

•

Write technical research papers and participate in seminars, conferences, and educational programs etc.;

•

Help advise local and national authorities associated with national policy, strategy and planning affairs related to renewable energy.

Sk ills •

Detailed scientific and technological knowledge in renewable energy and related technologies;

•

High level of IT competency may be required as computational models and simulations are often used for technology optimisation;

•

Ability to think laterally and analytically;

•

Ability to process large amounts of information effectively and to compile reports or scientific papers;

•

Good communication skills e.g. to present complex issues and results from technical research to large audiences.


University degree in engineering or relevant scientific subject;

•

PhD in a relevant field.

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Experience working in research laboratories e.g. in university, research centre, and R&D departments etc.);

•

Experience in developing, managing and implementing research projects.


Universities;

•

National or private research centres;

•

Energy producing companies and plants;

•

Manufacturers;

•

Engineering consultants.

Working conditions Mainly laboratories and workshops. It also includes work in office environment, travel and participation in conferences.

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Sales Technician

Sales technicians are essential to the generation of business in many organisations however they may be considered particularly important in the renewable energy sector due to the emerging nature of the industry. They will be responsible for selling renewable energy equipment, systems, products and services. They may deal with large scale industries, such as selling “mega watt” wind turbines, or with small scale sectors such as solar thermal energy. Main tasks •

Identify potential clients and assess their needs;

•

Engage potential clients and co-ordinate meeting appointments;

•

Demonstrate product/service and present technical information;

•

Develop technical solutions in response to a client’s situation;

•

Negotiate financial arrangements, terms and conditions with clients;

•

Work with marketing and other sales team members e.g. presenting customer feedback to aid in the formulation of future marketing plans;

•

Inform product or service development managers on possible areas of “customer driven” future expansion;

•

Organize and attend events and exhibitions related to their renewable energy sector.

Sk ills •

Entrepreneurial, motivated with good commercial awareness;

•

Good interpersonal, communication and negotiating skills;

•

Positive attitude and good presentation skills;

•

Good organizational and administrative skills especially with figures;

•

Can maintain a calm demeanour under pressure;

•

Can be persistent or tactful when required;

•

Good written communication;

•

Environmental awareness and genuine interest for renewable energy;

•

Some technical knowledge in renewable energy.

Educational b ackground Preferably a university graduate (engineer or business studies). Some companies may not require education up to a degree depending on the level of technical skills required.

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Previous Job experience Previous work experience in technical sales is preferable and experience in energy production systems will be an advantage. Job opportunities Opportunities in renewable energy equipment, distribution, installation, maintenance and operation companies as: •

As “direct sales representatives” selling directly to consumers in their homes or to small organisations;

•

As “technical sales engineers” working with a client to develop the technical application of products or services;

•

As “account managers” working with large companies and development contracts.

Working conditions Office based with frequent travel to clients’ premises. Administrative tasks can often be performed during travel time.

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Social Advisor

The social advisor, or energy conservation officer, will help homeowners, tenants, landlords and businesses, particularly those with financial difficulties, to achieve energy savings. Main tasks •

Analyse outstanding payment files from social workers;

•

Meet with tenant families in outstanding energy payment situations and mediate between them and the service or energy providers;

•

Give advice on how to deal with outstanding payments and propose solutions in the case of disputes;

•

Identify instances of poor energy use and inefficient equipment in homes (or businesses);

•

Organise public meetings to actively address large numbers of residents and promote/initiate action with regards to energy efficiency;

•

Increases resident awareness of water and waste control;

•

Operating a telephone answering service and help desk.

Sk ills including •

Good communications skills including presenting and also in writing reports;

•

Technical abilities such as identification and implementation of energy efficiency techniques e.g. insulation, improving air tightness of windows and doors, the use of thermostats etc.

negotiation,

mediation,

training,


Training in advising residents with social and economic issues;

•

Technical training (secondary or university level).

Previous Job experience Previous experience with counselling, advising or dealing with tenants. Job opportunities Energy companies, local development agencies or associations concerned with energy generation and conservation. Working conditions Office based with substantial travel to a variety of sites.

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Technician specialised in Renewable Energies applied to Buildings.

In the field of renewable energies, technicians are likely to be in the greatest demand. Technician specialising in technologies applied to buildings will play a particularly important role. They should ensure that equipment, such as solar panels, small scale wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and biomass boilers, are installed and maintained correctly and generate not only clean energy but a positive image for renewable energies in general. Main tasks •

Transportation, preparation and installation of main renewable energy generation technologies for a proposed building e.g. solar thermal collectors;

•

Installation of associated systems and controls e.g. hydraulic circuits, electrical components and other parts of a solar installations (storage system, expansion vessels, valves, circulation pumps, batteries, inverters etc);

•

Commission and test the systems;

•

Advise clients how to operate and maintain the installation;

•

Carry out routine preventive maintenance or corrective maintenance when necessary.

Sk ills •

Have relevant technical skills e.g. the ability to install and commission solar thermal systems or photovoltaic panels etc;

•

Ability to read and work from technical drawings and specifications;

•

Accurate and efficient worker;

•

Some IT skills e.g. can use software to calculate the number of solar panels required;

•

Good customer relations skills;

•

Physical fitness and able to work at heights.

Educational b ackground Vocational training in Installation and Maintenance of Renewable Energies in buildings (e.g. 2 years full time studies) and a professional licence (plumbing or electrician). Previous Job experience Previous experience as a fitter, plumber or electrician. Job opportunities These professionals will usually work for a renewable energy company, however, it is not uncommon to perform this role an independent freelance worker. The workload

86

may be shared with the installation and maintenance of traditional sources of energy such as gas boilers. Working conditions Office based with frequent travel to sites and will involve outdoor work frequently at high elevations.

87

Technician specialised in Renewable Energies applied in Industry.

In the field of renewable energies, technicians are likely to be in the greatest demand. Technicians specialising in large-scale renewable energy generation will play an important role. They will be involved with the “hands on” technical side of large scale manufacturing, installation, assembly, commissioning, monitoring, operation and maintenance in all of the renewable energy generation sectors. Main tasks •

Transportation, preparation and installation of large scale renewable energy generation technologies e.g. wind farm or hydroelectric generation plant;

•

Monitor and operate equipment following procedures and documenting activities;

•

Carry out preventive and corrective maintenance of both mechanical and electrical equipment;

•

On-site “trouble shooting” and machinery diagnostic including data acquisition;

•

Ensuring safety procedures are carried out e.g. the use of safety equipment and personal protection when assembling, operating and maintaining.

Sk ills •

Able to pay close attention to detail and carefully monitor all work undertaken;

•

Computer literacy and experience adequate for efficient data processing and analysis;

•

Physical fitness and able to work at heights;

•

Good communicator, both verbally and in writing;

•

Should be flexible and be able to work independently.

Educational b ackground Vocational training in Installation and Maintenance of Renewable Energies in Industry (e.g. 2 years full time studies). Companies may prefer technicians with electrical background rather than mechanical. Previous Job experience Experience on industrial installations (e.g in operation and maintenance). Job opportunities Significant opportunities for Technicians throughout the renewable energy sector e.g. in site assessment, manufacturing, construction and O&M (operation and maintenance) of a wind farm.

88

Working conditions Will involve site work and associated travel. Some regions in EU may expect long shifts and availability 24hr/day, 7 days a week. Other regions will prefer to recruit personnel local to the renewable energy facility.

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