Positive Outlook for Renewable Energy Jobs in 2011

Positive Outlook for Renewable Energy Jobs in 2011

With the second round of offshore wind supply chain events, the renewables sector is buzzing with excitement over forthcoming Round 3 projects. That coupled with the end of the winter off season, where some windfarms saw less that 10 hours of work accomplished thanks to adverse weather has underlined the value of the labour market as an integral part of the renewables supply stream.

The major news since the New Year was the grant of approval to begin construction of the Humber Gateway Windfarm, bringing the installation of 70 new high output turbines and a considerable boost to jobs in the area and ending an unprecedented 36 month break in consents.

The current UK government will have to direct the transformation of the British economy to sustainability. This will include preparation for the complete decarbonisation of the power sector by 2050, if not earlier. The production of wind, wave and tidal energy will deliver the largest single contribution to this goal and can help create significant numbers of new manufacturing and service jobs in the low carbon economy. Up to 70,000 jobs could be created by the UK wind industry by 2020. The present-day RE industry focuses on new and appropriate renewable energy technologies. Investors worldwide have paid much greater attention to the emerging RE industry in recent years. In many cases, this has translated into rapid RE commercialization and considerable industry expansion. The wind power and solar photovoltaics (PV) industries provide good examples of this.

RE industries expanded during most of the noughties and by 2009 there were at least 160 publicly traded RE companies with a market capitalization greater than 180 million. An estimated 230 billion was invested in RE globally in 2008. Leading RE companies include First Solar, Gamesa, GE Energy, Q-Cells, Sharp Solar, Siemens, SunOpta, Suntech, and Vestas.

The UK, in line with other EU countries has committed to contribute to meeting the EU target of at least 20% of energy to be generated from renewable sources by 2020 and Scotland is aiming for 40%. This, along with its own targets of 10% electricity from renewable sources by 2011 has led the UK to develop a diverse range of sustainable energy resources. Market growth is also driven by the Renewables Obligation, a legal requirement for electricity suppliers to meet an increasing proportion of their power sales from renewable sources.

Some 35 GW of new RE capacity, involving an investment of around 100 billion, is needed by 2020. Much of this new capacity will be in onshore and offshore wind energy, as these technologies are the most developed for the available resources and at a scale that can deliver the deployment targets. The UK is conducting a Strategic Environmental Assessment of UK waters to determine the potential for an additional 25GW of offshore wind to be developed (SEA Link). The recent announcement of The Crown Estate for Round 3 of offshore wind development, in addition to the Round 1 and Round 2 projects demonstrates the commitment of the UK to this exciting sector.

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