The Green Edge Reports Roundup, June-23: Part Two - Sectors
Continuing with our selection of reports and other publications from this month’s reading list.
Part Two of our crop of green reports from this months reading list. Also see Part One - General.
As usual, you can find all thes reports and more in our searchable reports list on The Green Edge Data Portal.
Energy
Coal
US on track to close half of coal capacity by 2026
Institute for Energy Economist and Financial Analysis, April 2023
Coal has been in decline for a long time in the USA from its peak in 1923. This analysis shows the path to further decline and the loss of further jobs. Currently, US coal mining employs 55,000 people and needs a managed transition to lessen the negative impacts of the move to net zero.
Core Clean Technologies
Better, faster, cleaner: Securing clean energy technology supply chains: Barriers to Clean Electrification Series: Supply Chain – Insights Briefing
Energy Transitions Commission, June 2023
This report is focused on the six core clean energy technologies: solar PV, wind, batteries, grids, heat pumps, and electrolysers, We see in Exhibit 2.3 how the authors map out the supply chain and their challenges. Skills get a mention only once as regards the scale-up of heat pump installations. We’re left with the impression that without this clean supply chain view it would not be possible to develop an understanding of how quickly the world can make an energy transition, and that managed co-operation will be vital to prevent negative competitive allocations of resources. It’s worth also looking at the EU Policy Toolkit as well related to ETC’s work of supply chains.
The State of Clean Technology Manufacturing. An Energy Technology Perspectives Special Briefing
International Energy Agency, May 2023
Covers the big five of renewable energy - solar PV, wind, batteries, electrolyses and heat pumps - and their source countries dominated by China, Vietnam, India, EU and the US. From a UK perspective we’re left thinking how energy security could be extended, given the dominance of non-UK suppliers.
Electricity Distribution / Transmission
Building a GB Electricity Network Ready for Net Zero
Regen for MCS, 2023
Analyses the challenges ahead and notes three key areas: LV distribution, transmission interface, and transmission. Major employment demand driven by a huge uplift in the levels of investment from the current baseline levels.
Opportunities for a more efficient power systems in 2030 and 2040
ENTSO-E European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, May 2023
Here is a simple and consistent message on electricity transmission: the need to raise efficiencies across national and international systems, and through this to achieve much better supply-demand balances at a much lower costs. Such a message has implications for investment levels and the focus on that investment (including storage) - as well as, of course, the wider workforce development requirements. Viewing whole systems is the only way to tackle net zero energy generation options and requires a unique set of skills.
Electricity Generation
Electric Insights Quarterly (Q1 2023)
Imperial College, University of Sussex, and the UK Energy Research Centre for Drax Group plc, May 2023
A useful source of the mix of energy powering the UK. Also the places the UK in an international context as regards the rates of growth across key renewable energy sectors. Provides the direction and scale of travel on which jobs and employment follow.
Energy Efficiency
Energy Efficiency – The Decade for Action: Ministerial Briefing. IEA 8th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency.
International Energy Agency, June 2023
Highlights the vital importance of energy efficiency going forward and the need for it to double in size over the coming years. Covers three major areas: buildings, industry, and transport. Energy efficiency requires refinement and/or replacement of existing technologies (both heat pumps and EV vehicles are included here), and also the extensive use of digital and energy flexibility management. This has potentially important implications for the skills development around energy efficiency, and a career pathway could be developed around this core theme.
Gas
The Future of Gas
European Academies Science Advisory Council, May 2023
Key to making lasting progress to net zero is managing the difficult transition from one fuel source to another. This report highlights both the urgency of the shift and the actions that need to be taken over the coming periods. Provides a useful set of actions around balancing energy efficiency, energy security and delivering net zero. Makes very clear that gas boiler replacement is critical, must be done faster, and no new gas boilers should be installed.
Getting Off Gas. Why UK energy independence is a pipedream unless we reduce our gas consumption
Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, April 2023
Understanding the rate of change between prime energy sources is a key input to being able to plan the net zero workforce changes required over the coming decade. When a system goes through a transition there is usually the need for extra capacity – a buffer – to allow the old system to continue while you develop and scale up its replacement. The capacity and buffer requirements need to come in large part from the workforce. To date, we haven’t seen this feature in the green job projections for the 2025-2035 period.
Heat Pumps
Consumer protection in the green heating and insulation sector. Call for information: findings report
Competition and Markets Authority, May 2023
This important report shows the significant information gap that exists in a key area for the UK to reach net zero. By default, it highlights the training needs for consumers, installers and manufacturers, and standards bodies to build trust and ensure good decision making. As a result of this work the CMA produced a Consumer Guide to help us all - we feel this could form the basis of an online course at least.
Heat Pumps: A User Survey
Nesta, May 2023
A balanced set of surveys of heat pump and gas boiler users (2,500 for heat pumps and 1,000 for gas boilers). Finds amongst other things that heat pumps users are broadly satisfied. Helps to provide a backdrop to any FE College thinking about launching heat pump courses both for users and installers as the need to boost both knowledge and skills starts to build. Worth reading alongside the report by the Energy and Utilities Alliance’s report, The Upfront Costs of Decarbonising Your Home
Low Carbon Heat Study
Element Energy for Kensa Heat Pumps, May 2023
While the bulk of interest is in air source heat pumps (ASHP), there are others with different configurations, and this report makes a comparison between ASHP and ground source heat pumps (GSHP). A key takeaway for us is the potential of heat networks to pool the benefits at the user end, reduce costs of installation, and take some of the potential strain off the national energy system. Much of the current skills discussion rightly focuses on largely ASHP, we need to ensure the full skills sets for all forms of heat pumps and their configurations.
Hydrogen
Green Hydrogen: Energizing the path to net zero
Deloitte, June 2023
An excellent up-to-date view of the growing importance of hydrogen for industry, especially iron and steel, transport and power (including storage). But doesn’t really include buildings. Notes the transferable skills set across the fossil fuel industry which can help to develop and support the manufacture, trade and use of hydrogen.
The $850bn green H2 game everybody wants to play – a 2050 forecast
ReTHINK Energy, May 2023
Makes a powerful case, painting a vivid picture of the future applications of hydrogen across biofuel refining, aviation, road transport, maritime, and steel and cement manufacturing. Again, we note building decarbonisation isn’t covered. Producing a wave of investment for hydrogen is one major area and so is the adoption of hydrogen across the user industries. Given the scale of the potential use of hydrogen it must also drive skills in a big way and would seem to be in its early days on this.
Energy Innovation
Innovation Focus. An assessment of innovation priorities to accelerate the offshore wind sector in the UK.
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and Offshore Wind Industry Council, June 2023
While some clean energy and net zero energy sectors grapple with defining their skills requirements, offshore wind has a clear picture of its future needs. This report spells out future priorities for innovation and where gaps exist. For future innovation priorities, read future skills requirements. This is an approach others could use; certainly the various LSIPs and local area skills assessment need to build this future viewing element into their thinking and plans.
Enhancing Federal Clean Energy Innovation: Proceedings of a Workshop
National Academies Press, 2021
Two things strike us when we read this workshop report. First is the huge jobs growth coming from clean energy in the USA - 4mn when the workshop was run jumping by a further 3.4mn over the next few years. Second, the complexity of the future power system (page 57). There is much more to extract and learn from the contributors, but these are our two big takeaways.
Energy Policy
Strategy and Policy Statement for Energy Policy in Great Britain – Consultation
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Closing date August 2nd 2023
A chance to contribute and shape energy policy across the UK. Even if you aren’t interested in taking part in the consultation, the document provides a short statement of current policy intent and direction.
Solar
Solar Habitat: Ecological trends on solar farms in the UK
Solar Energy UK, May 2023
Tends to be more about ecology than solar, but the report does highlight the need and value of an ecological skills set on large solar sites to help manage a new form of natural habitat.
US Solar Market Insight. 2022 Year in Review
Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie, March 2023
One simple takeaway: growth of solar is a major source of renewable energy. If we combine this report with the latest National Solar Jobs Census we can see that the US solar industry now employs 255,000 people.
Energy Transition
Energy Transition Outlook 2023. Transport in Transition. A deep dive into fuels, electricity, and infrastructure.
DNV, 2023
DNV has produced a series of transition reports, all well worth a look for those seeking to understand a specific sector and how the different technologies are impacting as they transition towards net zero. All have their own skills implications.
Energy Intensive Industries
Cement, Concrete, Steel and Aluminium
Lightening Emissions in Heavy Industry: Reducing CO2 in Cement, Concrete, Steel, and Aluminium can help us on a path to 1.5 degrees.
Natural Resources Defence Council, December 2022
A useful review of technologies and policies to support the four industries’ progress towards to net zero.
Steel
Decarbonising the Indian Steel Industry: Roadmap Towards a Green Steel Economy
Rocky Mountain Institute, March 2023
For anyone trying to gain a quick understanding of green steel, this report is a helpful initial read. It also contains a roadmap and a set of excellent infographics.
Steel from Solar Energy: A Techno-Economic Assessment of Green Steel Manufacturing
Hydrogen Europe and The Smarter E Europe, May 2022
While skills don’t get a single mention, the report provides a useful set of roadmaps for the steel industry as it switches away from non-green energy sources.
Construction
Decarbonisation
Decarbonising Construction: Building a new net zero industry. Four missions to transform and decarbonise the built environment.
National Engineering Policy Centre at the Royal Academy of Engineering, 2021
Captures the challenges for construction around four missions: product outcomes; design and specification; construction and re-use; and change to procurement. Builds on this with a form of roadmap in the appendix. For each challenge, a raft of skills need to be in place and aligned.
Retrofit
Reinventing Retrofit. How to scale-up home energy efficiency in the UK
Green Alliance, February 2019
We thought we’d dig this report out again because, apart from describing the potential of the Dutch Energiesprong approach to retrofit, it makes a key point: scale and demand drives down the cost of the home decarbonisation transition. This might be a real growth opportunity for the UK by diverting the construction workforce to progressively building to a higher, net zero standard, and to use the planning system to drive retrofit.
A Technology-Agnostic Approach to Heat and Buildings Policy
Sustainable Energy Association, February 2023
Makes a case for focusing on outcome rather than technology to ensure buildings are thermally efficient, which then points towards a broader set of generic skills and abilities to design and manage energy efficiency. Skills do a get a mention or two (page 59) and the jobs potential of retrofitting: 1.2mn direct, and 1.5mn indirect jobs by 2050. These are large numbers and make a few significant assumptions about Government policy and levels of investment, not to mention education and training of the construction industry’s workforce.
Transport
Electric Vehicles (EV)
How policy actions can spur EV adoption in the United States
Rocky Mountain Institute, June 2023
Shows the impact the Inflation Reduction Act can have on EV adoption in the USA and contains messages for all other countries. Highlights three challenges: circularity for batteries, charging access, and power supply constraints. A positive national set of policies can shape the development of an industry in transition and with it comes employment and skills demand. A model for the UK perhaps?
UK Car Exports on a Cliff Edge: The impact on the UK’s car industry of a failure to electrify
Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, June 2023
A simple message: electrify or potentially lose £22bn worth of exports and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Could the proposed battery plant investment by JLG positively tip the balance back towards the UK remaining a car exporter.
Electric Road Systems: A Solution for the Future?
PIARC Special Project, World Road Association, 2018
A dated report but still useful for those trying to understand the alternative to fixed-place EV charging and (relatively) large scale in-vehicle energy storage. There is an element of “what if” about electric road systems as its widespread application would have profound effects on the battery industry, the uptake of EV vehicles, and the mad rush to install charging points across the country. Probably a hybrid solution in reality will develop but on-the-go charging should be in our thinking.
Trucks
Preventing Electric Truck Gridlock: Meeting the Urgent Need for a Stronger Grid
Rocky Mountain Institute, May 2023
The potential is there for trucks to be electrified and to play an important role in logistics. This US study begs questions for the UK and in particular the National Grid’s ability to provide sufficient charging points and capacity. Given the scale of the UK (we’re small!) where multiple small vans are used for local parcel deliveries and supermarkets orders, the potential should be great.