The Green Edge Reports Roundup, Nov-24: 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.
֎ Reports we feel are particularly worth a look.
Sectors - General
The Move to Mandatory Reporting (2024)
KPMG, November 2024.
While governments may slip and slide on their commitments and delivery of net zero targets, it is important to bake in targets within individual companies. This survey covers two populations of businesses: a global set of 250 corporations, and a set of national ones (100 in each of 58 countries). 95% of the global group have a specific carbon target, while it’s 80% for the national lists. Our simple logic is that skills follow targets to shift to becoming net zero at a company level. This would suggest the demand for sustainability competences will be growing. A slightly strange finding from the survey was that in the global companies only 56% have a designated leader to drive their sustainability ambitions.
Progress Achieved and the Path Ahead (TPT Final Report, 2024)
Transition Plan Taskforce, October 2024.
As corporations set their carbon targets, they are also crafting their own transition plans, and this report seeks to develop a ‘gold standard’ for such plans. Transition plans drive skills requirements and their development. Such plans are also another indicator of progress towards net zero.
DNV Energy Transition Outlook UK 2024
DNV, 2024.
DNV produce a number of energy transition outlook reports (and we have provided the link to the UK one) which are really useful to understand the overall direction and speed of travel towards net zero. In the global report DNV identify the dependence upon China supplying many of the core clean tech technologies, the negative impact of economic and energy security measures, etc. Well worth a read alongside the work of the IEA.
Engineering Challenges for Net-Zero (2024)
National Academies, 2024.
Picks out nine areas: navigating the energy transition; solar power; small modular reactors; fusion power; the grid; storage and transmission; establishing priorities; changes in behaviour; and generating a sense of urgency. A few themes struck us here: making the cost of the change manageable for all (hence the need to even greater innovation); the opportunity to rethink energy to make is accessible and affordable; and the need for widespread engagement with the transition. It would be good to see the Royal Society working with other key bodies to running such an event with the Government, employers (Make UK) and unions (TUC).
Energy Technology Perspectives 2024
IEA, 2024.
From this exhaustive report there are some main skills messages with the clean energy transition underscores a critical need for skilled labour across energy, technology, and trade sectors. The manufacturing surge in clean technologies—solar PV, EVs, wind, and batteries—demands expertise in advanced production, supply chain management, and engineering. Countries like China dominate manufacturing due to integrated supply chains and technical skills, while regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa must upskill their workforce to capitalize on emerging opportunities. Trade growth in high-value clean energy technologies like EVs and solar PV highlights the necessity of expertise in international logistics, regulatory compliance, and innovation-driven manufacturing. Furthermore, industrial policies in the EU and U.S. focus on building domestic capacities, necessitating training programs in areas like battery innovation and advanced automotive technologies. To maintain competitiveness, workforce development must prioritize technical education, reskilling for clean energy industries, and fostering expertise in international trade, especially in emerging economies
Heat in Buildings Data for Digital Compliance (2024)
Climate X Change, February 2024.
This report explores the challenges and opportunities in implementing Scotland’s Heat in Buildings Bill standards. It emphasizes the need for non-polluting heating by 2045 and phased energy efficiency upgrades for various property types. However, significant gaps in data quality, coverage, and integration hinder effective digital compliance systems. The report suggests enriching datasets with new inputs, leveraging archetype approaches, and improving data governance. Success hinges on training professionals in data management, building assessments, and digital compliance tools. Policymakers and practitioners need to harmonize standards and cultivate expertise in clean heating and retrofit practices.
Absolute Impact 2024
Carbon Tracker, November 2024.
It is always helpful to drop from national tracking towards their net zero targets, and the ones being achieved (or not) by specific corporations. Here we have a range of oil and gas corporations analysed one by one with the majority missing their targets, and reveals that while GHG is one major issue, methane is certainly a major, major challenge. One of our interests here is the role of these large, technically and financially strong companies in the transition through their active investment and through the skills their staff have developed.
Energy
CCUS
CCUS: A Reality Check (2024)
Carbon Tracker, October 2024.
A great summary of the previous work of Carbon Tracker, and a series of sound recommendations for action in key sectors.
Energy Efficiency
Right Here! Right Now! New Roles for Energy Efficiency in an Electrified Energy System (2024)
RAP, November 2024.
A key piece of knowledge here around energy efficiency policy within the overall electrification process, and would slot in well to any energy education programme. Efficiency here does not just refer to energy end use but throughout the whole system.
Hydrogen
֎ European Hydrogen Markets 2024 Market Monitoring Report (ACER)
ACER, November 2024.
Excellent status report showing the huge challenge ahead to meet national targets. Infographics are very informative and powerful. UK is not included in this analysis which is a great shame as one message coming from the report is the importance of cross-border co-operation. Appendices provide links to all national hydrogen strategies for those wanting to delve deeper.
Hydrogen Insights 2023
Hydrogen Council and McKinsey and Co, May 2023.
A hydrogen project-by-project map across the world and then split into application areas. Quickly provides a view on the rate of change and the sectors gaining the greatest levels of investment.
Key Barriers to the Development of Hydrogen in the UK Energy System (2023)
Energy Systems Catapult, University of Birmingham, and Hydrogen Innovation Initiative, July 2023.
In all seven barriers are identified here of which skills is one, holding back investment across the whole hydrogen supply chain.
Nuclear
The Road to Net Zero: Renewables and Nuclear Working Together (2024)
Dalton Nuclear Institute, University of Manchester, October 2024.
Getting the energy mix agreed and delivered is a major challenge, and there is a clear overlap between the main sources e.g. capturing heat from one energy source for use elsewhere. Skills are identified here a potential constraint on meeting targets.
Solar PV
Agrisolar Handbook (2024)
Solar Power Europe, November 2024.
Covers the integration of solar PV energy generation with agriculture and charts the benefits (page 10). There are also 14 case studies which illustrate world examples from Europe. These schemes are common in the UK and in most European countries providing another income stream for a number of farmers.
Heat and Retrofit
֎ Projecting the Future Domestic Heat Pump Workforce (2024)
Heat Pump Association, November 2024.
An important report that provides an important part of the net zero transition workforce jigsaw puzzle. There are clear drivers for heat pump installation through the Future Home Standards and the Clean Heat Market Mechanism. One feature we would suggest is further pursued here is to rethink how we install heat pumps, and what are the options for industrialising the process at the point of installation i.e. assume a major skills constraint, but seeking to deliver on the heat pump installation targets.
The Suitability of Clean Heating Options for Challenging Dwelling Types (2024)
Climate X Change, February 2024.
There are challenges, but with careful planning and solution development, there are ways of installing heat pumps or direct electric boilers into most types of properties. Slowly but surely the objections to replacing gas and oil boilers are being knocked down.
REALIZE-CA Design & Installation Guide (2024)
RMI and others, March 2024.
Useful, well-illustrated retrofitting guide based around a few case studies. While we have many UK-based guides, it is always helpful to look at others to spark improvements.
Infrastructure
Developing Resilience Standards in UK Infrastructure (2024)
NIC, September 2024.
Climate change is—and will continue to be—a challenge all UK infrastructure through extremes of heat and water (amongst other things), and this will require the development of appropriate standards. From a skills viewpoint, working with revised and new resilience standards calls for a new mindset, and a consideration of risk.
NIC Design Principles Handbook (2024)
NIC, May 2024.
Infrastructure improvement and investment are a key part of the transition towards net zero, and so making better design decisions go along with building climate considerations into the process. A number of case studies are also provided: Lower Thames Crossing, Tideway, and Sizewell C.
Nature, Agriculture and Forestry
RSE Inquiry into Public Financial Support for Tree Planting and Forestry (2024)
Royal Society of Edinburgh, February 2024.
Scotland is the forestry capital of the UK, and this report goes into some detail about forestry schemes, in so doing collecting data on employment in timber and forestry. Whilst the employment data are out of date (and are underestimates), it is quick to see the scale of the sector, and its importance to the local community.
Scale of Need Report (2024)
Report for the RSPB, National Trust, and The Wildlife Trusts, July 2024.
For those trying to understand the bringing together of farming and the net zero agenda, and the complexity of the decisions that the farming community are going to grapple with over the coming years. In the design of policies to achieve net zero across farming and nature there needs to be a supported and concerted skills development programme.
Balancing UK agricultural production and environmental objectives
POST Horizon Scanning, November 2024.
Link (online only)
Excellent summary of the issues, and raises some key questions for the UK Parliament. What we would find useful (and probably others) are a series of future scenarios of what the transition means for a selection different farm types, and the number of farms focused on different outputs.
Discussion Paper on Nature Transition Plans (2024)
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, Oct 2024 (updated Nov 2024).
This discussion paper outlines the framework for creating and disclosing nature transition plans aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) to halt biodiversity loss by 2030. It emphasizes the importance of nature-related dependencies, risks, and opportunities for businesses and financial institutions. The framework, guided by principles of ambition, action, and accountability, includes five themes: Foundations, Implementation Strategy, Engagement Strategy, Metrics and Targets, and Governance. The plan aims for integrated nature-climate strategies, and our interest is in the implied sets of skills: encompassing biodiversity, ecosystem services, and socio-economic considerations. Collaborative efforts, stakeholder engagement, and iterative improvements are encouraged to align organizational strategies with global biodiversity and sustainability goals. Nature transition plans require expertise in biodiversity management, risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, governance, and science-based target setting. Skills in data analysis, ecosystem valuation, and socio-economic impact evaluation are crucial. Cross-disciplinary collaboration, cultural competency, and change management are also vital to navigate synergies and trade-offs across nature, climate, and social objectives.
Roadmap for Enhancing Market Access to Nature Data (2024)
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosure, October 2024.
This report discusses a plan by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) to improve the accessibility, quality, and usability of nature-related data for corporate reporting and decision-making. It identifies challenges such as data fragmentation, poor comparability, and high costs. The roadmap outlines a pilot testing phase in 2025 to evaluate composite data principles and explore a Nature Data Public Facility (NDPF). This initiative aims to enhance data interoperability, support standardized metrics, and foster collaboration among stakeholders to address gaps in nature data availability and quality. We see there are several skills implications: Data Analytics: Proficiency in analysing environmental datasets and integrating them into decision-making frameworks. Interoperability Standards: Expertise in aligning datasets with open-source, corporate, and scientific standards. Corporate Sustainability Reporting: Skills in aligning disclosures with frameworks like TNFD, ISSB, and SBTN. Stakeholder Collaboration: Capacity to engage across sectors to address data quality, consistency, and accessibility issues. Technology Integration: Knowledge of APIs, metadata management, and user experience design for data platforms like the NDPF.
Steel
Structuring Demand for Lower-Carbon Materials (2024)
RMI, July 2024.
Report explores and explains decarbonisation of steel and concrete sectors through an environmental attribute purchase structured through a comprehensive book and claim system.
Transport
EVs
Europe’s Economic Potential in the Shift to Electric Vehicles (2024)
McKinsey & Co, October 2024.
The scale and integral nature of the European automative industry is well known, and this short paper identifies some of the major challenges for the transition to EVs. What we always find missing in these analyses is the scale of skills shift, and this is not a few technical skills, but the whole culture of an industry built around petrol and diesel engine design and manufacture through to the drive train, and associated technologies. This mindset shapes engineering education, training and practice across a society and is deeply evident in Germany, Italy, France etc.
eFREIGHT 2030: eHGV Charger Connections Guide (2024)
Energy Systems Catapult, November 2024.
A very useful and practical guide covering chargers for HGVs, and for those interested in the skills required the information provided here can be used to piece together what tasks are critical to the successful development of the eHGV charging infrastructure.
Transportation Electrification Building Blocks (2024)
RMI, October 2024.
The template provided in this report split into six blocks and is a great step by step guide onto which skills could be built, and is applicable anywhere in the Developed World.
Energizing Public Transit for Islands (2024)
RMI, October 2024.
Our interest here is the workforce development element (pages 12-13) which spells out how this was tackled across the whole workforce covering technical and safety needs.
Marine
Environmental and Health Benefits of Designating a North Atlantic Emission Control Area (2024)
International Council on Clean Transportation, November 2024.
We have spoken to a good few people involved in the marine sector, and often the focus is mainly on emissions reduction rather than the air quality and direct health benefits (less deaths). This report shows the wider health benefits of decarbonising the marine sector, and should perhaps have greater visibility when investment decisions are made.