Case Study - Renewable Energy - Technology and Enterprise
Sector: Renewable Energy
As we move towards a low-carbon economy, people with skills in both the technical and business aspects of energy produced from renewables are increasingly in demand.
Emerging skills challenges
UK energy targets require 10% of our electricity to come from renewables by 2010 (currently c. 7%) and 15% of our total energy (electricity, heat and transport) by 2020 (currently c. 2%). Between 2002 and 2010, employment in the renewable energy industry will more than double with continued expansion inevitable as we face issues of energy security, pricing and climate change. These factors highlight the need for people who are equipped with both technical and business skills tailored to this sector. Energy and Utility Skills, the Sector Skills Council in this area, recognises that it is difficult to predict skills needs in areas of emerging technology and stresses the importance of training that encourages transferability of skills to provide workers who can adapt to new challenges as they emerge.
Demand from government, producers, suppliers and users for greater efficiency in the use of natural resources will have an impact across the entire process chain. While there is existing expertise in, for example, project development and engineering activities, there is a shortage of knowledge of their application in a renewable energy context.
In a sector set for rapid expansion, project development and management skills are paramount in order to exploit new business opportunities and technology application. It is common practice in the sector to sub-contract parts of an installation which means that contract management skills are vital alongside other generic business skills (sales and marketing, administration, finance).
The response
Two courses have been developed at Newcastle University: REFLEX (Renewable Energy Flexible Training) and REEM (Renewable Energy, Enterprise & Management). Each programme offers opportunities to gain postgraduate qualifications at MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate levels as well as offering stand alone Continuing Professional Development (CPD) modules.
Delivered by a combination of distance learning and intensive schools, the highly flexible programmes allow learners to study either full-time or part-time, and to study whilst remaining in full-time employment.
REFLEX is an innovative postgraduate programme in renewable energy for those from engineering and cognate backgrounds. It provides a fully integrated training programme covering mechanical, electrical, chemical, marine engineering, geothermal energy and photovoltaics as well as policy/economic training applied to the analysis and design of renewable energy systems.
Guidance from the Industrial Advisory Board ensures that the programme is relevant to sector needs and aims to improve effectiveness and competitiveness. The programme is accredited by five professional institutes: Energy Institute; IMarEST, IMechE, IET & IChemE.
REEM provides renewable energy management and enterprise training in order to deliver a broad view of the renewable energy industry. Designed for those who do not necessarily have an engineering background, students on this programme learn how to start up and develop a business in the Renewable Energy sector, and have an opportunity to trade. After a period of formal teaching REEM students undertake a substantial enterprise project which might, for example, lead to the development of a business case for a new renewables product or service.
The REEM modules are delivered by a range of Schools within the Faculty of Science Agriculture & Engineering at Newcastle University, together with the Careers Service and external industrial experts.
Impact
Graduates of the two courses have an excellent track record of securing employment in the sector in organisations of all types and sizes from government departments to specialist technology providers.
Chris Worboys, who now works as a policy analyst at the Department of Energy for the Bermuda Government, feels that the postgraduate nature of the REFLEX course is very important. “I feel that an MSc is valued more highly in the workplace as it often represents a greater commitment to a particular subject than is typically found at undergraduate level,” he says. “Having access to resources such as staff, the Library and other REFLEX students was most useful.”
Covering some of the broader aspects of energy use and production was important to Chris Parks, now working for North Energy Associates Limited. Chris also valued the contact with people already working in the industry. “It made clear links between the academic and commercial worlds,” he says. “Being taught by people who are knowledgeable in the field and having that reinforced by people from the industry really highlights the real world relevance.” Chris is ensuring that industry input continues, having joined the steering group for the course now he himself is employed in the sector. Linking technical material with areas such as policy and management increases the impact of the course.
Chris Worboys says “The resources module was really useful and I think important as it encouraged strategic thinking with regard to various resources and their overall potential.” This strategic level is key to success in higher level skills development.
Ian Arbon, who teaches on both courses, is an industrialist with over 35 years’ practical experience with renewable energy and has employed many senior level personnel in the industry over the years. He says “Renewables is really about the political agenda, rather than simply about technologies. Decision makers in this field are often not engineers so education is crucial in producing engineers who can handle the policy side and policy makers who can really get to grips with the engineering in order to make informed decisions.” He has been particularly encouraged to see take up of the courses from people employed in the energy industry who see current technologies as ‘dead-end’ and want to steer their organisations in new directions.
Daniel Dufton, Principal Engineer in Energy Strategic Consulting at Parsons Brinckerhoff, is very positive about the impact of REFLEX having hired a graduate of the course over a year ago. “In a consultancy business, you are selling expertise on various aspects of energy technology,” he says. “The MSc focus on specific technologies means graduates can bring value to the business through that knowledge base. We were able to recruit someone with more knowledge in one technical area than anybody already in the business.”
His experience is echoed by that of Mehmet Olgun. Mehmet’s project on the production of biogas from potato waste has led directly to a job with a company who are prototyping an anaerobic digestion process to produce biogas from farm waste. Mehmet says, “The knowledge and skills developed on the course have a real practical application in my new job.”
Further information:
Course specific
- Sandra Haney, sandra.haney@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: +44 (0)191 222 3680
General enquiries
- Mr Christopher Hoy, christopher.hoy@ncl.ac.uk
- Teaching and Learning Awards Officer
- Research & Enterprise Services
- Telephone: +44 (0) 191 222 5886
View our PDF brochure Renewable energy - technology and enterprise (PDF: 1.08MB)
