By Mick Elliott, Contributing Editor, Electronic Specifier
If the current government sticks to its policies, renewable energy, and specifically onshore and offshore wind energy are set for rapid growth. Up to 13 major offshore wind projects were recently unlocked as the government announced measures to accelerate the construction of offshore infrastructure. The consenting process is being streamlined to accelerate construction.
RS established a team focused on renewable energy in 2022 and it is calling on industry leaders to address the pressing issues of skills development, diversifying supply chains, and bridging critical funding gaps. These actions, says RS, are essential to unlocking the full potential of offshore wind and driving the transition to renewable energy. At a recent roundtable, ‘Powering Possibilities’, RS brought together key stakeholders to explore these challenges and outline practical solutions to propel the sector forward, including Renewables UK, Phoenix Contact, VÃ¥rgrønn, and James Fisher Renewables.
All agreed that investment will be required in people as well as infrastructure.
“The renewable energy sector is confronting a significant skills gap, with an urgent demand for STEM qualifications and leadership expertise to support its rapid growth,” warned Nathan Bennett, Head of Strategic Communications, Renewables UK. He highlighted the launch of the Energy Skills Passport devised to streamline pathways into the sector by aligning individuals’ skills and experience with industry needs.
“It is an initiative by the UK government and industry trade bodies for offshore wind that we were made aware of by Renewables UK,” explains Veronica Maxted, Director of Renewables at RS Group. “There are opportunities to join skills workshops etc. At RS we champion those events. With a million engineers worldwide, 40,000 in the UK, accessing its websites, RS will look to raise the profile of the initiative, helping some to see offshore wind as a feasible career path.
“It’s about solving the problem now, not 10 years from now,” stressed Suzanne Proctor, Supply Chain Manager, James Fisher Renewables.
“Two years ago, the Offshore Wind Industry Council warned that the number of people working in the offshore sector would need to increase from 30,000 to 100,000 by the end of this decade. It is a target that has to be reached if we are going to meet the net zero targets set by the government,” added Maxted. “Sixty percent of those jobs are STEM qualification roles, and that’s not including the project leader roles that will have to filled.
“In the project leader roles, we are looking at high level digitalisation skills to interpret data analytics, and an understanding of artificial intelligence. We are seeing these technologies come into play
especially as we move into predictive, preventative maintenance.”
Diversifying supply chains and addressing the sector’s relative immaturity are critical to sustaining progress. “We must ensure we don’t run before we walk,” Proctor emphasised, highlighting the need to align innovation with practical realities.
“Without question there is a challenge around the supply chain and availability of parts, also the supply chain capacity because the demand that is coming down, even with existing capabilities, that demand on the supply chain will be pressured. Cost volatility comes into play as well – there is a push to bring costs down to support projects coming in line, that plays a part as well.”
RS is well placed to support the offshore wind globally. “In a large part we mirror offshore wind investment in terms of the emerging markets through our 36 locations, that is something we see as a strength of RS,” said Maxted.
Maxted supports the Fem Eng. Group in Glasgow. “It’s an association of universities in Scotland,” she explained. “We run a competition called Windequent, where groups of students will design from scratch an onshore wind farm. They have to look at costs, the consenting process, planning, and any innovations that support the farm in the long term. We support with sponsorship, and with our intelligence and knowledge of the industry.
“And that’s been fantastic, to be close to the future of our workforce in renewable energy,” enthused Maxted. So how does RS engage with customers and suppliers to understand their needs?
“It is a journey I have been on since I joined RS,” noted Maxted. “Early doors we did a programme with Offshore Wind Growth Partnership, called the West programme, and the idea is to work with new entrants into the sector and with consultants to identify what the value proposition needs to look like and the opportunity that sits behind that. What we realised very early on was the number of subsectors that support the offshore wind industry – so it’s about the entire infrastructure, that entire ecosystem where you have the ports, the vessels, the tier one supply chain, the industry bodies, the government, and all that makes up the picture of the offshore wind industry.
“We identified that all those organisations and pillars have to be supported in a different way. We then looked at operations and maintenance specifically because we identified that as a huge UK opportunity. That is where we feel we are closely aligned in what we can offer in terms of product and service.
“We have engaged heavily with our supply chain because that is absolutely key to supporting demand. We can’t do it alone. It is about collaborating to bring costs down and help design innovation that will support this technology going forward. That’s a real key element where our suppliers are being involved.
“So, we take a helicopter view of the industry and then narrow down into different elements of the sector, really getting under the skin of what the challenges are.”
Maxted’s personal commitment has extended into taking a wind energy diploma that covers a wide range of topics including wind turbine design and maintenance, wind turbine safety, the environmental impact of wind turbines and wind turbine economics.
RS is confident that the shift to digitalisation will transform the offshore industry, improving both efficiency and quality of life for workers.
Amy Quinn, Head of Offshore Wind, RS Group highlighted the impact of enhanced connectivity, stating: “From a logistics perspective, crew typically operate on two-week offshore rotations, with limited supplies stored on each vessel. For regular maintenance, they can now place orders directly from the vessel while offshore. This process is crucial, especially if there are any delays. If parts do not arrive on time, it can disrupt the maintenance schedule, and the vessel could face penalties. Therefore, investing in advanced technology is essential to ensure smooth operations and minimise potential issues.”
For the past 12 months, RS has been offering a bespoke portable tool kit for offshore engineers in conjunction with RSPro – its in-house product brand. Engineers and technicians can enter their shopping list, choose their preferred brands and tool types amongst RS’s 2,500 suppliers and 800,000-line items.
Debbie Lentz, Chief of Solutions & Services, RS Group commented: “RS Group is proud to bring together leaders from across the renewable energy sector. There are huge opportunities for the future of renewables. By working together, we can unlock the full potential of renewable energy and drive meaningful progress toward a sustainable future.”
This article originally appeared in the March/April issue of Procurement Pro.
