As the world reaches towards its global sustainability goals, the renewable energy sector is evolving alongside it. Whether it be with new technological advancements or meeting a nation’s sustainability targets, the energy recruitment sector is subject to new and exciting developments as trends continue to emerge. As we enter a new year, here are some of the key trends in 2024 and beyond.
Emerging Technologies
Advances in technology are vital to the continued growth of renewable energy. Cutting-edge developments in the field allow for the sector to grow and change alongside rising demand for clean energy alternatives. This year at the Global Wind Conference 2023, these were a main focus of much of the event. Here are just a few to be aware of:
Floating wind: Floating wind solutions are set to scale up globally, harnessing a previously under-utilised energy source. The Global Offshore Wind Report finds that England will lead the charge towards floating wind farms. Industry experts estimate that 18.9 GW of floating wind capacity will be built by 2030.
Green Hydrogen: Green hydrogen is set to be a key player for renewable energy in the coming years. Advances in hydrogen can be used for various applications.
Next-Generation Solar Panels: Last year, solar was the fastest growing sector, seeing 4.9 million jobs worldwide. It follows then that new technologies would seek to make solar energy even more accessible and versatile. Next-generation solar technologies are set to replace traditional photovoltaic cells, which are estimated to increase efficiency as well as lowering manufacturing costs by enabling solar power to be generated from multiple angles.
Battery storage: Breakthroughs in storage “Storage will take its rightful place as a key grid asset by 2023, helping to increase the reliability and resilience of increasingly decentralised power systems.”
What This Means for Recruitment
When it comes to recruiting for these roles, emerging technologies impact how many people are employed within the sector. As the new technology demands new skillsets within the field. Renewable energy is already a large and ever-expanding sector; according to Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2023, the previous year saw 13.7 million people employed globally, with the biggest and fastest-growing sector being solar energy.
Growing demand for skilled employment does provide a number of challenges for the industry. The exponential growth combined with technological advances has led to an industry-wide talent shortage as he demand for employees is far higher than the number of skilled workers in the sector. According to the think tank The New Green Alliance, the government are aiming for fifty gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, which is four times the rate we are currently building, and they need to attract 70,000 workers to the industry by then.
The solution lies in more focus on training and transferrable skills. According to The Annual Review of Energy and Jobs, “Education and training must be expanded to prevent the widening of skill gaps. They must be paired with efforts to tap talent among under-represented groups, including women, youth and minorities.”
Looking to the future of these trends, it is vital to understand and account for these changes in the industry. ersg has previously been working to compensate for these issues through schemes such as our work in Buckie, Scotland, helping to secure work for ex-military and ex-oil and gas who may have transferable skills.
“We want to partner with our clients to help build a better future for all. Pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation to hit NetZero! We want to be seen as a key part of the industry supply chain where our expertise can be lent on to overcome the recruitment challenges that are becoming prevalent such as skills transferring and upskilling. Let’s make a greener future!” - ersg Foundations and Fabrications Division
Established in 2008, ersg is an award-winning international leader in recruitment and staffing services to global energy, renewables, engineering and power. We provide both white- and blue-collar workers to some of the most reputable global brands, with global offices in the UK, Europe, US & Asia.
What we do
We provide innovative resourcing solutions to meet client’s needs, including Contract, Perm/Direct Hires and Workforce Solutions.
How can ersg help you?
Our consultants utilise their global network of candidates to deploy an in-depth knowledge of the renewables industry. We are highly specialised within candidate skill set verticals that are applicable across the full project life cycle. This has led to unparalleled relationships with our candidates, ensuring we are often the "go-to" agency for professionals looking for a job in renewable Energy.
If you are seeking new hires in Renewable Energy, or a candidate looking for a role, please contact either:
