Workforce Development Educating the Energy Workforce for Today and Tomorrow Who s responsibility is it anyway?

Transcription

1 Workforce Development Educating the Energy Workforce for Today and Tomorrow Who s responsibility is it anyway? National Conference of State Legislators Dr. Cynthia Howell, NREL Education Programs Manager June 23, 2009 NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

2 State Policy Framework Trained Workforce Needed to Reach Goals Renewable Portfolio Standards Source: DSIRE database, April 2009

3 The global market for environmental products and services is projected to double from US$1,370 billion (1.37 trillion) per year at present to US$2,740 billion (2.74 trillion) by 2020, according to a study cited in the report. Half of this market is in energy efficiency and the balance in sustainable transport, water supply, sanitation and waste management. Sectors that will be particularly important in terms of their environmental, economic and employment impact are energy supply, in particular renewable energy, buildings and construction, transportation, basic industries, agriculture and forestry. Clean technologies are already the third largest sector for venture capital after information and biotechnology in the U.S. A worldwide transition to energy-efficient buildings would create millions of jobs, as well as greening existing employment for many of the estimated 111 million people already working in the construction sector. Investments in improved energy efficiency in buildings could generate an additional million green jobs in Europe and U.S. alone. Credit: Green Jobs Towards Decent work in a sustainable, Low-Carbon World.

4 Category Direct Utility Smart Grid Transitioned Utility Jobs Deployment Period (2009 to 2012) Steady State Period (2013 to 2018) Comments 48,300 5,800 11,400 32,000 Contractors 19,000 2,000 Direct Utility Suppliers 117,700 90,000 Indirect Utility Supply Chain 79,300 22,500 New Utility/ESCO Jobs 25, ,400 Total Jobs Created 278, ,700 Direct utility jobs created by Smart Grid programs Utility positions (e.g. meter reading) transitioned to other roles External installation and service providers Smart Grid equipment suppliers (e.g., metering) Suppliers to Direct Utility Suppliers New jobs from new Smart Grid business models Total new jobs at end of each period Exhibit 1: Total Smart Grid Jobs Created and Transitioned Credit: The U.S. Smart Grid Revolution KEMA s Perspectives for Job Creation

5 Careers in Renewable Energy Degrees in Renewable Energy Law Global Finance Political Science Communications Education Administration/City Management Physics Chemistry Cellular and Molecular Biology Mechanical Engineering Chemical Engineering Electrical Engineering Materials Science Engineering Computer Science Environmental Science

6 According to the PEW Charitable Trusts ( Colorado (2007) had17,008 jobs in the clean energy economy at 1,778 businesses. The state also has attracted more than $622 million in venture capital in the past three years the fifth largest amount in the nation. Jobs in the state s clean energy category grew 50 percent between 1998 and The energy efficiency sector grew 56 percent in the same time. Nearly 60 percent of the jobs are in conservation and pollution mitigation sectors; 15.5 percent in clean energy; 9 percent in energy efficiency; 8 percent in environmentally friendly production; 7.5 percent in training and support. Also in short supply are technicians, machine operators and other manual trades employees. In Northern California, the Obama administration in March offered a $535 million loan guarantee for a company to build a solar panel plant in Fremont, a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. The company, Solyndra Inc., estimates the project will create 3,000 construction jobs, and 1,000 permanent factory jobs.

7 CU and NREL RE Institute Responding to National Need Partnerships Required Workforce Development Future Training Centers Purpose: Train out-of-work and underemployed for technician jobs in green energy: solar panel installers; wind farm technicians, etc. Manufacturing 1 & 2 year certifications (Community Colleges) SolarTAC includes six public and private sector entities, all invested in advancing and accelerating the commercialization of solar technology. The entities, Abengoa Solar, the City of Aurora, the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, Midwest Research Institute, Sun Edison and Xcel Energy, have joined forces and signed an agreement to develop one of the world s largest solar test, evaluation and training facilities

8 Energy Efficiency & Wind Technology Training Centers EE Training Center A collaboration between Veterans Green Jobs, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory s Education Programs, academic institutions and other community organizations bring workforce training to the masses. A vacant industrial and commercial property will be redeveloped and repurposed into clean energy education and training centers. This center will focus on immediate workforce development needs and will be used as a training facility, and a public demonstration and education center for adaptive reuse, energy efficiency, conservation. Wind Technology Training Center The wind visitor and training center will be housed outside of the National Wind Technology Center to provide access to all the latest wind turbine technologies will be on display and available to students, teachers and technologists for hands-on- skill training and certification programs.

9 Visit us online at Operated for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy by Midwest Research Institute Battelle