With Australia's energy transition gaining pace, it's crucial that we have in place a sufficiently large and skilled workforce.
Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) researchers collaborated with Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) colleagues on a report funded by RACE for 2030. It provides estimates of just how many people are needed to deliver the electricity sector transformation. The project also provided guidance on how best to develop a renewable energy workforce to maximise regional and national benefits.
These reports feature energy workforce projections for three scenarios and one sensitivity in the AEMO's 2022 Integrated System Plan (ISP):
- Step Change: this is considered the most likely scenario by most stakeholders
- Hydrogen Superpower: an example of developments if Australia becomes a major renewable energy exporter
- Slow Change: an unlikely transition scenario that does not meet carbon reduction targets
- Offshore Wind: takes account of the Victorian target to build 9GW of offshore wind by 2040 and assumes a lower capital cost for offshore wind relative to other scenarios.
How did we do this?
Researchers from ISF worked with AEMO to identify changes to energy generation, storage, and transmission infrastructure in each of the ISP scenarios.
The workforce per year, by energy type, workforce role and location was then calculated using employment factors. Employment factors for each technology are either related to the capacity (e.g. MW) of generation or storage installed, the kilometres of transmission line constructed, or the operations and maintenance of cumulative total capacity.
Why is this important?
Implementing the report recommendations will increase understanding of workforce requirements, assist in reducing the boom/bust cycles associated with the renewable energy industry, support the workforce development needed for the energy transition, and enable policy development to maximise onshore and regional benefits.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS
The Australian Electricity Workforce for the 2022 Integrated System Plan: Projections to 2050 (2022) (Report)
Workforce Projections for the 2022 ISP: Focus on New South Wales (2022) (Report)
Workforce Projections for the 2022 ISP: Focus on Queensland (2022) (Report)
Workforce Projections for the 2022 ISP: Focus on South Australia (2022) (Report)
Workforce Projections for the 2022 ISP: Focus on Tasmania (2022) (Report)
Workforce Projections for the 2022 ISP: Focus on Victoria (2022) (Report)
MEDIA
Australia faces critical skill shortages for wind, solar, storage and hydrogen projects - Renew Economy, December 2022Researchers
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Program Lead - Energy Futures
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Research Director
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Senior Research Consultant
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Research Consultant
Year
- 2022
Location
- Australia
Client
- Australian Energy Market Operator
Partner
- RACE for 2030
SDGs
This project is working towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 and 8.