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Solar Frontier, Welspun Renewables ink new deal
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Biomass skills ‘standard’ programme kicks off in the UK
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EADING PLAYERS in the UK’s biomass industry have joined forces to develop a skills standard under the government’s Apprenticeship Trailblazers programme. The biomass Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme sees groups of employers pool their expertise to develop apprenticeship standards in their own sector with the aim of ensuring young people develop world-class skills to take into industry. The Biomass Installation Engineer programme will be led by Neil Harrison, founder and director of Northumberland-based firm, re:heat. Harrison is also vice chairman of the Wood Heat Association, the national trade body that represents almost 200 biomass businesses who collectively employ more than 3,500 people in the UK. “The biomass industry is experiencing high growth across the country, and we expect demand for this apprenticeship programme to start at 200 in the first year, growing by at least a further 100 annually until we have around 750 participants by 2020,” Harrison said. “It is vitally important that we ensure the quality of biomass
boiler installations if the sector’s potential is to be fully realised.” According to Harrison, the instances of poorly (and sometimes dangerously) installed systems are on the rise, which poses a reputational risk which could permanently damage the sector if left unchecked. To that end, he said there is a very pressing need for a new approach to deliver the highest quality training provision to ensure all areas of the biomass supply chain have the right skills to protect the integrity of the sector. The sector’s Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme will focus initially on the skills required to install a biomass boiler as demand for these lowcarbon systems is rising rapidly, as Harrison explains. “The government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), a globally unique payment scheme incentivising investment in renewable heat technologies, is creating significant and sustained growth in demand for domestic and non-domestic heating systems powered by renewable fuels such as wood chips and wood pellets. The UK, therefore, has a burgeoning renewable heat sector, and more than 90% of all RHI eligible schemes are biomass systems.”
Harrison and his 10 colleagues from across the sector will work with officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop the apprenticeship programme, standards and assessment approaches. The other members of the employers group involved in the delivery of the Biomass Installation Engineer Apprenticeship Trailblazer are: Teesdale Renewables, Oakes Energy, Dunster Biomass Heating, Purple Energy, Biomass Boiler Services, Prescient Power, High Park Industries, Ashwell Biomass, Nottinghamshire Eco Fuels and Employer First. These organisations are geographically spread across England and together they employ almost 180 people. If the Biomass Installation Engineer programme proves successful, the employers group intends to apply to the government to extend their remit across the fuel supply chain, logistics and storage. Employer groups have already been set up under the Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme covering a range of sectors, including aerospace, construction, digital industries and law.
Solar Frontier, Welspun Renewables ink new deal
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ELSPUN RENEWABLES and Solar Frontier have signed a 100 MW solar module supply agreement that calls for Solar Frontier to provide its proprietary CIS thinfilm solar modules, manufactured in Japan, to Welspun Renewables – a leading generator of solar energy in India. Solar Frontier’s CIS modules will be used in Welspun Renewables’ upcoming solar power projects in India at sites with high levels of solar irradiation. “Solar energy is a priority sector for meeting India’s high demand
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March/April 2015 | Renewable Energy Focus
for clean, renewable and economical energy,” said Sindoor Mittal, Welspun Renewables’ director, who added that the government of India has set a target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, of which 100 GW will be solar energy. “The Agreement with Solar Frontier brings us one step closer to meeting our green energy commitment.” Welspun Renewables’ supply agreement follows a recent spate of power purchase agreements that the company has signed with multiple state governments. Welspun targets commissioning over 1 GW of solar
and wind capacity within fiscal 2015. Welspun Renewables is present across nearly all states in India. “We are honoured to continue working with Welspun Renewables on its mission to help India meet its growing energy requirements in an efficient, environmentally friendly manner,” said Atsuhiko Hirano, CEO of Solar Frontier. “This is a landmark agreement for Solar Frontier as we continue to develop our presence in key international markets with companies that are sustainable and show willingness to work closely together.”
Biomass skills ‘standard’ programme kicks off in the UK
L
EADING PLAYERS in the UK’s biomass industry have joined forces to develop a skills standard under the government’s Apprenticeship Trailblazers programme. The biomass Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme sees groups of employers pool their expertise to develop apprenticeship standards in their own sector with the aim of ensuring young people develop world-class skills to take into industry. The Biomass Installation Engineer programme will be led by Neil Harrison, founder and director of Northumberland-based firm, re:heat. Harrison is also vice chairman of the Wood Heat Association, the national trade body that represents almost 200 biomass businesses who collectively employ more than 3,500 people in the UK. “The biomass industry is experiencing high growth across the country, and we expect demand for this apprenticeship programme to start at 200 in the first year, growing by at least a further 100 annually until we have around 750 participants by 2020,” Harrison said. “It is vitally important that we ensure the quality of biomass
boiler installations if the sector’s potential is to be fully realised.” According to Harrison, the instances of poorly (and sometimes dangerously) installed systems are on the rise, which poses a reputational risk which could permanently damage the sector if left unchecked. To that end, he said there is a very pressing need for a new approach to deliver the highest quality training provision to ensure all areas of the biomass supply chain have the right skills to protect the integrity of the sector. The sector’s Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme will focus initially on the skills required to install a biomass boiler as demand for these lowcarbon systems is rising rapidly, as Harrison explains. “The government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), a globally unique payment scheme incentivising investment in renewable heat technologies, is creating significant and sustained growth in demand for domestic and non-domestic heating systems powered by renewable fuels such as wood chips and wood pellets. The UK, therefore, has a burgeoning renewable heat sector, and more than 90% of all RHI eligible schemes are biomass systems.”
Harrison and his 10 colleagues from across the sector will work with officials from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to develop the apprenticeship programme, standards and assessment approaches. The other members of the employers group involved in the delivery of the Biomass Installation Engineer Apprenticeship Trailblazer are: Teesdale Renewables, Oakes Energy, Dunster Biomass Heating, Purple Energy, Biomass Boiler Services, Prescient Power, High Park Industries, Ashwell Biomass, Nottinghamshire Eco Fuels and Employer First. These organisations are geographically spread across England and together they employ almost 180 people. If the Biomass Installation Engineer programme proves successful, the employers group intends to apply to the government to extend their remit across the fuel supply chain, logistics and storage. Employer groups have already been set up under the Apprenticeship Trailblazer programme covering a range of sectors, including aerospace, construction, digital industries and law.
Solar Frontier, Welspun Renewables ink new deal
W
ELSPUN RENEWABLES and Solar Frontier have signed a 100 MW solar module supply agreement that calls for Solar Frontier to provide its proprietary CIS thinfilm solar modules, manufactured in Japan, to Welspun Renewables – a leading generator of solar energy in India. Solar Frontier’s CIS modules will be used in Welspun Renewables’ upcoming solar power projects in India at sites with high levels of solar irradiation. “Solar energy is a priority sector for meeting India’s high demand
8
March/April 2015 | Renewable Energy Focus
for clean, renewable and economical energy,” said Sindoor Mittal, Welspun Renewables’ director, who added that the government of India has set a target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022, of which 100 GW will be solar energy. “The Agreement with Solar Frontier brings us one step closer to meeting our green energy commitment.” Welspun Renewables’ supply agreement follows a recent spate of power purchase agreements that the company has signed with multiple state governments. Welspun targets commissioning over 1 GW of solar
and wind capacity within fiscal 2015. Welspun Renewables is present across nearly all states in India. “We are honoured to continue working with Welspun Renewables on its mission to help India meet its growing energy requirements in an efficient, environmentally friendly manner,” said Atsuhiko Hirano, CEO of Solar Frontier. “This is a landmark agreement for Solar Frontier as we continue to develop our presence in key international markets with companies that are sustainable and show willingness to work closely together.”