Utility Week

were needed. But we also do a lot to promote the kinds of careers that are in this industry to the local work- force. We do quite a lot with young people, to show them what kinds of careers might be on o er and to encourage them into STEM subjects." There is also an established apprenticeship pro- gramme, now on its third intake, which works closely with local further education and training college, the Grimsby Institute. The range of roles on o er at Grimsby, as well as at Ørsted's other sites at Barrow and Birkenhead, is vast, says Toulson. Technicians – those employees who run and service the turbines – make up the largest propor- tion of its workforce, but there are myriad other roles, including various levels of management, communica- tions and warehousing. Selling the story Fi„ een years ago, when the industry started at scale, there were naysayers about the nascent sector, which has since developed into of the UK's biggest economic success stories. For a community battered by previous economic circumstances as strong as the North Sea winds, was there any local wariness in the early days about embracing the renewables story? "Obviously, it was literally a brand-new sector," says Toulson. "We didn't, in the UK, have that much onshore wind at the time. So, the idea of these turbines o shore, and what they would need, was like any kind of new industry coming into an area. "But we've worked really well with the local authori- ties and enterprise partnerships in all the areas we're in. There are obviously a lot of bene‹ ts that a company like Ørsted coming into an area can bring. I think [the reception] was generally very positive. "Now, most would agree that renewables are a fan- tastic thing for places like Grimsby, Barrow and Birken- head. Our east and west communities have done a really good job of responding to the opportunity that's been presented… Particularly in the past ‹ ve years you have really seen quite signi‹ cant growth. And now it is a case of continuing to build and grow." A step-change factor has been the o shore wind sector deal between government and industry, adds Toulson, with its aim to "build on the UK's global lead- ership in o shore wind" and "maximise the advantages for industry" from the shi„ to clean energy. The document, released in March last year, talked of 30GW of o shore wind by 2030, with an extra 20 or so gigawatts of that within the next decade. Government has since ramped up that original ambition, to 40GW by 2030. This, Toulson points out, could drive a leap in employment from 11,000 to 27,000. "So, it's important we don't sit on our hands, but continue to keep inspiring what will be the workforce of the future, to guide them into the right career path- ways so they can access this immense opportunity." continued overleaf were needed. But we also do a lot to promote the kinds of careers that are in this industry to the local work- force. We do quite a lot with young people, to show them what kinds of careers might be on o er and to encourage them into STEM subjects." gramme, now on its third intake, which works closely with local further education and training college, the Grimsby Institute. The range of roles on o er at Grimsby, as well as at Ørsted's other sites at Barrow and Birkenhead, is vast, says Toulson. Technicians – those employees who run and service the turbines – make up the largest propor- tion of its workforce, but there are myriad other roles, including various levels of management, communica- tions and warehousing. Selling the story Fi„ een years ago, when the industry started at scale, there were naysayers about the nascent sector, which has since developed into of the UK's biggest economic success stories. For a community battered by previous economic circumstances as strong as the North Sea winds, was there any local wariness in the early days about embracing the renewables story? "Obviously, it was literally a brand-new sector," says Toulson. "We didn't, in the UK, have that much onshore wind at the time. So, the idea of these turbines o shore, and what they would need, was like any kind of new industry coming into an area. "But we've worked really well with the local authori- ties and enterprise partnerships in all the areas we're in. There are obviously a lot of bene‹ ts that a company like Ørsted coming into an area can bring. I think [the reception] was generally very positive. "Now, most would agree that renewables are a fan- tastic thing for places like Grimsby, Barrow and Birken- head. Our east and west communities have done a really good job of responding to the opportunity that's been presented… Particularly in the past ‹ ve years you have really seen quite signi‹ cant growth. And now it is a case of continuing to build and grow." A step-change factor has been the o shore wind sector deal between government and industry, adds Toulson, with its aim to "build on the UK's global lead- ership in o shore wind" and "maximise the advantages for industry" from the shi„ to clean energy. The document, released in March last year, talked of 30GW of o shore wind by 2030, with an extra 20 or so gigawatts of that within the next decade. Government has since ramped up that original ambition, to 40GW by 2030. This, Toulson points out, could drive a leap in employment from 11,000 to 27,000. "So, it's important we don't sit on our hands, but continue to keep inspiring what will be the workforce of the future, to guide them into the right career path- ways so they can access this immense opportunity." continued overleaf Hornsea One • One rotation of a blade, which takes around six seconds, can power a home for more than 24 hours. • At 120km from shore, it's the furthest from shore an o• shore wind farm has ever been built. • It covers an area of 407km 2 . • Hornsea One has 174 Siemens Gamesa 7MW turbines (more than 190m tall from sea level to blade), with the majority of the blades manufac- tured in Hull. • Hornsea One also has its own 4G/LTE network, supplying every turbine with internet coverage. • The project also features the longest ever wind cable system, at a total length of 467km – around the same distance from London to Newcastle. The Sea Challenger offshore installation vessel installing wind turbine blades at Hornsea One (photo: DEME Group) Regional Growth & Utilities UTILITY WEEK | 21ST -27TH FEBRUARY 2020 | 11

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