Executive Summary - Upskilling Workforces, Helping ...ssw.fundingunit.org.uk/.../2018/09/FNR_MDA_Bio_Biole… · Web viewJust over half (53%) of land used for bioenergy in 2016 was

Future skills needs in the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership Area

More Developed Area: York and North Yorkshire

BiorenewablesBioelectricity

Beyond 2030 has produced this Report on behalf of Calderdale College and as part of the College’s delivery of the 2017-18 ESF funded Skills Support for the Workforce programme across the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership Area.

July 2018

YNYER Future Skills Needs – Biorenewables: Bioelectricity

Executive Summary York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (YNYER LEP) has

commissioned a series of research reports, which will allow key decision makers to understand more fully the future skills needs of the YNYER LEPs eight identified priority sectors.

This report considers the production of electricity subsector within the wider biorenewables sector.

Beyond 2030 spoke with employers and stakeholders such as the Biorenewables Development Centre, Stockbridge Technology Centre, Fera Science Ltd, WAMITAB and Askham Bryan College to inform this report, in addition to drawing on the sources mentioned in the bibliography.

More Developed Area (MDA) of York and North Yorkshire

York and North Yorkshire is divided into eight Local Authorities: Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough, Selby and the City of York.

In 2016, it had a resident population of 813,300. Over 411,000 individuals are employed in the area. Employment rates stand at 80.7% for North Yorkshire and 77.5% in York compared to the LEP average of 78.8%.

The largest employment sectors across North Yorkshire and York are health and social work, accommodation and food services, and retail.

Bioelectricity

The YNYER LEP has five priorities in its Strategic Economic Plan, with the aim to be ‘a global leader in food manufacturing, Agri-tech and bio-renewables’ its second priority.

Biomass energy or bioenergy - the energy from organic matter – has been used for thousands of years.

It can be used to provide heat (bioheat), electricity (bioelectricity) and transport fuel (biofuel).

The use of biomass energy has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bioenergy has become established in the United Kingdom with the support of a policy

framework. In 2016, 132 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for

bioenergy. Miscanthus and Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) are grown as energy crops intended for the

heat and electricity energy markets. In 2016, there were 361 miscanthus growers within England. 25% of the total area of

miscanthus grown was within Yorkshire and Humber, the second largest area after the East Midlands (30%). In terms of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) there are 437 growers in England, with 21% of the total area of SRC grown within Yorkshire and Humber.

70,100 individuals work in the production of electricity subsector across the UK, 6% (4,500) of those are within the Yorkshire and Humber region. Many are employed at the Drax power station.

The major occupational groups in the subsector are professional occupations and skilled trades.

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83% of those working in the subsector workforce are male across the UK. Only 8% are aged under 25. 50% are qualified to level 4 or above, compared to 43% across the whole economy.

Drax is in the process of converting their coal-fired power generating units to biomass to meet Government commitments to close coal-fired stations by 2025.

Recruitment opportunities are occurring. Commercial awareness and entrepreneurial capability among the high-level workforce is

vital for realising innovation in the bioeconomy as well as the need for technical skills.

Acknowledgements Beyond 2030 would like to extend thanks to the employers in the LEP area as well as both local and national stakeholders who provided their time and assistance in giving us valuable insights into the issues facing the subsector.

Beyond 2030 is indebted to Calderdale College for the guidance and support received in completing this report.

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ContentsExecutive Summary...............................................................................................................................2

Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................................3

1 Introduction to the LEP and the research......................................................................................5

1.1 Biorenewables sector............................................................................................................5

1.2 York and North Yorkshire, MDA.............................................................................................6

1.3 Local Authorities....................................................................................................................7

2 Bioelectricity in Biorenewables, MDA............................................................................................9

2.1 Introduction to bioenergy......................................................................................................9

2.1.1 Biomass for energy........................................................................................................9

2.1.2 Bioelectricity................................................................................................................10

2.2 Bioelectricity economy and employment............................................................................11

2.2.1 Jobs people do.............................................................................................................12

2.3 Skill needs - Primary research and testing the data.............................................................14

2.3.1 Recruitment and retention..........................................................................................14

2.3.2 What are the current skill needs and gaps...................................................................14

2.3.3 Skills needs / gaps........................................................................................................15

2.3.4 Training and apprenticeships.......................................................................................15

2.4 Future requirements............................................................................................................16

2.4.1 Future roles and skills..................................................................................................16

2.5 Drivers.................................................................................................................................16

2.5.1 Political........................................................................................................................16

2.5.2 Economic.....................................................................................................................17

2.5.3 Social............................................................................................................................17

2.5.4 Technological...............................................................................................................17

2.5.5 Environmental..............................................................................................................18

3 Bibliography.................................................................................................................................19

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1 Introduction to the LEP and the researchThe York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (YNYER LEP) has commissioned a series of research reports which will allow key decision makers to more fully understand the future skills needs of the eight identified priority sectors in the medium term. These sectors are:

• Visitor Economy. • Food Manufacture.• Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE). • Health and Social Care. • Construction. • Engineering. • Agri-tech.• Biorenewables.

As the economic and political situation changes, it is nearly universally acknowledged that improved skills and the link to enhanced productivity is a key way by which to improve economic well-being. Consequently, LEPs across England are looking at how best to support sectors with the potential to grow and generate wealth and prosperity.

In this research Beyond 2030 will seek to fully understand the future skills needs required to ensure that within the YNYER LEP area, priority sectors can recruit and develop world class employees who have the skills to deliver exceptional service now, but also that they are equipped with the relevant skills to ensure a highly productive and world class sector throughout their working lives.

As well as wanting to more fully understand the characteristics and future needs of the eight sectors, the LEP wants to drill down to develop an understanding of the most significant subsectors in each priority area by geography.

1.1 Biorenewables sectorThe YNYER LEP has five priorities in its Strategic Economic Plan, with the second aim being to become ‘a global leader in food manufacturing, Agri-tech and biorenewables’ (YNYER LEP 2014).

Biorenewables – or biobased materials - are any organic matter available on a renewable or recurring basis. This includes plant matter both living and in waste form, as well as animal matter and their waste products. Biorenewable resources are generally classified as either waste or dedicated energy crops (BDC 2015). A waste is a material that has traditionally been discarded because it has no apparent value or represents a nuisance or even a pollutant to the local environment. Dedicated energy crops are plants grown specifically for producing biobased products; that is for purposes other than food. Consequently, biorenewables is not an industry that has been clearly defined in existing Standard Industrial Classification (SIC).

Examples of biorenewable resources include:

Wood from natural forests and woodlands. Forestry plantations and residues. Agricultural residues such as straw and corn stover. Algae. Municipal solid wastes (MSW).

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Industry processing wastes (i.e. food waste such as grain hulls). Manure.

This report considers bioelectricity within the wider biorenewables sector in the More Developed Area (MDA) of York and North Yorkshire.

In this report Beyond 2030 sets out the skills and productivity of the area and at Local Authority level to provide context, before considering the subsector in further detail.

1.2 York and North Yorkshire, MDA North Yorkshire covers an area of 8,654 square kilometres (3,341 sq. mi), making it the largest county in England. Most of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors lie within North Yorkshire's boundaries, and around 40% of the county is covered by National Parks.

York and North Yorkshire is divided into eight Local Authorities: Craven, Hambleton, Harrogate, Richmondshire, Ryedale, Scarborough, Selby and the City of York.

In 2016, it had a resident population of 813,300, which equated to 71% of the LEP’s resident population (ONS 2017). Over 411,000 individuals are employed in the area. Employment rates stand at 80.7% for North Yorkshire and 77.5% in York, compared to the LEP average of 78.8% (Table 1).

Using YNYER LEP as the standard, the differences in the productivity, skills and employment across North Yorkshire and York can be seen. The largest employment sectors across North Yorkshire and York are health and social work, employing 13% of all workers, accommodation and food services, employing 11% of all workers, and retail which employs 10% of the workforce (ONS 2016). highlights where the area performs better (green) or worse (red). Self-employment in North Yorkshire, for example, stands at 13.9% - greater than within York, the LEP and the English average. However, the number of individuals qualified to level 4 or above is lower and the proportion with no qualifications is greater in North Yorkshire.

The largest employment sectors across North Yorkshire and York are health and social work, employing 13% of all workers, accommodation and food services, employing 11% of all workers, and retail which employs 10% of the workforce (ONS 2016).

Table 1 Productivity, skills and jobs:

Measure North Yorkshire

York YNYER LEP

England

Gross Weekly pay full time (£) (place of residence, 2016)

£489.10 £509.60 £504.70 £544.70

Job density (the ratio of total jobs to population aged 16-64, 2015)

0.96 0.85 0.86 0.84

Employment Rate (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 80.7% 77.5% 78.8% 75.6%Self-Employment (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 13.9% 9.7% 12.0% 10.9%Full-time workers 63.1% 62.7 63.8% 69.1%Unemployment Rate (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 2.9% 3.0% 3.2% 4.4%Economically Inactive (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 16.8% 20.0% 18.5% 20.9%Level 4+ (Jan 2016-Dec 2016) 35.9% 42.7% 37.5% 37.9%No Qualifications (Jan 2016-Dec 2016) 6.5% 6.1% 6.3% 7.8%

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Source: Office for National Statistics: LEP and National Labour Market Profiles; GVA for Local Enterprise Partnerships

1.3 Local AuthoritiesLooking in more detail at Local Authority level, variations in the employment rate can be seen with Craven, Harrogate and Scarborough having the highest at 83% while Richmondshire has the lowest at 75%. However, the employment rate in all but Richmondshire is greater than the national average (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Employment rate across the LEP and North Yorkshire Local authorities (Apr 2016-Mar 2017)

Craven

Harrogate

Scarborough

Selby

Hambleton

Ryedale

York

Richmondsh

ire

YNYER LEP

England70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

80%

82%

84% 83% 83% 83%

80%

79% 79%78%

75%

79%

76%

Source (ONS 2017)

Using YNYER LEP as the standard, additional variations in the job, skills and productivity levels of each of the local authorities are highlighted in the table below. Where the area performs better, these have been highlighted in green with relatively poor performance being highlighted in red in Table 2. In summary:

Four Local Authorities have a lower weekly wage than the LEP average (Craven, Hambleton, Ryedale and Scarborough).

In three Local Authorities (Craven, Harrogate, and Ryedale) job density is above one - meaning that there is more than one job for every resident aged 16-64.

Self-employment is particularly high in Harrogate and Scarborough. The proportion of full-time workers is low in Scarborough. The proportion of workers with a level four qualification ranges from 23.4% in Hambleton to

50.3% in Craven.

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Where the local authority area performs better than the YNYER average, this has been highlighted in green, or worse, in red in the table below.

Table 2 Productivity, skills and jobs by local authorities in York and North Yorkshire MDA

Craven Hambleton Harrogate Richmondshire Ryedale Scarborough Selby York YNYER LEP

England

Gross Weekly pay full time (£) (place of residence, 2016) £413.10 £496.80 £535.50 £507.20 £443.10 £460.30 £549.40 £509.60 £504.70 £544.70

Job density (the ratio of total jobs to population aged 16-64, 2015)

1.16 0.98 1.06 0.80 1.02 0.93 0.73 0.85 0.86 0.84

Employment Rate (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 83.0% 78.6% 82.7% 74.7% 78.6% 82.6% 80.3% 77.5% 78.8% 75.6%

Self-Employment (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) * 12.0% 16.9% * 12.9% 19.1% * 9.7% 12.0% 10.9%

Full-time workers 60.0% 65.0% 61.5% 62.5% 69.6% 58.5% 68.6% 62.7 63.8% 69.1%Unemployment Rate (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 3.0% 3.1% 3.3% 3.4% 3.5% 3.5% 3.8% 3.0% 3.2% 4.4%

Economically Inactive (Apr 2016-Mar 2017) 15.6% 18.2% 14.4% 25.3% 19.3% 15.0% 16.0% 20.0% 18.5% 20.9%

Level 4+ (Jan 2016-Dec 2016) 50.3% 23.4% 42.8% 25.3% 36.8% 37.7% 31.1% 42.7% 37.5% 37.9%No qualifications (Jan 2016-Dec 2016) * 9.1% * * * 7.4% 8.9% 6.1% 6.3% 7.8%

Source (ONS 2017) * data not available, sample too small

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2 Bioelectricity in Biorenewables, MDA Before Beyond 2030 present detail on bioelectricity, we briefly set out the broader role of bioenergy.

2.1 Introduction to bioenergyHumans have used biomass energy or bioenergy - the energy from organic matter - for thousands of years, ever since people started burning wood to cook food or to keep warm, there has been a precedent of extracting energy from organic matter. It can be used to provide heat (bioheat), electricity (bioelectricity) and transport fuel (biofuel).

Today, wood is still our largest biomass energy resource. But many other sources of biomass can now be used, including plants, residues from agriculture or forestry, and the organic component of municipal and industrial wastes. Even the fumes from landfills can be used as a biomass energy source.

The use of biomass energy has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Biomass generates about the same amount of carbon dioxide as fossil fuels, but every time a new plant grows, carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere. The net emission of carbon dioxide will be zero as plants continue to be replenished for biomass energy purposes. These energy crops, such as fast-growing trees and grasses, are called biomass feedstocks. The use of biomass feedstocks can also help increase profits for the agricultural industry.

Bioenergy has become established in the United Kingdom with the support of a national policy framework (Bauen, et al. 2016).

Producing power and fuel from biomass instead of fossil fuels has the potential to offer a wide range of environmental and socioeconomic benefits. However, these benefits can only be realised if biomass feedstock is sourced responsibly and sensitively addresses impacts on life cycle carbon emissions, land use change, soil, water and air quality and the living conditions of those involved in the supply chain.

2.1.1 Biomass for energy Biomass is a renewable, low carbon fuel that is already widely available throughout the UK. Biomass for energy can include a wide range of materials. The five basic categories of materials are (Forest Research 2018):

Virgin wood, from forestry, arboricultural activities or from wood processing. Energy crops: high yield crops grown specifically for energy applications. Agricultural residues: residues from agriculture harvesting or processing. Food waste, from food and drink manufacture, preparation and processing, and post-

consumer waste. Industrial waste and co-products from manufacturing and industrial processes.

Correctly managed, biomass is a sustainable fuel that can offer a wide range of benefits. For example, (Forest Research 2018):

Biomass is a ‘carbon lean’ fuel producing a fraction of the carbon emissions of fossil fuels.

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Biomass can be sourced locally, from within the UK, on an indefinite basis, contributing to security of supply.

UK sourced biomass can offer local business opportunities and support the rural economy. Establishing local networks of production and usage, allows financial and environmental

costs of transport to be minimized. There is no region in the UK that cannot be a producer of biomass.

The use of biomass provides an economic incentive to manage woodland which improves biodiversity.

Many biomass fuels generate lower levels of such atmospheric pollutants as sulphur dioxide, which contribute to 'acid rain'. Modern biomass combustion systems are highly sophisticated, offering combustion efficiency and emission levels comparable with the best fossil fuel boilers.

2.1.2 Bioelectricity In 2016, 132,000 hectares of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy (Defra 2017). Just over half (53%) of land used for bioenergy in 2016 was for biofuel (biodiesel and bioethanol) crops for the UK road transport market with the remainder used mostly for heat and power production.

Miscanthus and Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) are grown as energy crops intended for the heat and electricity energy markets in the UK (Defra 2017). They are burnt in power stations, combined heat and power units or heating systems.

In 2016, there were 361 miscanthus growers within England. Miscanthus is grown on around 0.2% of the total arable area in England. 25% of the total area of miscanthus grown was within Yorkshire and Humber, the second largest area after the East Midlands (30%). Approximately 35 thousand tonnes of miscanthus were used in UK power stations for electricity in 2015/16 which was around half of all miscanthus produced in England in 2016 (Defra 2017). The volume was a 7% increase on the previous year.

In terms of SRC there are 437 growers in England, with the crop representing less than 0.1% of total arable land. 21% of the total area of SRC is within Yorkshire and Humber. This is the second largest area after the South East which accounts for 37% (Defra 2017).

SRC is suited to a range of heat and power generation systems down to domestic level. There are few other end users. Approximately 9,000 tonnes of SRC were used in UK power stations for electricity in 2015/16, 38% less than the volume used in the previous year. The decrease reflects the Renewables Obligation Amendment Order which came into force in April 2013 and introduced changes reducing the incentive for stations to use energy crops.

Straw is a further biomass source used in power stations. Around 560 thousand tonnes of straw (5% of total straw production) was used as fuel in biomass power stations in England in 2015/16. This was a 39% increase on 2014/15 reflecting new straw-fired plant capacity. However, as straw is bulky and costly to transport, much straw usage occurs close to the source.

In April 2018 the UK was able to run without coal power for three days in a row – the longest coal-free period since the 1880s (Ross 2018). 33% of the UK’s electricity came from gas, 20% from wind-power, 24% from nuclear, 7% from solar, 6% biomass, 1% from hydropower and 8% from bioelectricity imports from France and The Netherlands.

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2.1.2.1 Subsector definition For the following report, Beyond 2030 have defined the subsector using the below Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes to determine the workforce characteristics of those working in the production of electricity. To note, not all these workers will be involved in the production of bioelectricity. It also includes those working in thermal, nuclear, hydroelectric and gas turbine electricity.

Table 3 Standard Occupation Classification

SIC Definition 35.11

Production of electricity

Source (ONS 2009)

2.2 Bioelectricity economy and employment 70,100 individuals work in the production of electricity subsector across the UK (Office for National Statistics; Social Survey Division; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2017). 6% (4,500) of those are within Yorkshire and Humber region. Many are employed at the Drax Power station in Selby.

There are 66 sites across Yorkshire and Humber which generate electricity from bioenergy: 32 use anaerobic digestion and 34 biomass and/or waste (BEIS 2017).

Key firms/locations involved in bioenergy in the Yorkshire and Humber area include:

Drax. https://drax.com Biomass 21 - Tansterne Biomass plant, near Hull. https://solar21.ie/projects/biomass-

21/ Blackburn Meadows Biomass.

https://eonenergy.com/About-eon/our-company/generation/our-current-portfolio/biomass/blackburn-meadows

Leeming Biogas. https://veolia.co.uk/case-studies/leeming-biogas Howla Hay AD. https://ionacapital.co.uk/howla-hay-biogas-ltd Gravel Pit Biogas. Templeborough biomass power plant, near Rotherham.

https://www.templeboroughbiomass.com

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https://www.templeboroughbiomass.com/

https://ionacapital.co.uk/howla-hay-biogas-ltd

https://veolia.co.uk/case-studies/leeming-biogas



https://solar21.ie/projects/biomass-21/

https://solar21.ie/projects/biomass-21/

https://drax.com/


2.2.1 Jobs people do The major occupational groups within the production of electricity at a UK level are shown in the table below. The greatest difference in the proportion of employment for the subsector compared to the all economy occurs in professional occupations and skilled trades. 29% of the workforce are within the professional occupational group compared to 20% in the whole economy and 22% are skilled trades compared to 11%.

Job roles can include electrical engineers and fitters, engineering technicians, power plant managers and operators, fuel sourcing manager and negotiator and agriculture specialist.

Table 4 Occupational groups

Production of Electricity (UK)

All economy (UK)

Managers, Directors and Senior Officials 12% 11%Professional Occupations 29% 20%Associate Professional and Technical Occupations

16% 14%

Administrative and Secretarial Occupations 5% 10%Skilled Trades Occupations 22% 11%Personal care services 1% 9%Sales and Customer Service Occupations 4% 8%Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 7% 6%Elementary Occupations 4% 10%

Source (Office for National Statistics; Social Survey Division; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2017)

The job roles with the greatest number employed in the subsector across the UK1 are:

Table 5 Top five jobs roles in production of electricity subsector, UK

1 Sample for LEP and Yorkshire and Humber area too small for reliability

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DraxDrax is the UK’s largest power station generating 6% of the UK’s electricity and 15% of its total renewable energy.

Drax Power Station is the biggest single site renewable generator in the UK and the largest decarbonisation project in Europe. Located near Selby, North Yorkshire, it is connected directly into the national electricity distribution grid and has a capacity of 3,906 megawatts (MW).

Three of its six power generation units have been upgraded from burning coal to use sustainable biomass in the form of compressed wood pellets, sourced from responsibly managed working forests. A fourth coal unit will be converted to use low carbon fuel in 2018.

Drax produces around half of its electricity by burning North American waste wood which is shipped in pellet form to the North Yorkshire site (Ambrose, J 2017).

Source https://drax.com/about-us/


Occupation Number employed 2123 'Electrical engineers' 4,8001121 'Production managers and directors in manufacturing' 4,4005241 'Electricians and electrical fitters' 3,7002129 'Engineering professionals n.e.c.' 3,1003113 'Engineering technicians' 3,100

Source (Office for National Statistics; Social Survey Division; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2017) * not elsewhere classified

83% of those working in the subsector workforce across the UK are male. This is above the national all economy average of 53%.

Young people are slightly underrepresented in the production of energy subsector compared to the whole economy. Only 8% are aged under 25, compared to 12% in the whole economy.

Where the roles are more technical, the longer learning timelines necessary for the acquisition of the demanded detailed skills might be one cause of low levels of young people in the subsector.

Figure 2 Age profile of those working in production of electricity subsector, UK

Under 25 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 54 55 to 64 65+0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

UK Production of Electricty All economy

Source (Office for National Statistics; Social Survey Division; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2017) * not elsewhere classified

2.3 Skill needs - Primary research and testing the data2.3.1 Recruitment and retention With power stations converting to renewable sources, there are opportunities in the subsector. For example, in June 2018, Drax Power took its fourth coal-fired power generating unit offline in preparation to convert it to biomass. Half of the station’s units already have been converted, and the fourth is expected to be completed and back online by the end of the year (Renewable Energy World Editors 2018).

Drax had several vacancies based in Selby, which included those below. This illustrates the range of positions available in power production plants.

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Fuel Trader. HR Project Coordinator. Group Financial Accountant. Internal Audit Manager. Logistics Officer.

Recruitment firms such as Astute, which specialises in recruitment in power, nuclear, renewables, waste and water, had positions available in North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire for Engine Maintenance Technicians in Renewable Energy as well as a Site Supervisor.

2.3.2 What are the current skill needs and gaps2.3.2.1 Skills levelsThose working in the production of electricity are highly skilled with many holding a degree or higher-level qualification. Overall, 50% are qualified to level 4 or above, compared to 43% across the whole economy.

New entrants in the bioeconomy workforce require skills in STEM subjects, with 61 per cent of degree holders in the bioeconomy having a STEM degree compared with 38 per cent in the workforce as a whole (Eaves, et al. 2017).

Figure 3 Qualifications levels within the production of electricity subsector, UK

NQ

F Le

vel 4

and

...

NQ

F Le

vel 3

Trad

e ap

pren

tices

...

NQ

F Le

vel 2

Belo

w N

QF

Leve

l 2

Oth

er q

ualifi

catio

ns

No

qual

ifica

tions

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

UK Production of Electricty All economy

Source (Office for National Statistics; Social Survey Division; Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. 2017)

2.3.3 Skills needs / gaps A thriving bioeconomy depends on having key technical skills with the workforce. Researchers will use knowledge of microbiology and synthetic biology to create new biochemical pathways for processing biomass. Biochemical engineers will design new processes and production plants, and process operators and technicians will run them. Experts in agronomy, animal and plant health, agri-engineering and precision agriculture will provide innovation in crop and livestock production. The food and drink industry will require nutrition, food science and processing skills (Eaves, et al. 2017). Equally important are the skills to drive commercial innovation, including entrepreneurship, leadership and business management.

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From our primary work, Beyond 2030 can suggest that the following skills are particularly needed and valued by employers:

In engineering roles, electrical and/or mechanical engineering qualification are sought after along with IOSH Working Safely.

In commercial and sales areas, experience in procurement (i.e. grains from energy crops) is key along with knowledge of energy crop varieties.

Management of relationships is a further skill valued by firms.

When firms were asked what barriers were faced to using biorenewables many reported regulatory conditions. But one also mentioned a lack of a skilled workforce with the relevant mix of skills for biorenewables work.

2.3.4 Training and apprenticeshipsThe colleges and universities in the LEP area provide the opportunity to gain the skills required to work in the sector.

The Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) at York University is committed to using world-leading bioscience to underpin progress towards providing sustainable supplies of food, energy and chemicals (CNAP 2018). They are committed to training researchers with funded and self-funded PhD opportunities. The university also plays a leading role in the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy.

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Drax ApprenticeshipsDrax employs 2,300 people across the UK. Their apprenticeship scheme offers candidates the opportunity to learn a trade, develop new skills and a take the first steps in an exciting career.

Technical apprentices are trained to work within the Maintenance department. The Drax Apprenticeship is run over four years and focuses on three engineering disciplines:

Mechanical EngineeringElectrical Engineering Electrical Control and Instrumental Engineering

Candidates train in one of the selected disciplines above. At the end of the programme apprentices can achieve qualifications in:

BTEC - National Diploma in EngineeringNVQ 3 – Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering or Power Plant Maintenance

Source https://drax.com/careers/apprenticeships/

https://drax.com/careers/apprenticeships/


2.4 Future requirements2.4.1 Future roles and skillsThe combined challenges of global population growth, volatile food prices, climate change and pressure on finite natural resources have brought a renewed focus on the importance of scientific and technological innovation in agriculture and biorenewable resources.

When firms were asked what new job roles and or skills would emerge across the biorenewable economy one firm reported that there would be an increasing need for people with numerical science, data analytical and digital skills. They felt the sector was very good at generating data, but there is a need for people who can turn it into knowledge (for example, adding value through expert analysis and innovative data visualisation).

There would also be further requirements for technical roles such as engineering, biochemists, genetics, bioinformatics, with one firm reporting that ‘ideally people will have a mix of these skills’.

2.5 Drivers2.5.1 Political Government has confirmed that its 2015 pledge to phase out coal-fired power by 2025 will go ahead in the Clean Growth Strategy (HM Government 2017). There are six remaining coal plants which will be affected (Ambrose 2018). An Impact Assessment indicates that most of these coal power stations will close or invest to abate emissions (BEIS 2018). This will have an impact on jobs and communities given the number of people employed at a typical power station. In addition, jobs associated with supply chains, such as port and rail infrastructure will be affected, as will the coal mining industry.

However, there will be opportunities that investment in clean energy will lead to, including new, skilled jobs. For example, Drax is exploring options for repowering their remaining two coal units to use sustainable biomass and gas (Ross 2018).

2.5.2 Economic UK Research and Innovation

Due to fully operate in April 2018, UK Research and Innovation will have a combined budget of more than £6 billion, and will bring together the seven Research Councils, Innovate UK and Research England (UK Research and Innovation 2018). It intends to ensure that the UK maintains its world leading position in research and innovation. This will include biotechnology.

Grants

Funding is available to increase on-farm renewable energy by improving energy storage and distribution (Farmers Weekly 2018).

Grants through the government Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Countryside Productivity Scheme are worth up to 40% of eligible costs of a project. Grants can be used to cover the costs of energy efficient equipment. This includes heat distribution networks and equipment for using renewable heat generated on the farm, such as pipework, heat exchangers and pumps. However, it does not include the actual heat source (i.e. biomass boiler) (Defra 2018).

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2.5.3 Social Knowledge / promotion

Much high-quality and useful research is taking place. However, more can be done to help users, including potential inward investors, find the right knowledge, information and partnerships. If this can be achieved it could lead to more industry and research base co-investment than is currently being achieved.

2.5.4 TechnologicalBiotechnologies, including industrial biotechnology and engineering (or synthetic) biology, remains a big part of the bioeconomy concept and offers great potential. However, large technical obstacles remain as the cost of bioproduction is generally too high to be competitive (OECD 2018). Research success is not always accompanied by commercialisation.

However, within the Industrial Strategy, Government has pledged £4.7bn in science funding over the next three to four years, and also announced a separate funding stream in the form of the ‘Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’ (HM Government 2017). This fund will allow the government to directly invest in sectors and projects where it believes the UK has potential to drive global development. One sector the paper specifically mentions is ‘biotechnology’.

2.5.5 Environmental UK emissions are down 43% compared to the 1990 baseline (Committee on Climate Change 2018), with rapid reduction in emissions seen in the electricity sector. However, decarbonising other sectors has had varied results. For example, transport, agriculture and buildings in the last five years have seen emission reductions stall. As a result, the UK is not on course to meet the fourth (2023-2027) or fifth (2028-2032) carbon budgets.

While government set out a Clean Growth Strategy (HM Government 2017), there are few new detailed policies to reduce UK emissions into the next decade and beyond.

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