The traditional resume, or CV, has long served as the first line of defence for employers seeking the right candidates. While resumes provide essential information about a candidate’s education, work experience, and skills they often fall short in truly assessing a person’s potential for success within a specific role or organisation. As a result, forward thinking companies are recognising the importance of going beyond the resume and using innovative interview techniques to assess candidate potential, utilising a more holistic and multifaceted approach to make better hiring decisions.

Resumes can be a deceivingly one-dimensional representation of a candidate. They provide a snapshot of past accomplishments and experiences. However, they fail to delve into the intricacies of a candidate’s character, adaptability, and potential for growth.

Hiring the right candidate is a critical process for any organisation. To go beyond the resume and assess candidate potential effectively, employers can incorporate various strategies into their hiring process. These may include structured behavioural interviews, skills assessments, personality assessments, and reference checks.

Interview techniques and assessment tools are designed to evaluate a candidate’s skills, experience, and cultural fit within the organisation.

Use the form above to download the report Innovative Interview Techniques: Going Beyond the Resume to Assess Candidate Potential and uncover the secrets to hiring success.

As pressure increases on high carbon industries to work towards cleaner processes, using offshore wind to power oil and gas operations is becoming a more popular and viable option.

Connecting offshore wind assets directly to oil and gas platforms provides many economic and environmental benefits.

Why is using offshore wind to power oil and gas operations effective?

Running offshore oil and gas facilities is a high cost and high carbon task. Since gas is readily available, the electricity required for offshore oil and gas rigs is usually provided by gas turbines. Generally located on the platforms, these gas turbines, are expensive to run and produce substantial volumes of CO2 and NOx. Offshore wind turbines provide a much more economic and environmentally friendly option to power oil and gas operations.

Reducing emissions is high on the agenda of governments, investors and other stakeholder groups. Producing hydrocarbons more responsibly is a step in the right direction to allow oil and gas activities to continue during the transition to cleaner sources.

This additional investment in floating wind for oil and gas projects brings accelerated development for the offshore wind industry. Benefits come in the form of reskilling the workforce, support for new supply chains and more. As oil and gas companies have significant expertise in offshore environments, they are ideally positioned to champion best practice and innovation across the offshore industry.

The notion of using renewable energy to power fossil fuel facilities isn’t a new trend. In fact, solar power has been used at oil fields since at least the 1990’s. Solar does require fairly large areas to be effective. This means it is a less attractive option than turbines for offshore rigs, since wind energy can be generated easily out at sea.

China’s First Deepwater Floating Wind Platform

China’s first deepwater floating offshore wind platform was installed by MingYang Smart Energy. It is located 136km from the island province of Hainan in water depths of 120 metres. This 7.25MW typhoon resistant wind turbine will power an oil and gas field in the South China sea.

Once operational, the power generation capacity will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 22,000 metric tons per year.

One of the UK’s First Wind Powered Oil and Gas Production Facilities

Once the project is complete, Ping Petroleum’s Avalon facility, situated in the North Sea will be powered primarily by floating offshore wind. Following an agreement between the oil and gas operator and a renewable energy developer, production is due to commence in 2025. The initiative will remove up to 20,000 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions every year from the offshore facility, which is the equivalent of taking over 4,000 cars off the road!

Floating Wind Microgrids to Power Oil and Gas Rigs

In Norway, being carbon heavy is particularly expensive due to additional taxes applied to high emitting companies. For this reason, Odfjell Oceanwind have developed WindGrid technology for microgrids. These mobile offshore wind units are available to rent in the Norway area of the North Sea to power oil and gas rigs, subsequently lowering their carbon emissions. Leasing such assets are an attractive option for oil and gas operators who have limited renewable energy expertise to meet emission targets. In addition to avoiding large carbon taxes.

World’s Biggest Floating Offshore Wind Farm

The 88MW Hywind Tampen is Norway’s first and the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm.

Located 140km off the coast and consisting of 11 turbines, the project provides power to neighbouring oil and gas platforms in the Norwegian Sea. At full capacity the wind farm will meet approximately 35% of the Gullfaks and Snorre fields electricity demand, which would reduce CO2 by around 200,000 tonnes every year.

At Visuna, we’re committed to supporting organisations with workforce solutions, no matter where they are in their energy journey. Find out more about oil and gas recruitment or offshore wind recruitment.

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Our research has revealed the top locations searching for wind turbine technicians.

The huge growth in wind energy in recent years has led to a high demand for wind turbine technicians. As more countries around the world realise the potential of wind energy, the need for specialists to ensure the smooth running of these operations will increase.

Benefits such as an average annual salary of £25,000 – £47,000, excellent opportunities for progression and the chance to travel, make wind turbine technician a popular career choice.

We have researched which locations around the globe have the highest number of internet searches for ‘wind turbine technician’.

The top search locations* are as follows:

1. Ireland
2. United Kingdom
3. United States
4. Canada
5. Australia
6. India
7. Indonesia

*Based on data from Google Trends for the period 25/04/2022 – 25/04/2023

The research has also revealed a 60% increase in searches for wind turbine engineer salary in the last 12 months. In addition to a 50% increase in the number of searches for offshore wind turbine technician in the last 12 months.

The Top Three

Leading the way as the top search location for wind turbine technicians is Ireland. According to Wind Energy Ireland, in 2020, wind energy provided 38% of Ireland’s electricity, which is the equivalent of powering all of Munster and Connacht.

The UK is the windiest country in Europe, so wind energy has flourished here. Therefore, it’s not surprising to see the nation high on the list of locations searching for wind turbine technicians.

Taking third place is the United States, who have great potential for offshore wind energy with their long coastlines and strong, consistent winds. Indeed, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics claim wind service turbine technician will be the second fastest growing occupation between 2021 and 2031, at a rate of 44%.

Visuna have been successfully providing people solutions to the energy sector for over two decades. Our team of wind recruitment specialists will take the time to get to know your individual project needs and match you with a world-class workforce. You’ll also benefit from our global coverage. This means we understand both the legal and cultural requirements for projects in different locations.

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The UK hydrogen industry is rapidly developing and it is well placed to help the country create a thriving low carbon energy sector, which will help achieve the ambitious plans of 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

Hydrogen is the most abundant element on the planet. It also has characteristics that are beneficial to build a clean, cost effective, resilient and safe energy system. Overall, it is a very attractive fuel option.

Although hydrogen is widely used in some industries, a huge opportunity for future growth presents itself in the adoption of the practice across additional sectors. This will allow it to make a more significant contribution to the energy transition.

The number of countries with policies that directly support investment in hydrogen technology appears to be on the rise. Indeed, this gives real hope for development in the sector.

The UK were the first major economy to legislate for net zero. The nation could be well placed to take a leadership position in the hydrogen industry too.

Furthermore, the UK is home to some of the most ambitious and exciting hydrogen projects in the world. This report details a selection of these. Plus, an explanation of the rainbow of hydrogen colours, and insight into the steps being taken to ensure there is a clear understanding of the training and skills required for the energy workforce of the future.

Ensuring the right skills are available will be crucial to achieving the UK’s hydrogen goals. The scaling up of hydrogen production will also provide positive developments in the future of hydrogen energy jobs.

Use the form above to download the report The UK Hydrogen Industry: Current Position, Jobs, Training and Upskilling and find out more about the sector.

As it’s the windiest country in Europe, it’s not surprising that the UK offshore wind industry has flourished. Furthermore, the UK is the global leader in the sector. Countries around the world are noticing what the UK has achieved and are hoping to follow suit.

According to statistics from RenewableUK, there’s currently over 2,600 offshore wind turbines in the UK, across 43 operational projects.

One of the key drivers of development is the Offshore Wind Sector Deal announced in 2019. This agreement between the UK Government and the offshore wind industry sets out targets and commitments to encourage innovation, drive down costs, improve productivity and more. As a result, the plan is expected to see offshore wind contributing to up to 30GW of generating capacity by 2030.

Wind energy is already one of the largest sources of renewable power in the UK and will be instrumental in meeting carbon reduction targets and creating a reliable, clean, affordable electricity system. There’s over 11,000 miles of coastline in the UK and currently only a small proportion is being utilised for offshore wind. Consequently, the potential for growth in the sector is huge.

The World’s Largest Windfarm

The UK is also home to the world’s largest wind farm. Located off the Yorkshire coast, Hornsea 2 consists of 165 wind turbines. The operation has a total capacity of 1.3GW, which can power over 1.4 million UK homes. Furthermore, the project has created thousands of jobs.

It won’t hold the title for long though! Once complete in 2023, the Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be able to power over 6 million British homes. This project is located off the UK’s North East coast and consists of three phases which total 3.6GW capacity.

Jobs in Offshore Wind

The UK offshore wind industry supports thousands of jobs across the country. This includes roles in manufacturing, project development, construction, operations and more. A huge variety of professions service the different components of an operational wind farm, such as, Wind Turbine Technicians, Wind Energy Engineers, Electrical Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Crane Operators, Energy Analysts, Project Managers and Operations Supervisors.

You can more about offshore wind jobs in our recent article.

The future for UK Offshore Wind Jobs

Over 10,000 people in the UK are directly employed in offshore wind. Expected growth in the sector means an increase in employment opportunities too. Jobs in offshore wind are set to more than double by 2030 in the UK.

Since the wind industry has the potential to generate thousands of highly skilled and well paid jobs, a priority for individual companies, and the sector as a whole, is planning for the future workforce. This includes training newcomers, upskilling individuals, increasing diversity and improving the gender mix. The industry has a target of 40% women employed in the sector by 2030.

Our renewable energy team are here to support your business with offshore wind recruitment worldwide. Contact us today to find out how we can find the top talent needed for your next project.

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The first offshore wind farm was built in 1991 near Vindeby, off the coast of Denmark. Today, we see them across the world, and offshore wind jobs are set to increase significantly over the next few years.

According to IRENA’s 2022 Annual Review of Renewable Energy and Jobs, global employment in onshore and offshore wind grew to 1.4 million jobs in 2021. This was up from 1.25 million in 2020. The report also reveals that the leader in offshore installations and technology development is Europe. However, other countries, most notably China, are rapidly developing their own capabilities and undertaking improvements in port infrastructure.

Offshore wind can deliver huge amounts of clean, renewable energy. Therefore, it has the potential to help many nations deliver on their carbon cutting promises.

Offshore Wind Jobs

A range of job roles are needed to service the many different components that make up an operational offshore wind farm. This includes the wind turbines themselves, offshore electricity substation, construction/cable laying vessel, vessels for crew transfer, maintenance and monitoring, operational headquarters, onshore electricity substation, port and dockside facilities, plus jack up barge. The job count increases further when you consider the other life cycle stages of a wind farm; scoping, development, installation and decommissioning/repowering.

Wind farms create construction and installation jobs around the world. Offshore wind farms require more labour than the onshore variety. This is due to increased complexity in the foundations, substations, undersea cables and installation vessels that are not needed onshore.

Here we take a look at some of the key jobs available in offshore wind.

Wind Turbine Technician

A Wind Turbine Technician will inspect and test the electrical components and systems that make up the turbines. Their role will involve climbing wind turbines, fault finding on electrical and mechanical equipment, providing accurate and detailed reports and carrying out risk assessments. It’s important that they adhere to all health and safety requirements and ensure timely completion of all maintenance schedules.

Operations Supervisor

An Operations Supervisor will manage and oversee the smooth running of the wind farm. This involves ensuring all relevant health and safety processes are being followed, plus the efficiency of the operation and the requirements of engineering support.

Offshore Wind Energy Engineer

The role of an Offshore Wind Energy Engineer is to ensure the wind turbines, and associated cables, generators, substations and motors, are running as efficiently as possible. They will be involved in a huge range of tasks, including design and development of components, onsite testing and maintenance of various elements.

Wind Energy Analyst

The Wind Energy Analyst will collect and analyse data from the offshore wind farm to ascertain performance and make projections. The role involves using scientific knowledge and computer programs to evaluate current activity and measure production to aid future planning.

Offshore Wind Project Manager

The Project Manager for an offshore wind operation will ensure the overall timely completion of projects. They will oversee developments, create timelines, manage budgets and build teams. Consequently, their role involves a high level of planning and communication to execute the necessary actions.

Crane Operator

Crane Operators take on the essential role of moving the bulky and heavy equipment and components associated with offshore wind farms. These individuals operate and inspect the machinery, cranes and hydraulic systems that lift wind turbine towers, rotors, generators and more.

Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineers are responsible for electrical systems and equipment that support the wind turbines. This includes the design and testing of systems, in addition to ensuring correct installations and maintaining compliant processes.

Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineers are involved in the designing, building and testing of mechanical devices, such as, wind turbine rotors and components. In addition, they are responsible for implementing solutions to improve operations, supervising processes and conducting troubleshooting measures.

Further Information on Offshore Wind Jobs

There’s so many different routes into a career within the offshore wind sector. The handy career mapping tool from RenewableUK can help identify your ideal career path within offshore wind.

Contact our renewable energy recruitment specialists today for help with talent acquisition and mapping for your business across offshore wind energy projects and more.

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With solar panels being a feature on one in every 25 buildings in the UK, the country is realising the importance of solar power as a pathway to achieving net zero carbon emissions. Solar power is the conversion of energy from the sun into electricity, usually via solar panels containing photovoltaic systems. Areas of land containing a large number of solar panels are referred to as solar farms.

The UK’s Largest Solar Farms

Regardless of the UK’s seasonal variation in climate, solar still generates a substantial volume of clean energy. Much of this comes from some of the country’s largest operational solar projects.

Llanwern Solar Farm and Battery Storage

Located in Wales and operated by NextEnergy Capital LLP, the site has been operational since 2012 and has an installed capacity of 75MW.

West Raynham

Situated in North Norfolk, Bluefield Solar operates this 49.9MW capacity farm. It has been operational since 2015.

Snarlton Farm (Melksham Solar Farm)

With an installed capacity of 49.6MW, the farm is operated by Foresight. Located in Wiltshire, the farm has been operational since 2016.

Eveley Farm

This Hampshire based farm is operated by PS Renewables. With an installed capacity of 49MW, it has been operational since 2016.

Future Projects

Currently under construction in the UK are three large solar farms all with an installed capacity of just under 50MW.

Ryyd y Groes, located in mid Wales with an expected completion date of December 2022.

Paytherden Solar Farm, situated in East Devon with an expected completion date of January 2023.

Larks Green Solar Farm, located in South Gloucestershire has an expected completion date of June 2026.

Our recent news article on The latest in UK Solar Energy News describes how solar energy has exploded in popularity.

Visuna can offer solutions in renewable energy recruitment for large and small scale solar projects. Contact one of our specialists for more information.

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Hydro power describes the use of falling or fast flowing water to generate electricity. Some of the biggest hydro projects in the UK are located in Scotland. This form of renewable energy can be stored for use at times of peak consumption and then used again. Therefore, harnessing hydro power could be instrumental in meeting clean energy targets.

According to the Institute of Civil Engineers, hydroelectric generation began in Scotland in the early 20^th century and the country now has 85% of the UK’s hydroelectric energy resource. Around 12% of Scotland’s total electricity now comes from hydroelectric generation.

Three of Scotland’s Biggest Hydro Projects

Hydro is a well-established sector and taps into some of Scotland’s most abundant natural resources. The topography of the land in Scotland lends itself to successful hydro schemes. Plus, the relatively high levels of annual rainfall in the region, add to the effectiveness of hydro schemes in Scotland.

Glendoe Hydro Scheme

In terms of installed capacity, the largest of Scotland’s hydro projects is the Glendoe Hydro Scheme. Located near Fort Augustus, above Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland, the operation is run by SSE.

Operational since 2008, the scheme can generate up to 100MW. The drop of 600m from the reservoir to the turbine, is the highest of any in the United Kingdom. Consequently, creating an ideal environment for high levels of electricity production.

Lochaber Hydro Scheme

One of Scotland’s oldest, still operational hydro projects, Lochaber has been in use since January 1929. With an installed capacity of 65MW, the scheme is operated by GFG Alliance.

Designed to provide energy for the production of aluminum, the Lochaber scheme is located in the western Scottish Highlands.

Great Glen Hydro Scheme

Running for more than 100km from Inverness to Fort William, the SSE scheme follows a geological fault line that divides north and south Scotland.

Consisting of five major dams and six power stations, the project has been operational since 1957 and has an installed capacity of 36MW.

Studies have shown that there is still untapped potential in Scotland’s bodies of water. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for the sector.

Visuna’s specialists can offer support with renewable energy recruitment, wherever in the world your project is located. Contact us today to find out more.

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It can be said that the recent challenging time Australian energy has faced, has accelerated conversations about Australia’s energy transition journey.

During 2022, the combination of high electricity demand, mixed with unfortunate timing of power downtime and high energy prices, led to questions being raised over the future of energy for the nation.

Australia’s Energy Transition Goals

Australia’s aim is to transition to a net zero energy system by 2050, with the aim of ensuring stable and affordable supplies. This means a shift from a traditionally coal-dominant system to a renewable model based on wind and solar. Plus the large scale storage facilities to support this system. In the last 10 years, three large coal fired power stations have been retired. The expectation is that a total of 63% will be retired by 2040.

To demonstrate the country’s commitment to the net zero goal, Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese agreed to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s intention to reduce emissions by 43% more than 2005 levels by 2030.

A Key Milestone in the Journey

According to the Clean Energy Australia Report, a significant milestone was reached in 2020, with more than a quarter of the country’s total electricity generation coming from renewable sources for the first time. The publication describes how during 2020, wind and rooftop solar set new records, battery storage came of age and the hydrogen sector continued to develop rapidly.

Furthermore, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that renewable energy was responsible for 33.4% of total generation in the 2021-2022 financial year. Compare this to 2016-2017’s figure of less than half of this, at just 16%, and you can see how far Australia has come in its clean energy journey.

Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan

Queensland is set to benefit following the announcement of a $62 billion clean energy investment. This 10 year plan will significantly change Queensland’s energy mix. Therefore, the state’s renewable energy target has increased to 70% by 2032 and then 80% by 2035.

Integral to the strategy are two new pumped hydro projects. One of which will be the largest pumped hydro scheme in the world. Set to supply enough renewable energy to cover half of Queensland’s needs, leaders hope this will make the region the renewable energy capital of the world. The vision of the plan is to supply clean, reliable and affordable energy providing power for generations. This will mean no regular reliance on coal-fired generation by 2035. Existing coal-fired power stations will be gradually repurposed into clean energy hubs, with a Job Security Guarantee for workers.

The Queensland Energy and Jobs plan also covers work on a new super grid. This will be made up of thousands of components, including solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and transmission lines. Consequently, it is expected that 100,000 new jobs will be created by 2040. This includes direct jobs in construction, manufacturing and ongoing operations, plus indirect jobs in supporting services. Two new training hubs in regional Queensland will ensure apprentices are skilled in the required areas.

The Rewiring the Nation Plan

The  Rewiring the Nation plan demonstrates government commitment to transforming Australia’s energy sector. This agreement will fast-track Renewable Energy Zones and offshore wind development. Accordingly, creating new energy jobs across Victoria and unlocking cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy.

The plan acknowledges that the inefficiency of Australia’s current electricity transmission system is a blocker to cheaper, cleaner energy. Therefore, a $20 billion investment to rebuild and modernise Australia’s grid is on the cards.

$75 million will be used to jointly fund the Marinus Link Project with the Tasmanian Government. This will see more than 255km of undersea transmission cable delivering renewable energy generation and storage, enabling the mainland to benefit from Tasmania’s abundant natural resources.

Hydro Energy

It would be difficult to talk about large scale Australian renewable projects and not mention Snowy Hydro. Combining solar and wind energy with on-demand hydro electricity, the scheme provides one third of renewable energy to the national electricity market. The project has recently completed excavation of its first tunnel for Snowy 2.0. This program will link the Tantangara and Talbingo reservoirs to enable water to be released for energy generation at times of peak demand and then pumped back into storage ready to use later.

Solar Energy

Solar accounted for 9.9% of Australia’s total electrical energy production in 2020. Worldwide, solar panels are created using technology that originated in Australia. Therefore, it can be argued that renewable energy technology is embedded in the country’s legacy.

Western Australia has recognised the solar, in addition to wind, potential of a particular greenfield location. Around 435km north of Perth, the Oakajee site will be home to the Mid West Hydrogen Hub. Government investment of $5.5million is planned to fast-track its development for the production of renewable hydrogen.

Recent Developments

Investment into Australian renewable projects shows no signs of slowing. The country is seeing some of its biggest oil giants diversifying into clean energy.  They’re spending millions on developing and operating wind, solar and battery storage projects. With the government incentives on offer, it’s likely we’ll see more companies following suit.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that since 2017 there has been an increase in the level of investment in renewable generation and storage technology. In the 2016-17 financial year, the value of work done on renewable projects was $865.9m compared to $5.51b in 2021-22.

It appears that the momentum in renewable energy development will continue. This benefits Australia with a cheaper, cleaner and more reliable electricity system. Not only that, the country benefits from a growth in jobs across the clean energy sector, with the industry employing more than 25,000 Australians in 2020.

Our Brisbane office is on hand to discuss the workforce requirements your business needs to ensure a smooth journey through the energy transition.

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