Energy experts needed as skills gap looms

07 June 2007

The energy industry as a whole is experiencing a skills shortage, and there may not be enough companies or skilled engineers to cope with a nuclear resurgence, according to the head of the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).

Relatively few nuclear power plants have been built round the world over the past two decades, and there is a worry that there may not be enough companies or skilled engineers to cope as fears over global warming trigger a nuclear energy renaissance. Speaking at the Reuters Global Energy Summit in London, NEA director general Luis Echavarri described the problem as an important, but not insurmountable one.

The energy industry as a whole is facing a skills shortage as less young people have choosen to study technical subjects, especially in Europe, noted Echavarri. However, rising concern about climate change should help to rekindle interest in technology subjects, while the long lead-time to build a nuclear power plant should mean that there is still time to avoid a bottleneck. "It's an important issue that we have to give a lot of attention to, but I think it's feasible," he told the 5 June meeting.

Separately, a new survey by energy technology company Doosan Babcock has revealed that 87% of the UK's leading energy experts believe the country is facing a "serious" skills shortage that will impact on the implementation of the UK’s recent energy white paper. The Energy Pulse survey polled 500 experts including senior executives, energy analysts, members of parliament, environmentalists, non-governmental organisations and academics.

As the energy sector competes for the same skills that will be needed for large infrastructure projects including the 2012 London Olympic Games, "we really need a clear commitment to skills within the energy sector if we are to support the necessary new build and retrofits needed to avert a generation gap," according to Doosan Babcock CEO Iain Miller.

Further information
Doosan Babcock Energy

OECD Nuclear EnergyAgency: NuclearCompetence Building summary

WNN: "Practicalbut radical" UK energy policies