HEROES AT THE FRONTIER OF ENERGY, MARINE & RENEWABLES
2019/2020 WIND EDITION ISSUE 6
Adriana Szczesna, Chief Steward
Keeping everything shipshape Tom Manning, Deputy General Manager // CWind Taiwan
At the forefront of training local technicians Miranda de Kraker, Account Manager Renewables // Atlas Professionals
Recruiting wind professionals
Liz Burdock, CEO & President // Business Network for Offshore Wind
Navigating the winds of change HEROES
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Welcome to the HEROES Magazine Wind Edition 2019/2020! This magazine is once again filled with flagship stories of renewables Heroes, from Atlas’ professionals to clients and partners that operate and innovate at the frontier of the Renewables industry. Atlas Professionals would like to become the number one choice for our clients and professionals by being committed to provide a safe, reliable, competent and happy workforce. A mission statement embodied in this magazine, featuring several of our Heroes such as an experienced Quality Manager and a young Wind Technician who spends his day safely climbing wind turbines. Furthermore, we put a special focus on training of the next generation of wind professionals and on upcoming markets. As our clients turn their attention to wind energy in Taiwan, Japan, South-Korea, Vietnam, Australia and America, Atlas is also expanding its Renewables services in these regions. This way, our staff and professionals can passionately support our clients in achieving their ambitions and strategies, wherever they are in the world. We hope you enjoy reading the exciting stories outlined in this HEROES Magazine and we would very much like to thank our clients, partners and professionals for their contribution. We look forward to supporting you in the years ahead. Atlas Professionals
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ERIK HIENSCH Vattenfall has huge ambitions for the renewables sector
ADRIANA SZCZESNA Keeping everything shipshape as a Chief Steward
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ERIK HIENSCH // VATTENFALL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
Making headlines with building the world’s first unsubsidized wind farm
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ADRIANA SZCZESNA CHIEF STEWARD
Not everyone on the renewables industry is a technician or an engineer
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GRANT JOHNSTON // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS BUSINESS MANAGER RENEWABLES
Exporting pioneering and sought-after wind industry skills across the world
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VALENTINE VAN DE PUTTE DIRECTOR OF O&M (OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE)
A superintendent on a jack-up installation vessel shares her story
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EDGARE KERKWIJK // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS STRATEGIC DIRECTOR RENEWABLES APAC
Finding home-grown senior-level expertise to support forecasted growth
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ANDY EVANS // STAR OF THE SOUTH CO-FOUNDER & CEO
Australia’s first proposed offshore wind farm Star of the South
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TOM MANNING // CWIND TAIWAN DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER
At the forefront of training local technicians in Taiwan
32 MIRANDA DE KRAKER Recruiting outside the box with Wind Experience Days
Table of Contents
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DAPHNE BRONDER TRAINEE ELECTRIC ENGINEER
A young professional finding her way in the renewables industry
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MIRANDA DE KRAKER // ATLAS PROFESSIONALS ACCOUNT MANAGER RENEWABLES
From establishing an office to recruiting the next generation professionals
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BARUCH TROMP WIND TECHNICIAN
Successfully switching career to the wind energy industry
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BARBARA VELDMAAT & FLEUR VAN ASSENDELFT // CMS ATTORNEYS OF LAW
Navigating specific legal complexities of the renewables industry
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LIZ BURDOCK // BUSINESS NETWORK FOR OFFSHORE WIND CEO & PRESIDENT
Passionately advocating for offshore wind industry development in the US
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SUZANNE VAN DER LINDEN // MHI VESTAS OFFSHORE WIND OPERATIONS SERVICE MANAGER
Pooling expertise to cope with the pace of change in the wind industry
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JOHNNY SINKE QUALITY MANAGER
Highlighting the endless possibilities both on- and offshore
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ALEC & ANNA // ZERO HARM ATLAS PROFESSIONALS CARTOON CHARACTERS
Taking the right steps to ensure professionals return home injury free
ENFALL IENSTIOCNH ERIKORH TENANCE, VATT IN A M & S OF OPERA DIRECT
Aiming High
Energy company Vattenfall has huge ambitions for the renewables sector – but Erik Hiensch, the company’s Director of Operations & Maintenance, is positive they can be achieved.
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Vattenfall – the Swedish state-owned energy giant – has an ambitious aim: “To make fossil-free living possible within one generation.” This isn’t an idle wish explains Erik Hiensch, Director of Operations & Maintenance. With the right mindset, he is convinced that this can be done. “We are optimistic that this is an achievable goal, and are investing in new technologies to help lead the way,” he says. “That includes wind, solar, e-mobility and hydrogen solutions. Of course, there are a lot of things that need to fall into place to make it happen, and it’s not something we can do on our own. The whole world needs to be collaborating and going in the same direction. But I think it’s clearly understood by most people and governments that climate change is not something we can just ignore and it will go away.” Vattenfall is one of Europe’s largest producers and retailers of electricity and heat, with main markets in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK. It supplies electricity to 6.5 million customers and heat to 2.1 million, and 35% of the company’s generation capacity comes from renewable sources.
Renewables focus Vattenfall has also been named as one of the greenest power companies in the world by analysis company Energy Intelligence, and is also making some company efficiencies to cut emissions and costs and increase innovation. “As an example, we’re outsourcing part of our business support processes in HR, finance and procurement to parties outside of the company to make state-of-the-art solutions available at lower cost levels. So that’s one clear track we are on as a company. We’re also constantly renewing our portfolio and shifting focus where required.” For instance, in 2016, Vattenfall sold off its lignite operations in Germany to concentrate more on the renewables market and reduce its CO2 emissions. It has also made headlines with the building of the world’s first unsubsidised wind farm, Hollandse Kust Zuid (HKZ) 1 & 2, off the Dutch coast, which will supply green electricity to between one million and 1.5 million households. This is another important step towards Vattenfall’s “fossil free living” ambition. “Because the farm will be unsubsidised it will be fully exposed to the market price – and that’s a milestone for the industry,” says Erik. “It’s also a milestone for us as a company as it sets a baseline for new developments and tenders to remain a strong offshore player.”
Construction on HKZ 1 & 2 began in May 2019, and is expected to begin generating green electricity by the end of 2022. Next to this, Vattenfall has won the tender for the second phase of the Dutch unsubsidised offshore wind farm HKZ 3 & 4. The two wind farms will have a capacity of approximately 1.5GW combined. It’s exciting to be involved in key renewables projects like these, says Erik. An electrical engineer by trade, he worked for Siemens for eight years on the construction of gas-fired power plants before moving to utility company Nuon, where he became Head of Contracting & Construction, Wind Projects. When Vattenfall acquired Nuon in 2009, he moved to Sweden with his family, ultimately working as Head of Procurement - Renewable Projects in Stockholm. It was an experience he’ll never forget. “When you work on an international assignment, it widens your view, big time,” he says. “It gives you a different perspective on yourself and how you work with other people. When you assimilate into a foreign culture, you grow massively as a person. That was a big highlight for me.” Other career highs include working on the procurement and O&M phases of offshore wind farms Sandbank and DanTysk in the German North Sea, both for Vattenfall.
Closing the gap Erik works closely with Atlas Professionals and appreciates the deep insight the company offers into offshore wind personnel. “The industry is growing fast, and somehow the labour market needs to follow because, at the moment, there is a personnel shortfall,” he warns. “Atlas can help us find skilled people; and it can also help us develop relations with schools and other educational institutions to give people the impetus to become part of the wind industry. The talent pool needs to grow bigger, otherwise companies in the sector will start tapping into each other’s resources, and that’s no good. Atlas is one of the key players who can play a significant role in closing the skills and personnel gap.” As for the future of offshore, Erik believes there will be massive growth in the sector in the years ahead, with revolutionary innovations such as floating wind turbines and interconnectors increasingly coming to the fore. “Vattenfall is keeping an eye on the markets outside Europe,” he says. “But we believe that Europe, for now, is providing enough potential for us to satisfy our ambitions.”
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A N S E Z C Z S A N A I ADRTEWARD CHIEF S
Keeping everything shipshape
Not everyone in the renewables industry is a technician or an engineer. Take Adriana Szczesna, for example, who works as Chief Steward on a Wind Farm installation vessel.
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Atlas Professionals offers a wide range of both onshore and offshore roles within the renewables market, from engineers and technicians to client representatives, project planners and stewards.
safely with kitchen implements. We always say: ‘If you don’t understand something, then just ask!’”
For instance, since May 2018, Adriana Szczesna has been Chief Steward on the Vole au vent, a large jack-up installation vessel built specifically for the execution of offshore wind projects. The vessel is owned by the Luxembourg-headquartered Jan De Nul Group and includes accommodation for 90 people. “I’m really pleased to be working on a wind farm installation vessel,” says Adriana. “I’ve always been a supporter of Greenpeace and environmental campaigns and believe that the development of the renewables industry will be better for all of us.”
One of the things Adriana loves about her job is the travel. “I’ve been to the Gulf of Mexico, Africa, Asia and the North Sea,” she says. “If there’s an opportunity to leave the vessel and do a bit of exploring, I take it. That’s a big plus.”
Hands-on experience Atlas professional Adriana works on a rotation of six weeks on and six weeks off. She oversees the onboard accommodation, co-ordinates her team to make sure all cabins are clean and tidy, and generally makes sure that the crew and technicians working on the vessel are happy and comfortable. “I’m in charge of five or six stewards, some of whom work in the galley, and some of whom work on the accommodation side,” she says. “I assign them their jobs, explain what they have to do and check their work. I don’t think there’s any training you can do to prepare to be Chief Steward, as such. At the end of the day, it’s all about getting hands-on experience.” Adriana always works in accordance with Atlas Professionals’ ‘Zero Harm’ policy. This is an initiative which has been implemented since 2017 within the whole Atlas Group that aims to boost safety presence and awareness for all Atlas personnel. “The goal of Zero Harm is so important and is taken very seriously on the Vole au vent,” says Adriana. “All new crew members have an induction briefing with officers to ensure they are working to the highest safety standards. For instance, if they’re cleaning they could be using chemicals that can be dangerous. They’re also lifting heavy things and, if they’re in the galley, must be aware of fire risks and how to work
Love of travel
Back on dry land, Adriana is planning a move to the UK from her native Poland. She’ll continue to work on board the Vole au vent for the foreseeable future, however, and says her contact with Atlas Professionals has been something of a happy accident. “I had previously applied to Atlas for a job on board a vessel,” she says. “But when I received the offer for my current position directly from the Vole au vent, I found out that Atlas was the agency behind it! So it’s worked out well.”
International environment Adriana has encountered some career challenges during her time at sea, including being on board a rescue team vessel sent to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. “It was terrible to witness an environmental disaster up close,” she says. Ask her to pick a positive highlight, however, and she mentions working for Fred Olsen Windcarrier as an Ordinary Seaman/ Deck Officer Trainee for two years from 2012. “I’m really proud of that because I was the only woman on deck and I was doing the same jobs as the guys,” says Adriana. “I’m pleased to say I was never treated differently – and I never wanted to be treated differently.” “Also, working as Chief Steward on the Vole au vent has been a highlight for me. I’m in charge of a good team and we all communicate well. I enjoy working in an international environment with a crew of different nationalities, too. That’s really interesting, because I get to understand different cultures a little better.”
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N O T S N H O J T N GRASS MANAGER RENEWABLES, ATLAS PROFESSIONALS BUSINE
Exporting wind industry skills
The UK’s pioneering and sought-after wind industry skills are being exported across the world, says Grant Johnston from Atlas Professionals.
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Grant Johnston says there has never been a more thrilling time to be part of the offshore wind industry. What’s more, his enthusiasm for the sector is infectious. “It’s growing fast,” says Grant, who is Business Manager - Renewables at Atlas Professionals’ Bristol office in the UK. “It’s such a change from five or so years ago, when there was talk of offshore being ‘too expensive’ and ‘not profitable enough’. Now there’s so much buzz about renewables in general and offshore wind in particular. Just look at the big oil and gas companies – such as Shell, BP and Equinor – that are getting involved in offshore wind projects because they see a future in them. That’s really exciting. The cost of constructing offshore wind farms is at an all-time low, too – and it’s only going to become more cost-effective for developers going forward.” The UK is a pioneering force in the wind industry and currently the world’s fourth largest producer of wind power, with 8,483 megawatts of offshore capacity and 12,995 megawatts of onshore capacity. “The UK is a market leader,” says Grant. “We’ve always been a great engineering nation and that’s helped build our dominance in the sector. The British government is also a very active supporter of renewable energy, which is another reason for our success.”
Recruitment focus At Atlas, Grant is involved in finding skilled personnel for some of the most high-profile offshore wind projects in the UK. These include Ørsted’s Hornsea 1 and Hornsea 2 wind farms which, when completed, will make the Yorkshire coast the largest offshore wind location in the world. Hornsea 1 alone will be capable of powering more than one million UK homes with renewable electricity, and will be nearly double the size (1,218MW) of Walney Extension in the Irish Sea, which is currently the world’s largest offshore wind farm. “Atlas Professionals is at the centre of Hornsea 1 and 2,” says Grant. “We’re supplying personnel – including project managers, cable installation managers, engineers and electricians – right through the supply chain, both to Ørsted themselves and to the companies involved in the installation process.” Grant’s recruitment focus is much wider than the UK, however. “UK skills are in demand by countries around the world who are following our lead in offshore wind,” he explains. “The hotspots at the moment include Taiwan, the North East coast of the US, South Korea and Japan. These are places that haven’t had an offshore wind industry – particularly Taiwan – and
require experienced UK or European Offshore Wind professionals to train their local talent, give them an insight into the offshore industry and help them develop their local markets. Our own market analysis shows a huge number of projects will be installed globally in the next 10 years. That’s where Atlas comes in.”
Developing skills In this edition of Heroes, we speak to Tom Manning, Deputy General Manager of CWind Taiwan, which provides offshore wind farm training, best practice and support services to Taiwanese offshore wind farm developers and owners. Tom tells us that one of his biggest challenges is finding offshore wind personnel in Taiwan who are trained to the highest standards. “I know Tom well and he’s absolutely right,” says Grant. “That’s why I think training is going to be extremely important in new areas for offshore wind, such as Taiwan. Atlas has so much to offer them, because we can set up training days and recruitment drives and use our Atlas Competence Programme to help locals develop their skills.” Naturally, this requires strong links and knowledge-sharing between Atlas’ offices around the world. “As a company, we’re fortunate to have offices in those regions that are now looking to build their offshore wind sectors,” says Grant. “For example, we have an office in Boston which is managing requests from developers in the US, and a regional office in Singapore, which is focused on clients and on creating offshore talent pools in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Atlas knows the industry inside and out and has a global data base of skilled personnel that can be accessed by our recruiters anywhere in the world.”
Positive impact Grant thinks for a moment when asked to name a career highlight. Watching Atlas grow to become the go-to recruitment company for offshore wind professionals has been extremely gratifying, he says. But, ultimately, he loves working in an industry which is making such a positive impact on the environment. “Every country is aiming to reduce its carbon emissions, so it’s very rewarding to be part of the drive to make offshore projects around the world successful. It’s also rewarding to offer opportunities to individuals who want to enter the renewables industry. Every day at Atlas we speak to people who really believe in it and want to help in some way, such as workers from the oil and gas sector. It’s been a pleasure to give them advice and training, point them in the right direction – and then watch their careers develop.”
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E T T U P E D N A V VALEENNGTINIENERE PROJECT
A passion for renewables
Fresh out of university and not afraid to get her hands dirty, Project Engineer Valentine Van de Putte shares her experience as a superintendent. Despite studying aerospace engineering in her first degree, Valentine Van de Putte, a Project Engineer at Jan De Nul Group, developed a passion for the renewables industry and for playing a role in the energy transition. “I realised I was not so keen to work on the design of the latest aircraft or launch the next satellite, but instead wanted to work on a younger, progressive industry where innovation leads the way. I wanted to contribute to something new and to help find some of the answers to the energy transition problem.� Valentine is currently working in the offshore wind world on the Trianel Windpark Borkum II project in the German Exclusive Economic Zone, but she is enthusiastic about other types of green energy such as wave kinetic energy. This enthusiasm to help build a cleaner world meant that she decided to explore opportunities in the wind industry after graduating in aerospace engineering from Delft University of Technology. Valentine embarked on two Masters, one in Offshore Engineering and a second in Wind Energy Technology, as part of the European Wind Energy Master Programme. And between the two degrees, Valentine wanted to find out whether a career on the operational side was suitable for her so she entered an internship programme at an international offshore contractor.
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Operations offshore “Most people get involved in the R&D side of the wind industry initially, but it is often very theoretical, I wanted to do something more operational and go offshore. I want to learn from the practical side of the industry, and take these lessons with me in a later stage of life, to optimise the design of the next generation of wind turbines.” A farmer’s daughter, Valentine explains that she is well used to hard work, long hours and working with her hands, but she hadn’t necessarily expected this to lead to a career offshore. “I was brought up deep in the Belgian countryside, nowhere near the ocean. But I started working at the offshore contractor and absolutely loved it! There are always different people onboard and when you finally see a wind farm being built after maybe two years of preparation time, it is fantastic.” “On the operational side I also think you learn more because you have to solve issues on the spot. Then you can take the lessons learnt and use them for other projects in your career.” Following her graduation in November 2018, Valentine joined the Luxembourg-based Jan De Nul Group – a client of Atlas – and she hasn’t looked back since. Initially, Valentine attended the introduction training programme at the company where she learnt from more experienced colleagues about the dredging industry and wind energy sector. And pretty soon she discovered she would be deployed as a superintendent onboard one of the company’s jack-up installation vessels, the Vole au vent, where she is pictured with other Atlas professionals.
Becoming a superintendent “Jan De Nul has given me a lot of responsibility fresh out of university and I am relishing this opportunity,” she emphasises. Initially, Valentine has been involved in the preparations for the wind farm, which will comprise 32, 6.33MW wind turbines, and then she became superintendent. “My job is extremely varied. I have to investigate how the project will be executed, procure material, check that all the personnel are properly trained and certified. You need the technical knowhow but also you have to be commercially savvy. As a superintendent, you are the ‘connection point’ between the crew and the technicians, and between the client representative aboard and the surveyors. Whatever the issue is, you need to take care of it, whether it concerns personnel or a contractual topic. It makes my job very exciting.” A ‘typical’ day is hard to come by, she laughs. “If I am in the office I am mainly working with other engineers and superintendents. Offshore I always work the night shift. Operations continue 24/7. At 1800 hours I would be in the pre-start meeting. Normal practice in these meetings is
that we as a team – technicians, superintendent and client – summarise the tasks ahead, but I also always try to highlight safety attention points and to mitigate any obstacles that the team may face. I communicate with the client and keep a track of progress, and together with the team of technicians, we seek solutions for any problems we had during the night. The time flies by! Around 0600 hours I am typically doing paperwork and then I am lucky to get back into bed at 0800 hours.” Valentine stresses that she never wanted a 9 to 5 job and is not daunted by spending several weeks offshore. “It is easy to fill 12 hours. That is life offshore and I enjoy it.”
Finding solutions on the spot It is no problem being in a traditional ‘man’s world’ either. “I have always been one of the boys. Initially the crew were startled as there are very few female superintendents. But as a farmer’s daughter tough work and a very direct means of communication are no stranger to me. There is a freedom offshore; you have to be able to be flexible and solve problems. Things always turn out a little different than you expected.” Additionally, every wind farm project is different, she stresses. “Sometimes they deploy monopiles and sometimes jackets. But we have to find the right solution that fits the design and prepare the most efficient way to perform the installation works offshore.” Valentine admits that she was absolutely staggered the first time she saw a 75m offshore turbine blade. “Often people don’t realise how big these things are! They have only seen onshore turbines. The 6.33MW turbines on the current project are 152m in diameter. And those are not even the biggest ones around anymore. The newest generation is 9.5MW and 164m in diameter. That is more than two A380 airplanes winglet to winglet!”
Exciting career Valentine would eventually love to manage an offshore wind project, and says she certainly recommends the renewables sector for an exciting career. However, she warns it is not for everyone. “You have to have a thick skin, be able to think on your feet and most of all, be flexible.” She was very pleased that two girls came up to her at a recent wind energy event saying that they had never seen a female superintendent before, and seeing Valentine was making them have the courage to consider it as an option. “I said don’t let being female hold you back. Offshore, my clothes get just as dirty as those of the guys! If you can think outside the box and like a challenging environment, offshore wind offers exciting career opportunities for sure!”
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K ATLAS PROFESSIONALS J I W K R E K E R A EDGGIC DIRECTOR RENEWABLES APAC, STRATE
Recruiting for APAC
A remarkable growth is forecasted for the offshore wind industry in Asia-Pacific. The challenge, says Edgare Kerkwijk, is to find home-grown senior-level expertise to support it.
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So far, the rise of the offshore wind sector has largely been a European phenomenon – one that shows no sign of slowing down. Statistics from industry body Wind Europe reveal that offshore wind now represents 2% of all the electricity consumed across the continent. This is a number that will continue to rise.
solution. “Europe will need them back because its own offshore wind sector is still continuing to grow,” he insists. “What we have to do is develop our own executive expertise in Asia-Pacific, recruiting and training seniorlevel people here.”
Yet, very soon, Europe is going to have some big competition, because the offshore wind sector in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is also growing at a remarkable rate. According to consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie, AsiaPacific’s offshore wind capacity will rise 20-fold to 45GW in 2027. China is leading the way, planning to rocket its capacity from 2GW in 2018 to an incredible 31GW in the next 10 years; but Taiwan is hot on its heels, and should account for 20% – or 8.7GW – of the region’s offshore wind capacity by 2027. Japan’s offshore potential is also set to grow post 2020, while new markets such as South Korea, Australia, India, Thailand and Vietnam will start within five years.
To that end, Edgare has joined forces with Atlas Professionals, a specialist in recruitment and HR services to the global energy, marine and renewables industries. It has particular experience in offshore wind recruitment, supplying professionals for nearly all of the wind farms built in the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark since 2008.
Crucial skills needed All this renewables activity is good news for the environment, notes Singapore-based board member of the Asia Wind Energy Association, Edgare Kerkwijk. Yet it poses a significant challenge for companies involved in the region’s offshore wind industry, simply because it’s growing so quickly. One result of this rapid rise is a serious manpower shortage in the sector, including at senior levels. “What Europe has achieved in offshore wind in the last 20-plus years, APAC aims to do the same in less than 10 years,” says Edgare. “Such growth has to be supported by resources, highly trained labour and executive expertise. That’s critical. The problem is, Asia-Pacific doesn’t have a home-grown offshore wind sector, so it lacks those kinds of crucial skills.” Which is why, in this vital set-up phase, companies in the offshore sector have been exporting their European-based experts and executives to the Asia-Pacific region. However, says Edgare, this can only be a temporary
High level of expertise
As Strategic Director Renewables APAC at Atlas Professionals in Singapore Edgare’s remit is to find executives for permanent roles in the Asia-Pacific offshore wind industry. “Atlas has an excellent and proven track record in offshore wind recruitment,” he says. “No other recruiter in Asia-Pacific has the same level of expertise in this growth area. What’s more, the company has a significant presence in the region with an office in Singapore – a place which has developed into something of an offshore wind hub and a joint-venture office in Perth. Atlas has been finding contract professionals for the sector in APAC for years; so executive search will be a welcome addition to the recruitment services it already provides.” Naturally, Edgare doesn’t pretend that APAC’s offshore wind ambitions will be easy to realise. “Some countries are developing offshore wind industries from nothing,” he says. “They lack proper infrastructure and have limited vessel availability in some cases. So, plainly, a lot of work needs to be done. But the fact is that offshore is the future for this region, because it won’t negatively impact its densely populated communities and agricultural areas – unlike onshore solar or wind power projects. “Ultimately, Asia-Pacific is set to become the largest offshore wind market in the world and is where the real growth is. In recruitment terms, we have to be ready to supply this exciting market of tomorrow with the skills it needs.”
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S THE SOUTH VANTA ANDNYDEE OF R & CEO, S R CO-FOU
Australia’s first
Offshore wind had never been considered in the Southern Hemisphere until about seven years ago when we initiated the project and set up a company. More than once called an ‘ambitious project’, Star of the South is Australia’s first proposed offshore wind farm. In fact, it is a Southern Hemisphere first according to the project’s CEO and co-founder Andy Evans. Star of the South was founded seven years ago by Andy and two partners, who were looking at several renewable energy business opportunities in Australia. “We came across this potential, based mainly on the state of Victoria’s energy requirements. Its six million people will require greater electricity supply in coming years due to potential closures of coal-fired generators.” On 29 March 2019, the Commonwealth Government granted the project, which is backed by Danish fund management company Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), an exclusive exploration license to investigate the technical feasibility of constructing wind turbines in the ocean off the south coast of Gippsland, Victoria. The up to 2200MW wind farm would generate roughly the same energy of the now-closed Hazelwood coal-fired power station and supply about eighteen per cent of the state of Victoria’s electricity requirements.
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The winds of change With the need for a diversified energy mix, coal-fired generators reaching the end of their lifetime and electricity prices spiking due to reduced supply, the argument for renewable energy is no longer only about environmental concerns. “The economics and investment dollars are really starting to support renewable energy,” says Andy. “Support is needed to assist coalfired power generation with many forecast closures. It’s also very clear that the investment market, whether it be through banks or through private investment, is supporting alternatives to coal.” According to Andy, Australia is getting to a stage – whether it chooses to realise it or not – where coal generation will be phased out over the next 30 years. “When we look at opportunities to then introduce new energy sources, we see offshore wind in particular as a key force in new energy generation. We think that there are probably a further two to three projects that will assist to meet Australia’s energy requirements.” Managing the cost perception of offshore wind however, is one of the key challenges for Andy and his team. “Deploying offshore wind is obviously a bit more costly at the moment. People would look at it initially and go ‘look, isn’t it expensive’. But when you look at it economically, from a supply and demand perspective, it actually reduces electricity prices by increasing supply.”
Location is key That’s simple enough, one might think, but why would you build wind turbines offshore in a country that has so much space? “The problem is that nobody lives in that space,” Andy explains. “With 85% of Australia’s population living within 50km of the coastline, most of the power generation and distribution systems have been built around coal generation, which is generally much closer to the capital cities.” “We’re finding that particularly in Western Victoria, where there is a lot of strong wind and solar potential, there is not that grid capacity to actually transmit the electricity to consumers,” Andy continues. “The ability to build large scale capacity facilities for energy generation on land obviously also has a lot of competition with agricultural or residential land. Looking offshore is a key opportunity where you don’t have a lot of competing interests around using that space.” With the wind farm located of the south coast of Gippsland, three hours south of Melbourne, the project would also provide job opportunities for the region’s people. “Part of the reason we chose Gippsland and Latrobe Valley is their century’s worth of power generation and mining experience, but also 50 years of offshore and oil and gas exploration experience,” says Andy. “There would be a number of jobs in the region, but it will also need to be topped up by international experience.”
Regional and international human capital The human capital challenge in the renewables industry is nothing new and also applies to the team at Star of the South, which currently has
seven Europeans among its staff of thirteen. “The problem is that offshore wind, globally, is a fairly new industry. The key markets and the technical capabilities are in Denmark, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands. It’s a pretty limited skill set base at the moment and finding people with a relevant background is fairly challenging.” The number of people who already have got offshore wind or marine environmental experience in Australia is very limited. “Offshore oil and gas are a key potential service provider for us,” says Andy. “Atlas Professionals and Ian Marshall in particular have been fantastic in introducing us to a lot of the skill sets that exist in offshore oil and gas, particularly in Western Australia.” He adds: “I think one of the issues with Australia is that it can be fairly regional, with a lot of very localised expertise. It’s impressive how the Renewables team at Atlas has reached out and established that there is capability beyond its own jurisdictions. Edgare Kerkwijk (Strategic Director Renewables APAC) based in Singapore for example, will be key to working with our European partners who also have interests in Asia. The skill sets and experience of other regions will complement each other and be brought to bear on the Australian project. Atlas Professionals has been chosen to be a key HR Strategic Partner to support the expansion of the Star of the South team to up to 25 by the end of 2019 through its executive search services in APAC and the renewables team based in Perth. The project team would expand to 60 by 2022.
Star of the South, Ambition of the South Aside from striving to build the right project development team, Andy spends a lot of his time working with the Commonwealth and State governments. This is vital as, unlike Europe where governments often initiate and back green energy solutions, there is still a lack of formal legislation around the development of offshore wind farms in Australia. For Andy, a lawyer by background, this lack of framework and regulation poses one of the major project challenges. “We’ve now got an exploration license, which provides us with real clarity to undertake the key work to get environmental approvals and complete the technical and commercial feasibility. However, regulation and legislation around being able to then operate for a long term of years out in the ocean is still not quite clear.” Yet, Andy remains optimistic: “We have made a great deal of progress since the start of discussions with the Commonwealth Government, but we really need a legal framework to be locked in.” Star of the South is named after a ship which sailed from England to Victoria in the 1850s, carrying immigrants hoping for a bright new future in Australia. Star of the South clearly reflects a hope for a bright green future for the project’s co-founder. “It’s a project of national significance which will actually form the foundation for not only further offshore wind farms, but also different ways of looking at energy generation in Australia. We hope that everybody can get on board.”
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G IND TAIWAN ANNAINN TOMY GM ER, CW ENERAL M AG DEPUT
Training local technicians
Tom Manning, Deputy General Manager of CWind Taiwan, is at the forefront of training local technicians in Taiwan with a range of accredited wind industry courses.
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Taiwan is facing a frustrating chicken-and-egg style dilemma, notes Tom Manning. On the plus side, its offshore wind industry is growing at an exponential rate: by 2025, the island is on course to become the fourth largest offshore wind power user in the world, with 5.5GW of installed offshore wind farm capacity. And that’s just the start. By 2030, it aims to have 10-17GW of offshore wind capacity in place. The problem is, in order to grow the industry, Taiwan needs to find trained offshore wind technicians – and fast. Right now, however, it’s struggling to do so. “Finding local offshore wind industry personnel is difficult,” admits Tom. “That’s partly because education in Taiwan has a ‘white collar worker’ focus. After university, graduates don’t currently have clear career pathways into offshore wind. It’s true there’s no shortage of people who could potentially become offshore wind project managers, or work as part of finance or human resources teams within the sector. But the industry in Taiwan is really crying out for technical personnel. Obviously there’s still work to do to demonstrate that being an offshore wind technician is an exciting and rewarding career.”
Accredited training Tom is Deputy General Manager of Taipei-based CWind Taiwan – a joint venture established in January 2018 between CWind (part of the Global Marine Group) and International Ocean Vessel Technical Consultant (IOVTEC) – which provides a range of integrated services to offshore wind farm developers and owners, including construction and operations and maintenance. In October 2018, CWind Taiwan announced that it had successfully completed its first project: a bathymetric survey at WPD’s Yunlin offshore wind project in Taiwan, which is to be located approximately eight kilometres from shore in the Taiwan Strait, and has continued to deliver projects in 2019 for the Formosa 1 Phase 2 project, amongst others. Then, in September 2019, it opened a brand new training centre – Taiwan International Windpower Training Corporation (TIWTC) – in Taichung Port. This offers a range of Global Wind Organisation (GWO) accredited courses, including tower rescue, confined space, sea survival and response team training.
Finding talent “A couple of years ago, when CWind was looking at entering the Taiwanese market, we realised we had to invest in a training school,” says Tom. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to guarantee that we could deliver our business in Taiwan with the right technically skilled people who were trained to the exacting health, safety and quality standards we expect.”
Alongside CWind Taiwan, shareholders in the training school are Taiwan International Ports Corporation (TIPC), Taiwan Power Company (TPC), China Steel, China Ship Building Corporation and Swancor. “We want TIWTC to become a conveyor belt of locally trained talent for the industry,” says Tom. “For instance, in collaboration with local developers, universities and technical institutes, we’re launching an offshore wind training pilot scheme to introduce students to the work of an offshore technician. They’ll come to the training centre, climb the training tower, jump in the training pool, and get an education about the sort of offshore wind careers available locally. Then they’ll go back to their universities and institutes and, if they’re interested, be put on an education pathway that leads them into the industry, with the promise of graduate positions with participating companies.”
Growing local presence Atlas Professionals has a strong track record working with the Global Marine Group in the European offshore sector. Now, in the coming years, Tom hopes CWind Taiwan will build a strong working relationship with Atlas in the Taiwanese market. “Atlas has been supporting the Group for quite some time,” he says. “For example, in Europe, it has supplied crew for our cable installation vessels and technicians for our renewable energy offshore wind projects. We’re now looking forward to Atlas growing its presence in Taiwan because we know we can rely on the standard of candidates it supplies. “Also, the Taiwanese market offers even more possibilities for our working relationship. As a business, we want to build on the training curriculum we offer and become the skills epicentre for the local market. Atlas is one of the best barometers in the industry at understanding where the industry is heading and the in-demand skillsets it needs. We believe it can help us set the tone for our training school over the next couple of years.” Tom says it’s difficult to pick a standout highlight from his varied career, which includes working for GMSL in the UK as a Maintenance Agreement Manager, and SBSS (SB Submarine Systems) as a Commercial Director in Shanghai. “Although I’ve really enjoyed my first 18 months with CWind in Taiwan,” he says. “I’m relatively new to offshore wind, so I’ve found it refreshing to learn about the industry at the same time as being responsible for building a business that’s going to be successful within that industry. What’s exciting is that it feels as though we’re involved in the right sector in the right part of the world at the right time. I think the next couple of years will supply plenty of career highlights for me personally – and for CWind Taiwan generally.”
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R E D N O R B E N H DAPE ELECTRIC ENGINEER TRAINE
Trainee report
Trainee Electric Engineer Daphne Bronder is working at the sharp end of a male-dominated industry – but she’s not going to allow lack of diversity to blow her career off course.
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Daphne Bronder has always loved solving problems. As a girl, she enjoyed maths and sciences, and was keen to find out more about a career in engineering. Now, after completing a five-month maintenance internship with ENERCON, she works full-time as a Trainee Electric Engineer servicing the company’s wind turbines. “No two days are the same in this job,” says Daphne, who is based in the Netherlands. “Sometimes we’ll be carrying out planned maintenance tasks; at other times we’ll be called in to go troubleshooting when a problem occurs. Whatever the issue, it’s always fascinating. Of course, working on wind turbines you need to be ‘handy’ and have technical ability – but you also need to be OK with heights! Plus, you need to be a good thinker because the work we do can be pretty specialised.”
Accepting a challenge
and that we have overalls and helmets in our size. I’m always pulling the trousers of my overalls up so that they’re not too long. Correct sized PPE can be a challenge!”
Vocational training At school in the Netherlands, Daphne took the chance to learn about climate change and green issues. “There wasn’t one moment where I suddenly understood the importance of climate change,” she admits. “It was a step-by-step process for me. It was an option for us at school, so I thought: why not? Then I became interested in the issue and felt that if I got the chance to do something in renewables, such as working on wind turbines, I would. Then I did get the chance.” After school, Daphne received vocational training at college with the STC Group, passing her four-year MBO Allround Operation Technician - Maintenance qualifications in June.
Daphne also loves a challenge and isn’t going to let a thing like gender imbalance get in her way. She admits that, while the renewables sector is growing more diverse every day, the engineering side of the industry is still male dominated. “But I have no problems with that,” she says. “When I was doing my technician training at college, my class was male dominated, too: there were around 20 men and only three women, including me. I can understand why women might be put off from entering the industry; although while it’s true that men are physically stronger than women, there are so many things about this job that don’t require physical strength. Working in a male-dominated environment may seem strange at first, but you soon get used to it.”
As part of her MBO training, Daphne needed to find hands-on experience with a company internship, and contacted different recruiters including Atlas Professionals. “I talked with Atlas about what I should do with my career, and if it was right to go into the wind industry,” she says. “I asked them should I try offshore or should I stay onshore? Ultimately we came to the conclusion that my current employer was the right one for me.”
Even so, she admits that more needs to be done to attract female engineers into the wind industry. “How you do that is not an easy question to answer,” says Daphne. “Yes, it would be good for girls to become interested in science and energy and such things at a young age. I also think that companies in the industry need to do more for women: that can even be making sure we have our own toilets and changing rooms,
As for her own future, she isn’t looking too far ahead – at the moment, at least. “Now I work full time for the company, I’m concentrating on learning as much as possible from them,” she says. “I’m really enjoying what I do. At the beginning of my internship, it was hard and I wasn’t sure what direction to take. But now it’s totally clear: I’m right where I want to be.”
Daphne is pleased that her wind turbine work is playing a crucial role in environmental protection, and also that she has a job with a long-term, secure future. “As long as people think wind energy is important, it will get investment and there will be more of it,” she says. “And that’s good.”
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R E K A R K E D A FESSIONALS O R P S A L T A MIRANAD , S ABLE NAGER RENEW ACCOUNT M
Recruiting wind professionals
From setting up an office from scratch to recruiting the next generation wind professionals, Atlas’ Account Manager Renewables Miranda de Kraker makes it happen.
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Driving to Atlas Professionals’ Dutch Renewables hub in the province of Zeeland, you see the landscape changing substantially. The further you drive South West from Amsterdam, the more open plains and – how could we not mention it – the wind get the upper hand. In spite of its relatively remote location, the town Vlissingen is the place to be for Renewables in the Netherlands. Not only the offshore wind farm sites Borssele 1&2 (Ørsted), 3&4 (Blauwwind) and 5 (Two Towers), but also East Anglia ONE (ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall) and multiple onshore sites are (to be) serviced through North Sea Port and Zeeland Airport. Atlas’ Renewables department at the company’s HQ in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands, historically only focused on white collar roles. Recently it expanded its focus to include blue collar roles too due to the Dutch wind roadmap and increased client demand. The Renewables hub in Vlissingen still mainly focuses on blue collar roles. Miranda de Kraker, Vlissingenbased Account Manager Renewables, recounts setting up the wind hub back in February 2018: “At the time we already had a Renewables office in Bristol (UK) to service our global wind clients. We knew the Netherlands was going to make big steps forward and Zeeland would be the place to be. It was a strategic move to open the Renewables hub here and looking back I’m confident to say it proved to be a successful one.”
Recruiting outside the box with Wind Experience Days By and large, Miranda brings people together and shares her knowledge of the industry. A prime example of this are the Wind Experience Days she helped organise. This in collaboration with educational institute DOB Academy and a client based locally to the event, focussing on generating interest in the wind industry and tackling the skills shortage. “And with some great results,” says Miranda, who ensured attendees could experience first-hand what a day in the life of a wind professionals looks and feels like. “The Wind Experience Days are open to everyone who’s interested in the renewables industry, but we’re specifically targeting students on the one hand and professionals that are already in a service job in another sector and are interested in making the move towards renewables on the other hand.” Recruiting outside the box not only helps Atlas and its client in the short run, Miranda explains: “We’ve placed multiple professionals that have visited the Wind Experience Days. Next to this, opened a lot of eyes. There were students that have never thought about the wind sector before and we really gained their interest with testimonials, a Virtual Reality (VR) experience, workshops and PPE demonstrations, to name a few. They know now where to find Atlas and have an understanding of the supply chain in Offshore wind once they graduate. The marketing impact of such a day is tremendous.”
Passionate about renewables and sourcing Miranda spends about half of her time sourcing professionals. “Normally that is something a Personnel Coordinator would do, but I’m still quite involved with the sourcing of professionals. I enjoy it too much,” she admits. “It gives me a great feeling of pride every time I guide someone to the wind sector. It feels like a victory to our team: yes, it’s another one going to work in the wind industry!” On a weekly basis, Atlas’ renewables recruiters have no problem finding enough people to talk to. However, not every one of them is suited for the job. “A lot of people are afraid of heights,” Miranda laughs, “more than I ever expected! You can be skilled and very interested in for example a position as wind technician, but if you don’t dare to go up – or down – again, there’s not much we can do about that.” Professionals’ fear of heights and an overall shortage of technical professionals are not the only bottlenecks. The pool of suitable candidates often gets limited further because most offshore wind parks in the Netherlands currently are nearshore. “As the professionals go home every evening by Crew Transfer Vessel, they need to live within a reasonable travel distance of the port. This in contrast to SOVs (Service Operations Vessel) with a two to four-week rotation, which allow you to source candidates from all over the country.” She adds that whenever Atlas advertises the latter, the phones ring all day long. “I can understand why working on an SOV is appealing,” Miranda says, “because – even though you work very hard and work twelve hours a day – you are taken care of very well when your shift is done. There’s a cinema, some professionals bring their PS4 controllers, the food is excellent, the vessel is clean. You’re relieved of all household and social obligations when you’re offshore and have good money to spend when you’re off.”
Blueprint for future success Looking at the future of the wind industry Miranda sees it as Atlas’ responsibility to prepare the next generation for the boom in offshore and onshore wind. “We, as a recruitment specialist are committed to tackle the manpower challenge by working together with education institutions and clients. Together, with a collaborative approach, we can make big steps,” she says. “We really want young people to receive technical education and then go for renewables once they graduate. And we’re not the only ones with this mission, it’s something you feel a lot here in this area. We’re in the same boat and gives us power as a region.” Although the Netherlands does not have as much GW installed as the UK and Denmark, Miranda is confident that the country’s wind energy will catch up quite soon. “The future offshore wind is huge. With the government having agreed to complete five offshore wind farms by 2023, we need to keep investing in offshore wind. I feel though that the most difficult period is behind us as the construction and operations basics have clearly been established. The blueprint is there, and we can improve it now. We’re ready and excited to step forward!”
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TROMP BARECUHNCICH IAN WIND T
Wind Ambassador
Switching career to the wind energy industry is ‘one of the best things I have done in my life!’, says technician Baruch Tromp.
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Technician Baruch Tromp has no regrets about switching career from the Navy to the wind energy industry. Baruch joined Atlas Professionals in the summer of 2018 and was immediately engaged by leading wind turbine manufacturer ENERCON in the Netherlands. “When Atlas approached me to see if I was interested in a potential move into the wind industry I was immediately keen, and thought this is something for me. I have always had an interest in renewables and, in view of the state of the planet, I wanted to play a role in trying to save it.” After four years of studying mechatronics, his new job at ENERCON is very much in contrast to Baruch’s early career when he was a first technician working on US torpedoes and the Seafox, an underwater mine clearance drone used by the Royal Navy.
Specialised engineering techniques “During my three-year internship with the Royal Netherlands Navy, I learnt very specialised engineering techniques while operating state-of-the-art technology. Torpedoes are full of high-quality technical components, both electrical and mechanical. During maintenance, the torpedo is completely dismantled; we clean it, perform all kinds of tests, install new parts and rebuild it. Very difficult techniques are often involved but I really enjoyed the challenge of getting to grips with them.” And while he enjoyed working alongside his colleagues in the Royal Navy he felt there were limited options for career development, so was delighted when Atlas presented him a new professional opportunity. Baruch enthuses: “This opportunity to work with ENERCON is one of the best things I have done in my life! I am really glad I switched. And Atlas has really helped me along the way.” Currently, Baruch works in a team covering the maintenance and repair of wind turbines all over North Holland. There are several types of turbines, the largest of which can be around 100m high. He works closely with a ‘buddy’, as the technicians always work in pairs performing tasks from regular maintenance to the more complicated overhauls, which are necessary every four years.
Baruch particularly relishes the challenge if there are any defects and complex repairs needed. “If I discover a defect, I love it when I get updated information from HQ about the problem. This gives me the chance to learn a bit more about that specific turbine. Then when my buddy and I have carried out the repair, we can look in the rear-view mirror as we drive home and see the turbine working again. I think, ‘We did it! High Five!’” A keen sportsman, Baruch admits to being a bit of a daredevil, so he had no problems scaling the huge turbines. “I have no fear of heights, I actually like the movement when climbing a turbine. I also enjoy being outside, so it is almost part of my fitness training,” he laughs.
Sustainable future He also thrives on the buzz in the renewables industry and the mentality of the people. “Everyone really wants to do their best and work hard. I really enjoy working in renewables and doing something towards a sustainable future, employing sophisticated electronic and mechanical techniques. It is great to work at ENERCON, one of the most modern manufacturers in the world. You have a good feeling when you drive home.” However, he also says that being an electrical technician and turbine maintenance engineer is not for everyone, adding that you have to be fit, have a head for heights and above all be motivated. “We have to make sure the wind turbine is running smoothly again and this can mean that you go home a few hours later than expected. Communicating with colleagues is also very important, especially with your climbing buddy.”
Encouraging others Baruch is keen to encourage others to enter the sector if they think they have what it takes. At Atlas Professionals’ first ‘Wind Experience Day’, held in IJmuiden, the Netherlands in March, Baruch spoke to an audience of technical professionals and students about his experiences. “This was really nice, talking to people and hopefully motivating them. I wanted to get the message across that we should all spend energy in renewables, things need to change. I think we got some new recruits!” Baruch is looking forward to new colleagues he met at the Wind Experience Day joining his team soon.
Relishes the challenge “I really enjoy the fact that you are your ‘own boss’. Each morning I pick my colleague up and we might go to collect a parts order at the warehouse before we start climbing the turbines.”
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Wind Experience Days To show students and technical professionals from other industries the different career opportunities in the wind industry, Atlas Professionals has taken the initiative to organise the Wind Experience Days in collaboration with an educational institute and a renewables client based locally to the event. Interested in co-organising a Wind Experience Day with Atlas Professionals? Please contact our marketing department on marketing@atlasprofessionals.com Photo taken during the Wind Experience Day in IJmuiden, the Netherlands
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LFT E D N E S S A N A V FLEUR & T A A M D L E V BARBARAF LAW, CMS ATTORNEYS O
Navigating legal frameworks
Attorneys Barbara Veldmaat and Fleur van Assendelft de Coningh tackle the specific legal complexities of the renewables industry.
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CMS is one of the largest high-quality legal and tax service providers in the world specialising in the renewables sector in the Netherlands, including onshore and offshore wind energy, solar energy and other sustainable energy sources such as biomass. The Dutch practice, based in Amsterdam, is part of the international CMS group, which is one of the largest law firms in the world. In the Netherlands, CMS works with leading energy companies, regulators, public entities, large buyers and investors and helps to build legal frameworks for the energy sector. The firm is an active member of NWEA (the Dutch Wind Energy Association), IRO (the Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Upstream Oil and Gas Industry and Offshore Renewable Industry) and ESNL (Energy Storage Nederland). Heroes Magazine interviews Barbara Veldmaat and Fleur van Assendelft de Coningh who are both specialised in employment law, particularly in relation to the energy sector. Barbara has been with CMS for 15 years, while Fleur joined the firm in 2011.
First Dutch offshore wind tender International CMS teams have been involved in several major renewable energy projects and transactions including the first Dutch offshore wind tender and the acquisition, development and project financing of the largest solar energy park. In 2018, ENERCON acquired the Dutch wind turbine manufacturer Lagerwey B.V. and CMS advised ENERCON concerning the due diligence of the Lagerwey Group. In addition, the CMS team advised the company on the negotiations and completion of the strategic partnership. The firm also provided Partners Group, the global private markets investment manager, with comprehensive legal advice with regards to the acquisition (on behalf of its clients) of a substantial interest in the Dutch company owning the project rights for the offshore windfarm ‘Borssele 3&4’. CMS has also advised Merkur Offshore GmbH in connection with the revised financing of the construction and the operation of the offshore wind farm ‘Merkur’. Separately, CMS advised DONG Energy on the preparation for the combined bid on Borssele 1&2. Next to this, CMS also provides expert advice regarding the energy storage sector. CMS and Atlas Professionals regularly work closely together concerning issues surrounding labour law and on various projects. Barbara and Fleur comment that, although the renewables industry – particularly offshore wind – has matured more, the legal framework in the Netherlands still lags behind a little when it comes to employment law. “Working hours at wind parks and collective bargaining agreements are very much hot issues at the moment,” Barbara stresses. “For example, does a mandatory pensions scheme apply?” There is also the added complexity that some wind farms located off Zeeland in the Netherlands
are very close to Belgium too, so the team has to consider whether Dutch or Belgian law could apply. “Clients of course want to know the difference between the legal situation in each country when they participate in tenders.”
Optimising working conditions Gradually there is more clarity about the legalities surrounding wind farm developments, Fleur points out, with more being done to optimise the working conditions of people working at wind farms. Staffing is another major issue the lawyers are addressing. “A wind farm gets developed but then there is the question about how it will be staffed when it comes to O&M etc. Do developers hire their own people or work via a temporary staffing agency? Then what are the staffing liabilities.” Barbara explains: “It is often tricky because many people get hired in on a project by project basis, but in offshore wind a project could run for three years. I think Dutch law is a little behind in terms of clarity here i.e. is this a service agreement rather than an employment agreement?” Additionally, there is the complex issues concerning these multinational developments, which employ a mixture of expats and locals. Expats working on a wind farm may be registered in an entirely different country to where the wind farm is. “But if someone gets sick, which law applies?”
New employment law The team are preparing for a big change in employment law (the Wet arbeidsmarkt in balans (WAB)) in the Netherlands which will be introduced on 1 January 2020. Fleur comments: “A lot of things will change and this will have a big impact on employment law in the renewables sector. Easier dismissal, indefinite contracts, higher severance payments and the legal status of on-call employees are all elements being reviewed.” Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) in the sustainable sector are also keeping CMS busy, Barbara stresses. “Here we carry out all employment checks, handle all sorts of co-determination issues and look for hidden liabilities. M&A activity is really on the rise, particularly in the energy sector and many private equity funds are interested in renewables.” Both emphasise the added value that CMS can bring to the renewables sector. “We believe our clients benefit because we have a worldwide network focusing on energy and we always work in interdisciplinary teams. We know the business in depth and can solve problems because we do these projects all of the time. We have tax specialists, notaries and attorneys, all of whom specialise in energy. Often renewables projects involve the same international players so CMS can also assist globally if wind farm developers in the Netherlands are starting up projects in the US and Asia for example.”
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CK NETWORK FOR OFFSHORE WIND URDT,O LIZ B SINESS PRESIDEN BU CEO &
Winds of change
Liz Burdock has always been a passionate advocate for developing an offshore wind industry in the USA. Thankfully, she’s not a lone voice shouting in the wilderness anymore.
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Liz Burdock can recall a time when not many people talked about renewable energy in the United States. One person who did, however, was the then Vice President, Al Gore. “I remember him speaking about the harmful effects of climate change and how the planet was in peril,” she says. “I was a young mother back then and kept thinking: ‘What kind of world am I going to leave my son?’”
Job creation
Liz has since become a passionate advocate for renewables but, in those early days, often felt like a voice shouting in the wilderness. “Years ago, I went to one of the first cleantech venture capital forums in San Francisco, and there were just 30 people in the room,” she says. “So it’s been amazing to see the shift in people’s perceptions and attitudes since that time.”
“I love being able to do something that is good for the environment and individuals. Our members might be big or small, but they have a powerful message which is: ‘Look: we really want this because it’s about jobs, about putting food on our table and ensuring that my business is sustained over a long period time. Oh, and by the way, it makes a hell of a lot of sense for the environment.’”
In fact, renewable energy – and offshore wind in particular – has enjoyed huge growth in the US, with numerous offshore wind projects in development along the East Coast and a predicted $300 billion investment to the offshore sector, adding an approximate 10GW to the nation’s current wind energy capacity over the next 10 years. States such as Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Virginia are ramping up their commitment to offshore wind; while Washington, California, New Mexico, Hawaii and Puerto Rico have promised to move to 100 per cent renewable energy – which, to stand any chance of success, will have to include offshore wind in their renewables mix.
Business voice This is hugely promising news for the planet and for jobs, says Liz, who is co-founder, CEO and President of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, a US-based non-profit organisation dedicated to the development of the US offshore wind industry and the advancement of its supply chain. “Back in 2012 there wasn’t a business voice presenting an economic argument for offshore wind,” she notes. “So we were created to be that voice. Our mission is to provide education about offshore wind and create partnerships between companies in the supply chain.” The Network’s membership consists of big and small business names. But whatever their size, getting them on side has been the key to unlocking public policy on renewable energy. “When businesses started buying into renewables because they realised it made economic sense for them, policy-makers suddenly began to hear what we had to say,” says Liz. “Those business voices made all the difference.”
Liz has had fascinating career. Before joining the Network, she ran a White House programme on sustainability under the Clinton administration, and became a private lobbyist on Capitol Hill, to see how public policy could be used to create markets for clean energy technology. “I’ve always looked at renewables as a job creator,” she explains.
Liz was introduced to Atlas Professionals, which has two US offices in Houston and Boston, in 2018. “I was blown away by their command of the workforce issues and skills needed in the offshore wind industry, and reached out to them to present at our International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum,” she says. “In the US, we’re going to need a lot of workers and Atlas will be key to helping us get more people into the offshore wind sector. The industry has made lots of promises to government leaders that offshore will create jobs, so we’re on the hook to make that happen.”
Renewables future At the 2014 United Nations Climate Change Summit, former President Barack Obama noted: ‘We are the first generation to feel the effect of climate change and the last generation who can do something about it.’ Liz agrees entirely with that sentiment. “I just hope it’s not too late,” she says. “The problem is that, for a long time, my generation had to fight against a tide of older people who wouldn’t let change happen.” Perhaps this is why she remains “cautiously optimistic” for the country’s renewables future. “Right now, offshore wind is the hot topic in the US,” she says. “We have great developers in the industry with lots of expertise and financial backing; and there are a lot of states that want to implement it. And that’s fabulous. But we’re pushing out lots of projects and I don’t want to see any of them fail. Because in these early days, we wouldn’t want a pattern developing. There’s too much at stake for our industry and our planet.”
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Largest Offshore Wind Farm The largest offshore wind farm is currently in construction in the United Kingdom: Hornsea 1 has a capacity of 1200MW generated from 174 turbines and can power over 1 million homes.
Ability to reduce costs Two subsidy free offshore wind farms have been awarded in the Netherlands, evidencing the ability to reduce costs: Hollandse Kust Zuid 1&2 in 2018 andHollandse Kust Zuid 3&4 in 2019.
Most powerful turbine GE’s ‘Haliade-X 12MW’ turbine generates energy for up to 16,000 homes, producing 45% more energy than the current most optimal model available.
Floating Floating offshore wind provides access to deeper waters with higher wind speeds. Following the success of the floating ‘Hywind Pilot Park’ in Scotland in 2018, countries such as, Spain, France, Norway, Japan, South Korea, and the United States have started to invest in opportunities and demonstrations.
United Kingdom
6 Projects in (pre)construction
5000MW
The Netherlands
2 Projects in (pre)construction
1500MW
America
Regional forecast
First large-scale project expected
800MW
Germany
Taiwan
1000MW
120MW
Denmark
2 Projects in (pre)construction
1000MW Belgium
2 Projects in (pre)construction
700MW
6 Projects in (pre)construction
Asia-Pacific
4 Projects in (pre)construction
Europe
United States
Vietnam
7 Projects in (pre)construction
450MW
Australia
First large-scale project expected
2000MW
The information on the global status of the offshore wind industry, regional forecasts and developments is based on publicly available information at the time of writing and gathered through intelligence.
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N E D N I L R E D N FFSHORE WIND O S TA S E V I SUZANNS SNEREVICVEA H M MANAGER, OPERATIO
All together now
Experts need to pool their expertise if the wind industry is to thrive, says Suzanne van der Linden, Operations Service Manager at MHI Vestas Offshore Wind.
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Offshore wind energy is one of the most rapidly growing industries right now, driving the green energy transition – and creating extraordinary career opportunities. MHI Vestas Offshore Wind is a leading player in the industry with an exponential growth rate, Operations Service Manager Suzanne van der Linden shares her pride and excitement about her job. “Renewables are on the right side of history. Besides the fact that we’re a clean energy source we’re taking the place of old energy sources because costs are coming down. We’re now very competitive on just cost alone. MHI Vestas is one of the leading wind turbine manufacturers in the world, and we’re focused exclusively on offshore wind. We have built and currently operate the most powerful wind turbines in the world, so honestly, I think this is the most exciting industry to be part of right now,” she says. Suzanne van der Linden is Operations Service Manager for Danishheadquartered MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, which designs, manufactures, installs and services wind turbines for the offshore wind industry. Based in Ijmuiden, The Netherlands, she has responsibility for two major wind farms off the coast of Holland: Eneco Luchterduinen and Princess Amalia. It’s her job to manage a team of 28 people, mainly technicians, who service both sites. “I love my team’s drive and motivation,” she says. “It’s touching to see, actually. We all have the feeling that we’re doing something together to provide for our sustainable future. The industry is so fast-moving that we all have to work together just to be able to cope with the pace of change. We need to combine our knowledge so that people can shine in their own fields of expertise. That’s the cherry on the cake for me.”
Career possibilities This is an exciting time to be working in offshore wind, says Suzanne. Apart from being at the forefront of a vital new, continuously growing industry, it offers countless career possibilities for experts in the areas of among others LEAN manufacturing, Project Management, Engineering and Operations and Service. Service Technicians, for example, can learn various skills, including mechanical, technical, electrical and hydraulic. Yet, the sector needs a constant pipeline of new talent; so, Suzanne believes it’s important to get the message out to young people about the skills required and the jobs on offer. It’s why she goes into schools to talk specifically about her work and the role of MHI Vestas as a renewables company. “Whenever I talk to students about this industry, they are really enthusiastic about it. And that’s good, because we’ll need more people with technical skills in the future to meet the demand for wind energy.”
As Operations Service Manager, Suzanne is charged with the recruitment of service technicians, and works closely with Atlas Professionals to find people with the right skills from the local area who can be on site within 45 minutes. “I am confident we will find the talent we need overall, but it’s not always easy in some locations. We’re still a relatively young industry,” she says. “Atlas are well known for their experience in the wind industry, so that’s why I asked for their help.”
Meeting demand It’s also why she was delighted to take part in the first Atlas Professionals Wind Experience Day, which took place in Ijmuiden in March, and was designed to show students and technical professionals the different career opportunities in the wind industry. “It attracted around 70 potential new employees,” remembers Suzanne. “We did a presentation about our work and the future of offshore wind; plus, we ran safety and rescue workshops which were really good fun. We also brought some oversize tools and parts with us – because anyone interested in working in the sector has to realise that everything on a wind turbine is big.” In fact, one of the many things she loves about her job is getting up close to an offshore wind farm. “Have you ever done that?” she asks. “It’s really amazing! There you are with the turbines, the wind and the sea, and you really feel part of the landscape. It’s indescribable.”
Pushing boundaries MHI Vestas Offshore Wind has been leading the way in offshore wind since its inception in 2014. That’s because it’s a business that thrives on continuous innovation, insists Suzanne. “We’re open to new ideas and constantly pushing boundaries to see if things can be done smarter and more efficiently. Like all companies we want to be a global player in offshore wind, and we’re active in new markets such as Asia-Pacific and the US.” Having her own children made Suzanne think even more about the importance of renewable energy. “I wondered: ‘What kind of world am I leaving for them?’” she says. “My kids are worried about climate change and carbon emissions and I do understand their concerns. In our house we do our best to try to make them environmentally aware with, for example, energy efficient lightbulbs and not using the heating excessively. But, of course, they see the news and documentaries and they know what’s going on. In fact, they are much more environmentally aware than I was at their age. And that’s a positive thing.”
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INKE JOHYNMANNAYGES R QUALIT
Quality workmanship
Johnny Sinke, Quality Manager at MHI Vestas’ pre-assembly site in Vlissingen, highlights the exciting opportunities available in the offshore wind industry.
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After 20 years of working in factories as an electrician where he applied his expertise across a broad range of products – from chemicals to French fries – Johnny Sinke decided he wanted a much bigger career challenge. This led him to the renewables industry and he joined Vestas as an onshore wind turbine technician six years ago. Now Quality Manager of the pre-assembly site of MHI Vestas in Vlissingen, Johnny says he has never looked back with regret. “At a certain point I thought I didn’t want to work in a factory environment for the rest of my career. Straight away I enjoyed working on the turbines, being outside all day – it was an adventure! “It can be heavy inside the turbines and climbing 100m wearing 5kg of PPE gear and carrying a 150m rope, but I really enjoyed the exercise and the fact that it is always technical.” After a few years, Johnny was promoted to being a team leader, where he was overseeing a team of 20 people in south of the Netherlands, providing maintenance services to the turbines and trouble shooting.
Main assembly hub His latest role – although based ashore – is a switch to the offshore side of the wind industry. He joined Atlas Professionals just a few months ago and within a week of applying, Johnny was named the Quality Manager of MHI Vestas’s new facility in Vlissingen. This is the main assembly hub for at least four offshore wind farms being built over the next few years: Norther (44 8MW turbines), Northwester 2 (23 x 9.5MW) and Borssele 3&4 (77 x 9.5MW). “I thought moving to this role and over to the offshore wind side is something new and exciting. I felt my experience could fit at MHI Vestas in Vlissingen so I called Atlas and within an hour they rang me back and we started to talk. I went for an interview with Atlas in the Netherlands and a second interview in Esbjerg, Denmark with MHI Vestas. And then within one week I had the job!” Although Johnny has made the switch to offshore turbines he stresses that the technical principles are the same. “Every turbine has a rotor, gearbox and generator. It is really just the scale – these offshore turbines are enormous.” Johnny is very much enjoying getting to understand this
new generation of mega turbines and learning about the new, innovative components.
Liaising with clients His role involves performing quality inspections and working closely with the offshore wind developers and MHI Vestas. “I am liaising with all parties and keeping them updated and making sure everything is on schedule, as well as checking that the technicians are providing the best quality workmanship.” Each month he also has to meet with the other quality managers in Esbjerg, Aarhus or on the Isle of Wight in the UK. The Port of Vlissingen is becoming an increasingly strategic location for Dutch offshore wind power plants as a significant portion of future projects are slated to be constructed there. Søren Vestergaard, Preassembly Project Manager at MHI Vestas – based in Denmark – adds: “Our experience in the Dutch offshore wind market dates back to 2006, when the first offshore wind power plant was installed. With the new preassembly facility in Vlissingen we are pleased to play a role in the creation of local jobs in Vlissingen and have competent professionals, like Johnny, in our team. Atlas has proven to be a partner for us where we can rely on and who understands our values and way of work.” At the moment, Johnny is busy supervising the assembly of the first four turbines going to the Norther project. The towers, nacelles and blades are due for loadout at the end of January.
Growing with the industry “I am becoming a specialist in these huge offshore turbines, so who knows what other exciting opportunities are out there!” Much of the offshore wind development is going on in North Europe currently but wind farms are getting underway in Taiwan, the US and all over the world, he points out. “It is wonderful to be involved in this new industry, because you are right at the beginning and can grow with the industry.” Johnny regularly assists Atlas making presentations about opportunities within the renewables industry at high schools and universities. “I explain to students that there are so many roles, it is not limited to working as a technician in the turbines – there is ICT, logistics, QHSE, warehousing, engineering – there are endless possibilities both on- and offshore.”
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ALEACRM& ANNA ZERO H
Correct Prioritization Compliance
Communication Continuous Risk assessment
Caring for each other
Safe Behaviour Program | The 7Cs To help ensure safe and efficient work is conducted, Atlas Professionals has produced a safe behaviour program. Following the 7Cs will help ensure safe and efficient work is conducted. No paperwork is required to follow the 7Cs – it is all in the mindset.
Coaching/Mentoring Competence
Correct Prioritisation Planning tasks prior to commencing and replanning according to new developments. Compliance Following procedures and using management of change when required.
Safety Cartoons From holiday safety to risk assessments, you may have seen Atlas Professionals cartoon characters Alec and Anna in some comically exaggerated, yet often very recognisable situations. The main purpose of the safety cartoons, though, is not to amuse you. Their aim is to persuade you to live by Zero Harm too, as there are many ways to get hurt in our industry. Our Zero Harm goal, humorously conveyed by Alec and Anna in the safety cartoons, ensures we are taking the rights steps so that our employees and customers return home in the same condition they arrived – injury free. This also encompasses Zero Harm to the natural environments in which we work and operate. Safety is something we do well, and it is a contributing factor to our business success. Our safety culture framework is designed for future prevention and our people align themselves with our core safety beliefs. By providing our professionals with the understanding that all injuries are preventable, we believe that they will, in turn, be empowered to deliver safety leadership throughout the business. Zero Harm states that knowing safety is not enough; practice it.
Stay alert, don’t get hurt.
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Communication Talking and listening to each other. Continuous Risk Assessment Thinking ‘What if?’ and having the correct mindset prior to conducting any task. Caring for each other Having the courage to intervene on an unsafe act or omission at any given time. Coaching / Mentoring Using your competence to help and guide others. Competence The ability, skills and knowledge to do something successfully and efficiently. Live by these 7Cs and together we will make the Energy, Marine and Renewables industry a safer working environment.
Would you like to have a Zero Harm calendar at your workplace? Request a free copy with our marketing team (subject to availability). marketing@atlasprofessionals.com
Fall Protection I don’t see how this guardrail can protect me from falling off this windmill!
FALL PROTECTION Conduct as much work as possible from the ground. Ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height. Ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job. Take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces. Consider emergency evacuation and rescue procedures.
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Atlas Professionals is an international leading recruitment company. Since 1982, Atlas has played a major role in the provision of professionals to the energy, marine and renewables industries worldwide. If quality and reliability are key for your business, Atlas Professionals is the partner you need to deliver highly qualified personnel. We create custom-made, comprehensive HR packages, which allows you to focus on the project without any concerns about manpower. Over the years, Atlas Professionals has grown to become a no-nonsense, dependable HR service provider in the energy, marine and renewables industries with a mission to turn complex personnel challenges into transparent and secure solutions.
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