Green energy is a hot item at last

Weekend Australian
Saturday 24/2/2007 Page: 2

IT'S no surprise that renewable and sustainable energy has finally earned its spot in the sun, bringing with it the promise of a whole new world of interesting and "feel-good" careers directed towards tackling climate change and guiding corporate social responsibility.

"It's going to be an industry absolutely driven by innovation," says Lisa Barry, national human capital partner with Deloitte: `There's buckets of room in this industry for more genuine commitment to the planet to the sustainablity issue, this (energy) industry is right in the heartland of that potential." Energy companies are now increasingly mandated to provide power derived from renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydro and biomass (which is the process of converting into power gases such as methane from green waste collected at land fill.

According to Deloitte, there were 220,000 "green power customers" by the end of 2005, representing a 50 percent jump over the preceding nine months. There are now almost 350,000 customers, which is around 15 percent growth per quarter.

David Newhouse heads the environmental and sustainability practice for Deloitte as part of the company's climate change and sustainable resources team. He predicts, that there will be whole new professional classifications concerned with helping energy and other companies understand and manage environmental risk. Graduates with both accountancy and science/ environmental skills will be highly sought after here.

Carbon trading is, of course, expected to garner much attention, especially following the federal government's decision recently to look into a national emissions trading (NET) scheme.

Carbon, or emissions, trading falls into two main categories. The first concerns the awarding of carbon certificates according to a company's use of green or renewable technologies such as wind, biomas, solar and hydro. The second relates to company schemes to reduce their CO2 emissions, something which Deloitte and other firms are increasingly asked to audit.

Importantly for would-be traders to note, however, there is currently no degree as such in this area But candidates should have a solid understanding of the science around energy and possess good technical skills to undertake research and modelling. And just as important Newhouse believes: "You really need to have a passion and drive to help corporates look at sustainability and its benefits; to help drive change." Newhouse says that banks have been especially proactive in encouraging sustainable practices and are therefore expected to offer rewarding career paths for people looking at this area.

Major resources companies like BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto (themselves major contributors of greenhouse gases) have acknowledged the need to increase their sustainability efforts and the wider sector should offer more fertile ground for careers in renewable and sustainable energy moving forward.

Governments have also demonstrated strong interest in sustainable practices in Australia. In 2003, NSW operated one of the first trade caps in the world limiting CO2 produced by electricity generators and high energy users. It was loosely based on trading models used in Europe. Victoria is leading the country in developing wind farms.

Newhouse estimates that there are currently between 100 and 150 "greenhouse auditors" in Australia at the moment but that the number will likely rise significantly over the next few years.

The Business Council for Sustainable Energy, based in Melbourne, has been working closely with government and industry for years in its efforts to develop better awareness and training for sustainable and renewable energy practices.

Jenny Gregory, BCSE industry development manager, says one of the major impediments to growth in the sector is lack of awareness among students and teachers, be they at school, TAFE or University about streams covering sustainability. Because renewable and sustainable energy promises such career potential, she strongly urges all students with an interest in the area to seek them out.

The BCSE is the largest group in Australia representing the renewable and sustainable industries and has small right up to massive firms among its members. It is currently working with plumbing and electricity trades associations to improve the understanding of solar hot water. It reports a trend amongst Victorian electricians towards gaining industry accreditation for sustainability.

"We need people knowledgeable about why it's important to have a solar water heater not just for reducing your power bill but also your greenhouse emissions," Gregory says.

Governments, companies and individuals all need to lift their level of understanding. "In a post-Kyoto world, we need to know about carbon trading, installing renewables (and different types of renewable), energy performance contracting and how to put in energy efficient lighting controls and refrigeration systems," she adds.

Gregory stresses that, unlike the past, renewable energy can lead to big money these days: Sydney University graduate and founder, CEO and chairman of photovoltaic (PV) solar panel manufacturer SunTech Power, Dr Zhengrong Shi, is now the sixth wealthiest man in China.

Australian National University (ANU) boasts that it offers some of the best grounding in renewable energy for its engineering students. Its 400 square metre solar dish prototype is believed to be the biggest in the world. It has also succeeded in commercialising renewable energy companies, most notably solar company Wizard Power.

Now firmly established as a growth sector in its own right, renewable energy has become part of the everyday work and training within the mainstream energy sector. For instance, all three trade courses at EnergyAustralia have both practical and theoretical renewable energy components.

The challenge of climate change is inspiring greater cooperation between the leading energy companies, in turn leading to more uniform approaches to training and education on renewable energy.

"Apprentices are now all doing standard qualifications with cooperation on training and safety and including renewable energy modules," says. the company's head of training, Tom Emeleus.

Affirming the value its places on being seen to be green, SP AusNet boasts that all of the paper, toner and batteries consumed by the company is recycled and it is currently in the process of installing water saving devices - including water tanks - with the aim of reducing water usage by 60 percent.

While Gregory naturally wishes that more was being done for sustainability, she concedes that things are certainly in motion: "We're feeling a groundswell already."