executive summary - ssw.fundingunit.org.uk€¦ · web viewbeyond 2030 has produced this report...

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

More Developed Area: York and North Yorkshire

Biorenewables:Biowaste

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

July 2018

YNYER Future Skills Needs – Biorenewables: Biowaste

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

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

This report considers biowaste subsector within the wider biorenewables sector. Beyond 2030 spoke with employers and stakeholders such as the Biorenewables

Development Centre, Stockbridge Technology Centre, Fera Science Ltd, Chilled Food Association, Lantra, Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board (WAMITAB), and Askham Bryan College to inform this report, in addition to drawing on the sources mentioned in the bibliography.

More Developed Area (MDA) of York and North Yorkshire

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

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

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

Biowaste

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

Biorenewable – or biobased materials - are any organic matter available on a renewable or recurring basis. This includes agricultural waste and industry processing waste.

The Clean Growth Strategy sets out an ambition for zero avoidable waste by 2050, with the ambition that by 2030, no food waste will enter landfill.

Households in York and North Yorkshire produce around 450,000 tonnes of rubbish each year and 300,000 tonnes of food manufacturing waste is discarded in Yorkshire and the Humber each year.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is increasingly been used to make the most of our waste by turning it into renewable energy.

There are over 500 plants operational across the UK. 82 of these inject biomethane into the gas grid and the remainder are Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants.

In Yorkshire and Humber there are 66 AD sites. Specifically, in North Yorkshire there are 20 anaerobic digestion facilities, of which nine are waste-fed and 11 farm-fed.

Job roles in AD include design engineers, environmental engineers, environmental consultants, power generation engineers, electrical engineers, biochemists, biologists, mechanical engineers, laboratory technicians specialising in digestion and digestates, waste collectors, plant operators and feedstock loader.

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Many AD sites have contracts with external firms for the operation and maintenance of facilities. Consequently, it is these firms which are recruiting personnel.

The skills required for AD are very diverse ranging from general awareness to health and safety and detailed process and operations. They cover technical competencies as well as knowledge of plant and equipment, environmental monitoring and gas management.

With a demand for electrical and mechanical engineering skills in the subsector there is a concern about the availability of skilled engineers.

Regulatory and technical changes within the sector require ongoing training and updates on new developments.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2 Biowaste in Biorenewables, MDA..................................................................................................9

2.1 Anaerobic Digestion (AD).......................................................................................................9

2.1.1 Food and drink waste...................................................................................................10

2.1.2 Agricultural waste / residues.......................................................................................10

2.1.3 Biowaste sites..............................................................................................................11

2.2 Employment and economy..................................................................................................13

2.2.1 Jobs people do.............................................................................................................13

2.3 Skill needs - Primary research and testing the data.............................................................15

2.3.1 Recruitment and retention..........................................................................................15

2.3.2 What are the current skill needs and gaps...................................................................15

2.3.3 Skills needs / gaps........................................................................................................16

2.3.4 Training and apprenticeships.......................................................................................17

2.4 Future requirements............................................................................................................17

2.4.1 Future roles and skills..................................................................................................17

2.5 Drivers.................................................................................................................................17

2.5.1 Political........................................................................................................................17

2.5.2 Economic.....................................................................................................................18

2.5.3 Social............................................................................................................................18

2.5.4 Technological...............................................................................................................19

2.5.5 Environmental..............................................................................................................19

3 Bibliography.................................................................................................................................20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examples of biorenewable resources include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Using YNYER LEP as the standard, the differences in the productivity, skills and employment across North Yorkshire and York can be seen. Table 1 highlights where the area performs better (green) or worse (red). Self-employment in North Yorkshire, for example, stands at 13.9% - greater than within York, the LEP, and the English average. However, the number of individuals qualified to level 4 or above is lower and the proportion with no qualifications is greater in North Yorkshire.

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

Table 1 Productivity, skills and jobs:

Measure North Yorkshire

York YNYER LEP

England

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

£489.10 £509.60 £504.70 £544.70

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

0.96 0.85 0.86 0.84

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

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

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

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

Craven

Harrogate

Scarborough

Selby

Hambleton

Ryedale

York

Richmondsh

ire

YNYER LEP

England70%

72%

74%

76%

78%

80%

82%

84% 83% 83% 83%

80%

79% 79%78%

75%

79%

76%

Source (ONS 2017)

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

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

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

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

50.3% in Craven.

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

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

Craven Hambleton Harrogate Richmondshire Ryedale Scarborough Selby York YNYER LEP

England

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

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

1.16 0.98 1.06 0.80 1.02 0.93 0.73 0.85 0.86 0.84

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2 Biowaste in Biorenewables, MDA The Clean Growth Strategy sets out an ambition for zero avoidable waste by 2050 (HM Government 2017). The strategy sets out a wish to maximise the value we extract from resources, whilst minimising the negative environmental and carbon impacts associated with extraction, use and disposal. By 2030, no food waste will enter landfill (HM Government 2017).

Households in York and North Yorkshire produce around 450,000 tonnes of rubbish each year, with much ending up in landfill (Amey 2018). The continuing use of landfill is not a sustainable environmental option. It generates methane - one of the most potent greenhouse gases contributing to climate change. Methane is more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide, with landfill generating up to 40% of the UK’s methane emissions. This represents about 3% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions.

North Yorkshire’s councils already have a target to divert 65% of biodegradable waste from landfill by 2020, but with a complete ban coming into effect by 2030, it seems clear new technologies and processes need to be considered.

2.1 Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the breakdown of organic material by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen. The AD process begins when biomass is put inside a sealed tank or digester.

AD produces biogas, a methane-rich gas that can be used as a fuel, and digestate, a source of nutrients that can be used as a fertiliser. Increasingly AD is being used to make the most of our waste by turning it into renewable energy. AD benefits many different groups; including the local community, industry, farmers and energy entrepreneurs, government and the environment.

AD plants can be filtered into two categories (NNFCC 2017):

Waste - plants that use predominantly municipal, commercial and industrial waste streams as feedstock.

Agricultural – plants that use predominantly agricultural feedstock such as manures, slurries, crops and crop residues.

Each can then be further categorised by the end-use of the biogas:

Combined Heat or Power (CHP) – an anaerobic digester generating biogas which is burned on-site to generate heat, power or both.

Biomethane to Grid (BtG) – an anaerobic digester generating and upgrading biogas, to derive biomethane for injection into the national gas grid.

There are over 500 plants operational across the UK. 82 of these inject biomethane into the gas grid and the remainder are CHP plants (REview 2017).

The key to a viable and sustainable AD project is a secure supply of quality feedstock. Processing residues such as bakery or brewery waste are good feedstocks for AD, as they offer consistency and a more stable supply. Interest from food and drink manufacturers is strong, developing on-site facilities to convert an otherwise costly waste-stream into a potentially valuable revenue stream.

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2.1.1 Food and drink waste Around 16 million tonnes (Mt) of post-farm gate food and drink waste arises annually in the UK. Around half of this is waste is from households, the rest mostly comes from manufacture, retail, hospitality, other businesses and the public sector (NFFCC 2018).

The food manufacturing sector alone produces 1.7 million tonnes of food waste per year (Smallwoodand Ball 2018). This is significant for the LEP area, where the food and drink industry contributes 5% of the total GVA in North Yorkshire and employs over 15,500 individuals (Beyond 2030 Ltd 2017). The area hosts several multinational food manufacturing companies (e.g. Arla, McCain, Nestlé, PepsiCo), as well as many medium-sized companies (e.g. Bettys, Quorn, Seabrook Crisps, Taylors of Harrogate) and a plethora of smaller food manufacturers. Researchers have found that 300,000 tonnes of food manufacturing waste are discarded in Yorkshire and the Humber each year (BioVale 2018).

The most environmentally preferable treatment options for food waste are usually AD or composting. AD is generally preferable because it produces both renewable energy and a biofertiliser, which together do more to offset Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions than producing compost. There are however some organic waste streams for which composting will remain the best option, such as co-collected food and garden waste, or woody garden waste that is collected on its own.

Where food and drink manufacturing waste is unavoidable, alternative approaches should be considered to make the best of the unavoidable waste. However, with most food and drink manufacturing firms being micro, the option of installing their own AD may not be feasible (Beyond 2030 Ltd 2017).

2.1.2 Agricultural waste / residues In the UK an estimated 90 million tonnes of manures and slurries are generated each year (NFFCC 2018). These are generally used on the farms where they arise, recycling the nutrients that they contain. The Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) Regulations mean that many organic manures cannot be spread in certain periods of the year and must be stored for an extended period before being land-spread as fertilisers. Therefore, there is potential for AD to be used in this situation to capture methane from stored slurries and manures, and to stabilise and treat these materials.

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Leeming Biogas Ltd The anaerobic digestion plant at Leeming, processes commercial food waste produced by local businesses to provide renewable energy and a bio-fertilizer by-product that is distributed on local farm land to improve crop production.

The day-to-day management of the plant is provided by Veolia Environmental Services, which employs over 14,000 individuals in the UK.

The site processes up to 80,000 tonnes of commercial food waste by-products, producing renewable biogas for 4,000 homes.


Crop residues are also a suitable feedstock for AD. Crop residues are defined as ‘production residues’ produced as an integral part of the commercial production of agricultural crops; these may include damaged or misshapen fruit or vegetables, trimmings and other plant parts which are not the intended end-product, such as straw, leaves or tops. These can be collected from the field or from a packing unit, prior to leaving the farm-gate.

With 8,948 agricultural holdings across the LEP area (Beyond 2030 Ltd 2018) and the area having many poultry and pig farms there are opportunities for agricultural waste anaerobic digesters, as illustrated below.

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

Specifically, in North Yorkshire there are 20 anaerobic digestion facilities (Table 3), of which nine are waste-fed and 11 farm-fed (NNFCC 2017).

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Gravel Pit BiogasLocated near Sand Hutton, North Yorkshire, the anaerobic digestion plant provides gas to grid and digestate from the plant is used as fertiliser by the surrounding farms.

The plant receives feedstocks from Gravel Pit Farm and associated farms, which are situated close to the plant, ensuring short feedstock transport distances.

The facility can produce up to 2 million m3 per annum of biomethane. A small combined heat and power (CHP) generator also utilises gas from the site to generate electricity to provide power to the plant.

The project is eligible for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) biomethane and Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROCs) tariffs, which are part of the government environmental programme to support renewable energy projects in the UK.

The plant is operated by Advantage Biogas Limited (‘Advantage’). Advantage provides support services to Biogas plants in the UK focusing on routine maintenance, health and safety reports, plant optimisation and biological services.

Source (Iona Capital Ltd 2018)


Table 3 Anaerobic digestion facilities in North Yorkshire

Site name Output Type Feedstock Allerton Waste Recovery Park CHP Waste-fed Organic fraction of MSWTeeside Green Energy Plant BtG and

CHP Waste-fed Green waste, animal slurry and food waste

John Smiths Brewery CHP Waste-fed Brewery waste Tower Brewery CHP Waste-fed Brewery wasteImperial Park (Metis) CHP Waste-fed Maize, wheat chaff, slurry, food waste, gardenLeeming Bar AD BtG and

CHPWaste-fed Potato waste, soya waste, creamery waste

Roth Hill AD CHP Waste-fed Vegetable outgrades and grass silageMaltings Organic Treatment Facility BtG and

CHPWaste-fed Food waste and green waste

Greencore Grocery CHP Waste-fed Food wasteHowla Hay AD CHP Farm-fed Animal slurry Smeathalls Farm CHP Farm-fed Maize silage, grass silage and poultry manure Home Farm (Newby) CHP Farm-fed Animal manure, grass silage and vegetable wasteWestholme Farm CHP Farm-fed Pig manure and grass silage Manor Farm (Beal) CHP Farm-fed Cattle manure, pig manure, poultry litterWashfold Farm CHP Farm-fed Animal manure Wray House Farm CHP Farm-fed Energy crop, potato waste and animal slurriesGravel Pit Farm BtG and

CHPFarm-fed Cattle slurry and energy crops

New Mill Farm CHP Farm-fed Animal manure, grass silage and maize silage Myrtle Grange Farm CHP Farm-fed Energy crops and farm yard manures Intake Farm CHP Farm-fed Slurry

Source (NNFCC 2017)

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2.2 Employment and economyFor the following report Beyond 2030 have defined the subsector using the below Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes to determine workforce characteristics of those working in the waste treatment and recovery. To note, not all these workers will be involved in biowaste.

Table 4 Standard Occupation Classification

SIC Definition 38.21 Treatment and disposal of non-hazardous waste:

operation of landfills for the disposal of non-hazardous waste. disposal of non-hazardous waste by combustion or incineration or other

methods, with or without the resulting production of electricity or steam, compost, substitute fuels, biogas, ashes or other by-products for further use etc.

treatment of organic waste for disposal.38.32 Recovery of sorted materials

included is the recovery of materials from waste streams in the form of (1) separating and sorting recoverable materials from non-hazardous waste streams (i.e. garbage) or (2) the separating and sorting of mixed recoverable materials, such as paper, plastics, used beverage cans and metals, into distinct categories.

Source (ONS 2009)

2.2.1 Jobs people do Across the UK 64,000 individuals work within waste treatment and recovery. 10% (6,700) are in Yorkshire and Humber.

The major occupational groups for the subsector at a UK level are shown in the table below. The greatest difference in the proportion of employment for the subsector compared to the all economy occurs in the lower skilled roles of process, plant and machine operative and elementary roles. professional occupations and skilled trades. 63% of the workforce are within these two occupations compared to the all economy where just 11% are within these groups.

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Allerton Waste Recovery Park

This new facility, fully operational in March 2018, brings together state-of-the-art technologies to make the most of the North Yorkshire's and the city of York's rubbish. The facility will reduce the amount of household waste going to landfill in the county by 90%. Diverting this waste away from landfill will generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 40,000 homes.

Amey will operate the site on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and the City of York for 25 years, with the facility employing 90 individuals.


Job roles in AD include design engineers, environmental engineers, environmental consultants, power generation engineers, electrical engineers, biochemists, biologists, mechanical engineers, laboratory technicians specialising in digestion and digestates, waste collectors, plant operators and feedstock loaders (REview 2017).

Table 5 Occupational groups

Waste treatment and recovery

All economy (UK)

Managers, Directors and Senior Officials 10% 11%Professional Occupations 7% 20%Associate Professional and Technical Occupations

4% 14%

Administrative and Secretarial Occupations 6% 10%Skilled Trades Occupations 4% 11%Personal care services * 9%Sales and Customer Service Occupations 6% 8%Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 33% 6%Elementary Occupations 30% 10%

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

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

Table 6 Top jobs roles in waste treatment and recovery subsector, UK

Occupation Number employed 9235 'Refuse and salvage occupations' 15,2008211 'Large goods vehicle drivers' 7,7008134 'Weighers, graders and sorters' 6,1002142 'Environment professionals' 2,500

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

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

34% of the workforce are under 35 years of age, which is in line with the all economy data (Figure 2).

Figure 2 Age profile energy production subsector, UK

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

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

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Waste treatment and recovery, UK All economy

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

2.3 Skill needs - Primary research and testing the data2.3.1 Recruitment and retention WAMITAB reports that the waste management industry is transforming with a focus on recycling, reuse, refurbishment and the circular economy. Consequently, new skills and new jobs and development opportunities will become available.

The operation of an anaerobic digester depends on the plant’s capacity/type. Some require a full team of engineers and maintenance staff, whilst others just require an individual working a few hours a day. Job roles will vary depending on the type of plant.

Many AD sites have contracts with external firms for the operation and maintenance of facilities. Consequently, it is these firms which are recruiting personnel. For example, Advantage Biogas Limited had positions for site operators at the New Mill Biogas plant at New Mill farm in Thormanby near Easingwold in North Yorkshire.

In nearby Leeds, BTS Biogas Ltd were seeking a Service Engineer (Electrical bias) and AD Plant Operators.

2.3.2 What are the current skill needs and gaps2.3.2.1 Skills levelsCompared to the whole economy, the subsector has a lower proportion qualified at level 4 and above (10% compared to 43%). 13% of the sector has no qualifications and 34% hold level 1 or other qualifications.

This low skill level is perhaps to be expected when considering the occupational makeup of the workforce, where we have seen that 63% are employed in the traditional lower skills occupations of elementary roles and process, plant and machine operatives.

Figure 3 Qualifications levels within the treatment and recovery of waste, UK

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vel 4

an.

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NQ

F Le

vel 3

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NQ

F Le

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w N

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cat..

.

No

qual

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

Waste treatment and recovery, UK All economy

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

2.3.3 Skills needs / gaps Across the waste management industry there are a number of skills issues. WAMITAB reports that the industry is ageing, with an average age between 40 and 50. Thereby future workforce planning is required. Furthermore, technology is advancing in the fields of recycling and energy from waste, yet the skilled individuals required to do the jobs are not available.

The skills required for AD are very diverse, ranging from general awareness to health and safety and detailed process and operations. They cover technical competencies as well as knowledge of plant and equipment, environmental monitoring and gas management and they are skills which need updating periodically as the sector develops and legislation changes.

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

AD / Renewables experience. Mechanical / electrical experience. Telehandler / loading shovel skills. Health and safety.

With a demand for electrical and mechanical engineering skills in the subsector there is a concern about the availability of skilled engineers. IET skills survey found that 46% of engineering firms had difficulties recruiting labour with the right skills (IET 2017).

There is an annual demand for 124,000 engineers and technicians with core engineering skills across the economy (EngineeringUK 2018). Historically, the UK has relied on talent from the European Union to plug any gaps, but with Brexit coming into effect, this source of skills is no longer guaranteed. With a national drive for renewable energy, demand for engineers in this area is likely to increase and this is a concern for employers.

2.3.4 Training and apprenticeshipsThere are courses and training opportunities available in the subsector, with many of the larger waste firms having graduate and apprenticeship programmes.

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Cogent Skills has developed a one-day course for anaerobic digestion (AD) site managers and operators who need to gain essential knowledge and understanding about the science behind the biogas process. The course Increasing Methane Yields; understanding the science behind anaerobic digestion and covers four key areas of Feedstock Procurement and Preparation; The Process – Anaerobic Digestion; Output 1 – Biogas; Output 2 –Digestate, and includes a combination of presentations, exercises, case studies and group discussions (Cogent Learn 2018).

Regulatory and technical changes within the sector require ongoing training and updates on new developments.

2.4 Future requirements2.4.1 Future roles and skillsFirms are looking at ways to improve their energy efficiency. For example, Engineering UK reports that 15% of manufacturing firms were investing in energy efficient plants such as AD (EngineeringUK 2018). With farms, community and industrial plants all likely to increase this will have an impact on jobs and skills in the sector. To some degree new opportunities will replace or displace traditional technologies, with worker reskilling required.

However, technicians working for consultants and management firms will need to be multi-skilled, operating computerised AD control systems / logic flows and diagnostics. Advanced programmers are required to design and install equipment and technicians need to be able to interrogate the systems to undertake maintenance and system improvements. Technicians need to fix and make enhancements – managing, maintaining and operating equipment. Process engineers are required to take responsibility for the development and documentation of processes and process automation within AD facilities.

The new generation of AD plants and supporting firms will be faced with the challenge of attracting the right calibre of individual with the appropriate mix of skills, knowledge and experience. AD is highly regulated and skills to comply with this are essential and must be current.

2.5 Drivers2.5.1 Political Government has proposed to publish a new Resource and Waste Strategy to make the UK a world leader in terms of competitiveness, resource productivity and resource efficiency (HM Government 2017). The strategy will focus on three key areas:

Maximising resource productivity - through more efficient manufacturing processes. Maximising the value derived from resources throughout their lifetimes - by designing

products more smartly to increase longevity and enable recyclability. Managing materials at end of life – by targeting environmental impacts.

However, the date for publication and potential implications are still to be determined.

Regulations

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There are several regulations in the subsector including the EU Waste Incineration Directive (WID), which imposes strict emission limits. Energy from waste facilities such as Allerton Waste Recovery Park are more strictly regulated than most other processes, including coal-fired and gas-fired power stations.

Thereby to ensure compliance with regulatory and technical changes within the subsector ongoing training and updates on new developments are required.

2.5.2 Economic Government has allocated £2.5 billion in investment in low carbon innovation of which 4% will be for land use and waste for the period 2015-2021 (HM Government 2017). Investment will be made at all stages of technology development, from basic research to pre-commercial trials.

Specifically, for waste, innovation challenges are to do with minimising the impacts of anaerobic digestion, particularly in relation to air quality. This includes developing improved digestion and ammonia and phosphate extraction technologies and reducing methane emissions. Innovative techniques are also needed to reduce the impact of landfills at the end of their use.

Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Feed-in tariffs and Renewables Obligation (RO)

The non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) helps businesses, public sector and non-profit organisations meet the cost of installing renewable heat technologies, including biomethane, biogas and combined heat and power (CHP) systems (GOV.UK 2018). Eligible installations receive quarterly payments over 20 years based on the amount of heat generated.

The Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) scheme is a government programme designed to promote the uptake of renewable and low-carbon electricity generation technologies. The FIT scheme is available for anyone who has installed, or is looking to install technology, such as AD, CHP, Solar PV or wind up to a capacity of 5MW, or 2kW for CHP (ofgem 2018). FIT payments are made quarterly (at least) for the electricity your installation has generated and exported. The FIT scheme policy and tariff rates are set by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

The Renewables Obligation (RO) was one of the main support mechanisms for large-scale renewable electricity projects in the UK. The RO placed an obligation on UK electricity suppliers to source an increasing proportion of the electricity they supply from renewable sources. It closed to all new generating capacity on 31 March 2017 (ofgem 2018).

2.5.3 Social Knowledge / promotion

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

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

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

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

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

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