Welcome to the first of Prospect’s e-newsletters for people working in renewables. It is clear that a radical transition is taking place across the energy sector and will continue to do so. With a strong focus on decarbonisation, renewable technologies will have an increasingly important role to play. We want to ensure that through this changing landscape everyone who works in renewables has a safe and fulfilling work environment with opportunities for career progression. We believe that good health, and a culture based on trust and fairness, are good for morale and good for business. We want to ensure that members have an effective voice in decisions affecting their work. This newsletter gives a few examples of the work we do and who we represent. We would really like to hear about your priorities – for your workspace and for your industry. Please email renewables@prospect.org.uk in confidence with any feedback and suggestions for items you’d like to see covered in future newsletters. We would also like to hear from you if you are not a Prospect member but would like to receive future newsletters direct to your inbox. Email us at renewables@prospect.org.uk stating your name, company and your preferred email address. You can also subscribe from this webpage. Finally, on Tuesday 18 December between 4pm-6pm we will be holding a special event in the Strangers' Dining Room at the Palace of Westminster to launch a new pamphlet we are publishing on renewables. We will be joined by Parliamentarians, industry figures and some of our members working in the sector. Spaces are limited, but if you would like to attend please contact: pam.virdee@prospect.org.uk. I hope to see you there. Roy Stewart, an engineer for ScottishPower Renewables, talks about how he got started in the industry, the challenges and opportunities in wind power and why he’s spreading the word about union membership. The growth of renewable energy in the UK has been accompanied by the erosion of collective bargaining. However, E.ON’s renewables business is an exception, reports Prospect negotiator, Mike MacDonald. Accident statistics in renewables only offer a partial glimpse of how health and safety is managed in the industry, but they still suggest that the sector can be a dangerous one, writes Prospect health and safety officer, Chris Warburton. INDUSTRY NEWS E.ON and RWE merger shakes up renewables Members at Veolia RERF in Leeds accept pay deal ScottishPower staff must be protected, says Prospect 'Scotland can lead on energy revolution' AROUND THE WEB Stories from around the web that may be of interest for professionals working in renewables. The Guardian reports on two students who have won a prestigious international award for designing a new type of wind turbine. The paper also says that Spain plans to switch to 100% renewables by 2050. Business Insider looks at the recent opening of the world's largest wind farm, twice the size of Manhattan, in the Irish Sea. Ernst & Young, in its latest renewable energy country attractiveness index, says that the UK is slipping down the top 10 because of the uncertainties over Brexit. In its analysis of the International Energy Agency's World Energy Outlook 2018, BusinessGreen says that the use of renewables are rising but not fast enough. Tesla’s Powerpack project in Australia, which provides grid services through its battery system, is already on course to be a financial success, says Elektrek. ENERGYEYE EnergyEye is a publication featuring the latest news, analysis and interviews for Prospect's 21,000 members working in the energy sector. It is printed several times a year and it also available to download in PDF format from the Prospect library. |