George Sakellaris is the founder, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Ameresco.
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Driven by the need to decarbonize and increase efficiencies, as well as the Inflation Reduction Act and other policies, the renewable energy industry has grown exponentially in the last few years. This is a success story that is worth applauding. The trick, now that we have gained so much speed in such a short period of time, is to sustain the momentum.
One of the obstacles that could force a significant slowdown is the workforce itself. It cannot be overstated that filling the talent and skill gaps across several industries is key to enabling the future we envision for our children and grandchildren. However, I would argue that performing training and upskilling and providing the education and experience necessary to develop the next-generation workforce is nowhere more vital than in the renewable energy industry.
Renewable Energy To Triple By 2032
This need is seemingly everywhere we look in our warming world with last summer’s massive wildfires in Canada and Hawaii, 100-year storms soon projected to arrive nearly once a decade, and the effects of sea-level rise becoming all too real in often flooded coastal communities. These are just a few stark reminders of the urgency to transition to clean energy sources and embrace sustainable practices.
However, my sense of urgency and passion to find talented, capable people who can implement practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions stems not only from the impact of the climate crisis but also from the projections of renewable energy’s rapid ascent. Morningstar is forecasting that renewables will more than triple by 2032, at which point they will be responsible for 45% of the total energy generation mix in the United States. It’s an exciting prospect, but it will also require people at all levels of the workforce and throughout the supply chain to be able to support it.
Shining A Light On Solar
Solar energy is also expected to be one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies over the next decade. That growth has already begun as nearly half of all the solar capacity currently on the grid has been installed in just the last three years. Much like the clean energy industry as a whole, the need for workers in solar is also vast. According to the Department of Energy, the solar industry needs to grow from 330,000 workers now to 1.5 million workers by 2035 for the U.S. to achieve its decarbonization goals.
Let’s break down those numbers a bit using my home state as an example. By 2030, more than 38,000 workers in Massachusetts must be trained and ready to deploy some or all of their time on climate-critical work.
Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
"Think globally, act locally" has been a mantra of the environmental movement for decades, and with good reason. Like the concentric circles emanating from a pebble thrown into a pond, we can often make a big impact on the world around us by taking action in the surrounding communities in which we live and work.
As business leaders, one step we can take to further support these actions is to hire locally whenever possible. Whether a project is being developed in Hawaii or Halifax, hiring local subcontractors and training new hires can help create job opportunities for the local workforce and businesses.
In my experience, I have found cultivating strategic engagement with regional subcontractor networks is one way to ensure your local hiring efforts are effective and support the renewable energy ecosystem during your specific project and beyond. By leveraging the specialized knowledge and customer relationships that these subcontractors possess, you can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your project and contribute to the creation of success stories that underscore the positive impact of local hiring on the industry as a whole.
My company, Ameresco, for example, has taken this approach by locally assembling components for a street light improvement project with the city of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Energy Authority. By tapping into the city’s workforce and resources, we can better foster a community-centric approach.
Additionally, we can strengthen the talent pipeline by investing time and resources to partner with higher education institutions on cooperative education, internship and mentorship programs. By collaborating with colleges and universities, this approach can lead to successes that not only help students currently participating in the programs but also inspire more students to stay and work locally to strengthen the community’s economic base.
These co-op and internship programs can have a significant impact on the renewable energy sector, ensuring that the people involved have a personal stake in the success of a given project, leading to potentially higher quality work and creating a space for creativity and innovation. This symbiotic relationship between a business and local higher education institutions exemplifies how businesses can play a pivotal role in shaping the future of both education and industry.
Creating The Next Generation Of Game-Changers
The up-and-coming generation of young people will be key to reaching our net-zero goals. We have recently seen action on this front at the federal level. In September of 2023, the White House announced the American Climate Corps, an initiative to train young people for jobs in the clean energy economy.
The private sector also has a role to play in bringing the younger generation into the renewable energy workforce. While internships and cooperative education are not new concepts, they can still be highly effective. Bringing a co-op student into a company allows the student to explore or refine their career path, gain the knowledge and experience needed for their chosen industry and role, and make the connections necessary to begin to develop a professional network.
When I founded Ameresco, energy efficiency was first dismissed as a pipe dream by potential clients and financiers. Yet, we built a thriving business after implementing our solutions and showcasing their undeniable impact. The industry has quickly blossomed alongside us, paving the way to a revolutionary moment for energy and how we consume it throughout our daily lives. Now, it is a pivotal moment for all of us to embrace and train the next generation of game-changers to take the energy industry on its critical big leap.
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