Skill-based education for smart-grids job profiles: the key to renewable integration, flexibility and electrification

ongoing

Power networks are critical for the integration of renewables and the electrification of energy consumption. Through digitalisation, power networks become Smart Grids that can monitor energy flows and adjust energy supply and demand accordingly, allowing demand flexibility services, distributed Energy Resources (DER), efficient operation, relevant savings in network investments, and the participation of consumers. Europe requires large investments in Smart Grids, particularly in educating the future workforce as well as providing lifelong learning services to the current employees (re-skilling and up-skilling). This is stated in the European Action Plan for Digitalising the Energy Sector (October 2022), the European Action Plan for Grids, the Net-Zero Industry Act, and recently the Clean Industrial Act. The SG-SKILL project is focused on the training needs for Smart Grids, covering their full value chain (planning, design, supply, implementation, commissioning, operation and maintenance, commercialisation) and the adaptation of existing conventional networks in all voltage levels. Training needs will address the diversity of job profiles required by the sector and all the corresponding educational levels, from VET to high-level education and research. The project will also consider the new roles of consumers enabled by digital tools, allowing citizens and energy communities to profit from local renewable sources. The three main objectives of the project are: • Matching demand and supply of skills in the Smart Grids sector • A systematic, replicable and scalable methodology to achieve and continuously update those skills • A sustainable action plan (strategy or Blueprint) to keep applying the methodology beyond the scope of the project. SG-SKILL is aligned with the Large-Scale Partnership on Digitalisation of the Energy System, launched in 2023 under the Pact for Skills, and built on the results of the Erasmus+ project EDDIE.