Previous research provided employment estimates for offshore wind energy in the Netherlands up to 2030. Now that the government has announced its intention to expand offshore wind capacity to 70 GW by 2050, a first update has been made of the expected employment for the construction and maintenance of the wind farms in question. The numbers are enormous. For the construction of 48.5 GW of additional wind capacity between 2030-2050 alone, 163,000 person-years of employment are expected. Automation and robotization could help to meet the high demand. New research is expected in April.
"The major personnel challenges are recognized and acknowledged by the wind energy sector. That is one of the reasons why we at NedZero are permanently active on this theme from the working group MBO Wind training."
Offshore wind until 2050
In 2020, the expected offshore wind employment after 2030 in the Netherlands was investigated. The report 'Post 2030 offshore wind employment in the Netherlands: first indications of an outlook on direct employment regarding construction and operations & maintenance phases' is a working document from October 2020, prepared by Erik Knol (Qeam) and Erwin Coolen (ECHT), commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). The report provides initial insights into direct employment after 2030 related to the construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms in the Netherlands.
Now that the Dutch government has presented the development of offshore wind energy until 2050, the question arises as to what this means for the employment figures. Knol & Coolen made a first update that shows the expected need for personnel from now until 2050. The expected employment for the construction and maintenance of these wind farms was examined.
New research into the required FTEs for offshore wind maintenance and operations (O&M) is expected in April 2025.
Rapid growth of offshore wind capacity
- In 2023 , there will be 4.5 GW of installed capacity in the North Sea.
- In 2030 this will grow to 21.5 GW .
- In 2050 this should be 70 GW .
Employment in Operational Management and Maintenance (O&M):
- From 2030 : 1,200 full-time jobs (FTE) per year needed for the maintenance of wind farms built up to that time.
- From 2050 : 3,000 FTE per year required for maintenance of all planned wind farms.
Employment in the construction phase (one-off direct employment):
- 2023-2030 : 62,000 person-years of employment for the construction of 17 GW offshore wind.
- 2030-2050 : 163,000 person-years of employment for the construction of 48.5 GW of additional wind capacity.
Big challenges
The rapid growth of offshore wind energy in the Netherlands leads to a huge demand for workers, both in the construction and maintenance of wind farms. In addition to these direct jobs, many other jobs are needed that are not included in this study. This brings major challenges for the labor market and the training of sufficiently qualified personnel.
Possible solutions include:
- Enhanced training programs for technical personnel
- More automation and robotization to meet shortages
