Turning hydrogen dream into reality

By 2024, the cumulative installed wind power capacity of Finland reached to 8358 MW producing 19,854 TWh of electricity, with 39% of this capacity coming from Northern Ostrobothnia region ​(Suomen uusiutuvat 2024)​. Apart from wind power, solar, energy storage, biofuels, and hydrogen are also gaining traction with many large-projects currently underway. Hydrogen is widely discussed topics in energy world currently due to its versatility as an energy carries that has possibility to use in various applications such as energy production, storage, transportation fuel, and industrial feedstock, among others.  

However, not all locations are suitable for hydrogen production.  Several criteria need to be met – access to cheap renewable electricity, a reliable water resource, strong power transmission network, and skilled workforces – to be considered as a potential place for hydrogen production. The Northen Ostrobothnia is considered to have strong grid, cheap electricity, and water resources, but the question is does it have enough skilled workforces to drive the green transition through hydrogen economy? It is also one of the key concerns of the companies working in hydrogen value chain because if all the projects under consideration is realized then the demand for skilled workforce will surge so dramatically and quickly that it will be difficult to meet these needs in a short time frame. According to Hydrogen Cluster Finland, clean hydrogen production can create 1000-13000 jobs in Finland by 2035 and 11000-29000 by 2045 ​(H2cluster Finland 2023)​. Therefore, it is crucial – if not already overdue – to consider integrating hydrogen-related courses into the current curriculum.  

Skills demand in the hydrogen sector 

Several research have been conducted to assess the skills needed in this sector. Key areas expected to experience significant demand includes electricians, engineering professional, project managers, associated traders and construction labourers. The European Hydrogen Skills Strategy has identified missing occupational profiles as project managers, policy and legal expertise, environmental HSE, engineering, and technicians ​(Green Skills for Hydrogen)​. The study also highlighted safety as a fundamental skill for individual working in the sector, among others. Furthermore, certain skills are more essential in the early stages of sectoral development than others. For instance, during the initial phase, there will be a higher demand for activities related to design and commissioning ​(ClimateXChange 2023)​. 

Addressing skill gaps 

From a favourable perspective, while renewable hydrogen is a relatively new phenomenon, not all the skills required are entirely new and such knowledge from other sectors can be transferred ​(ClimateXChange 2023)​. Therefore, identifying potential knowledge gaps, developing educational infrastructures, tailoring and standardizing training programs, and designing flexible education systems to accommodate working individuals are crucial to ensuring that educational systems effectively address hydrogen sectoral needs. Furthermore, collaboration between education institution and industries is central to the sector’s development and to ensure the education system and programs aligns with the evolving sectoral demand.  

In the UUPO (Uusiutuvan energian koulutuspolut) project, that synergy between energy industry and educational institutions will be fostered. A key objective of the project is to develop a renewable energy pathway, with a focus on, but not limited to, integrating individuals from peat industry who might be adversely affected by the transition to green energy. The project consists of two parts: development and investment.  

In the development part, the project will organize several pilot courses related to renewable energy, digital twins, and hydrogen technology as well as create virtual learning environments. Similarly, in the investment part, a demonstration environment will be built, consisting of real-time simulator, gas tractor, wind turbine, battery energy storage, electrolyser, hydrogen storage facility, and smart control system. The demonstration environments will be built in Centria UAS, Oulu University, and JEDU.  

References

​​ClimateXChange. 2023. Skills demand in the hydrogen sector. Available at: https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/skills-demand-in-the-hydrogen-sector/. Accessed: 26 February 2025. 

​Green Skills for Hydrogen. European Hydrogen Skills Strategy. Available at: https://greenskillsforhydrogen.eu/. Accessed: 26 February 2025. 

​H2cluster Finlnad. 2023. ‘Clean hydrogen economy strategy for Finland’, p. 15. Available at: https://h2cluster.fi/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/H2C-H2-Strategy-for-Finland.pdf. Accessed: 23 February 2025. 

​Suomen uusiutuvat. 2024. Projects and wind turbines in Finland. Available at: https://suomenuusiutuvat.fi/en/wind-power/projects-and-wind-turbines-in-finland/. Accessed: 12 December 2024.