The energy transition and experts in heat pumps and solar energy – Professional development opportunities
In terms of professional development, the energy transition is something of a gold mine for experts in heat pump and solar energy technology.
Our Leading Consultant Salla Sorokin and Energy Specialist Elis Petäjä are well aware of this.
Today marks their first meeting on the roof a project site in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.
The large refrigeration plant is a potential worksite for both Salla and Elis.
The purpose of the meeting is to survey the site, where the aim is to switch from releasing waste heat into the atmosphere to channelling it into the district heating network.
The large refrigeration and heat pump plants consume a lot of electricity.
This is why it is often profitable to produce solar electricity locally. The potential project in question would combine the competence of both Salla and Elis.
The energy transition and experts in heat pumps and solar energy – Professional development opportunities
Salla’s special expertise is related to refrigeration technology and its application in various contexts.
The utilisation of heat pumps and waste heat is an important element in the efforts to replace fossil fuels.
Alongside providing technical expertise, various financial solutions are examined and customers are assisted in applying for investment grants.
“The European Union’s proposal for the new F-gas Regulation and the REACH restriction proposal on PFAS compounds have a significant impact on the refrigeration sector. We are currently going through a transition phase. If implemented, the restrictions will change the field rapidly as the switch is made from synthetic to organic refrigerants. There’s no shortage of work in the field,” Salla explains.
She continues: “This enables steering your work tasks and competence in the direction of your choice.”
“Since you can’t be an expert in every field, this work brings together a variety of specialists – like me and Elis today. It’s amazing when the competence areas of different specialist complement one another.”
“Today, for example, I learned a great many things about solar energy,” Salla adds.
“Simply being able to talk with specialists from various fields is incredibly interesting,” Elis says.
“You’re certainly faced with all kinds of challenges in this work, and the best solutions can be very creative. After all, solar energy is a fairly new thing for both companies and consumers. Regulations are changing and products are evolving. You need to stay up to date,” Elis says, referring to the pressure of updating one’s competence.
The energy transition promotes the green transition
Salla and Elis work for Sweco’s Sustainable Development Services unit by promoting the green transition at the forefront of the energy transition –
Salla as the leading consultant for the unit’s development team and Elis as the energy specialist for the Energy Solutions team.
Their work can be related to waste heat recovery, the design of solar power systems and heat pump plants, the balancing of demand response of electrical grids or the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
“We both produce concepts,” Elis says.
Both of them are typically involved in the initial phase of a new project.
The customer may have an idea or goal for implementing the green transition, and we at Sweco help the customer to achieve it.
“We introduce ideas and aspects that the customer may not have considered,” Elis explains.
What are the motivating factors about working at the forefront of the energy transition?
The uninhibited interest in the things you get to do and the challenges related to the energy transition are the draw.
Elis provides an example of the problems that need to be resolved:
“The roof cannot support the solar panels. Beams would bear the weight, but the customer doesn’t want to renovate the roof. What is the creative solution to ensure the profitability of the project?”
“It’s rewarding to convince and win over the customer,” Elis continues.
Salla also thinks that more expansive problems that require competence from a variety of areas are challenging and therefore interesting.
She continues: “One of the great things about this work is being able to help the customers from the start to find the best solutions when their needs have not yet quite crystallised.”
“It’s incredibly rewarding to plan measures that take the big picture into account and cut back carbon dioxide savings significantly, and to see those ideas come to fruition. Or when we find a solution that not only promotes sustainable development but also saves money. It’s really amazing.”
People at Sweco are more than happy to share their expertise
Our company houses massive pool of diverse competence, which is also shared with professionals in different countries.
When we ask what the best thing about working at Sweco is, the number one answer is great and smart colleagues.
Salla and Elis find it easy to elaborate on this response.
“My own work is not limited to demonstrating my expertise but also sharing it. I coach younger talent, engage in development work and also participate in our sales efforts,” Salla describes.
Elis, too, shares his expertise in various ways.
“I prepare and organise various presentation and training courses on demand response. I also arrange training related to the solar power systems of properties for our experts – I increase awareness of the price levels, basics and things we should all know about solar power and demand response in our work,” Elis explains.
“Our culture at Sweco involves discussion things and listening to others,” Salla says.
“My experience has been the same. You are genuinely allowed to be yourself and it’s always easy to ask about things from others,” Elis adds.
What kinds of projects are coming up around solar energy, for example?
Elis has already been involved in designing the concept for is currently Finland’s largest solar park.
In an upcoming major project, Elis is assessing environmental impacts.
Even now it is clear that there is no single technology that would solve the climate crisis and the global energy demands.
We will need a variety of methods for producing, storing and recycling energy.
“Solar parks producing hundreds of megawatts have arrived in Finland. For the present, tax policies limit the wider popularisation of large solar power plants, but Finland is closing the gap to other countries,” Elis says.
Salla and Elis echo the experiences of their colleagues who work at the forefront of the energy transition.
“The energy transition truly offers a range of varied and fascinating job and career opportunities for experts in the field!”