Applying High Reliability Organization concepts to the Energy Transition - Deference to Expertise

I recently wrote a recent article on the concepts that High-Reliability Organizations (HRO) deploy in practice and how these principles could be applied by policymakers and the energy sector in the forthcoming energy transition. I received a lot of feedback on this article, in particular, that I did not provide enough information on each of the five HRO concepts and how they could relate to the energy transition. Therefore over the coming weeks, I will write five articles on each of the HRO concepts. The last article discussed why HRO's exhibit high levels of Commitment to Resilience and how these concepts can be applied to the energy transition. This week I will expand on the fifth HRO concept, Deference to Expertise.

As we all know, the energy transition is extremely complicated and will require experts in multiple different fields to ensure a successful outcome. These experts will vary in the areas of policymaking, financial, environmental, and technical and ultimately in the end, they will all need to collaborate to provide practical solutions for a successful outcome.

Policymaking

The energy transition encompasses a rather complex policy landscape from a local, national and international perspective. The energy policy experts who are involved with the energy transition should be equipped with a thorough awareness of:

• The existing energy regulations
• The geopolitical scenarios that are intertwined with the energy transition
• The socio-economic considerations that could affect the transition
• The future trends in energy and sustainability

With this knowledge and perspective, they can outline strategic priorities for a successful and sustainable energy transition. Deference to their expertise can support that the future energy policies are realistic, comprehensive, and beneficial to customers, communities, and organizations.

Financial

The economic aspect of the energy transition is complicated and the experts in energy economics are critical to ensuring we do not have a legacy of energy burden for future generations. These challenges vary from market dynamics, cost considerations, the financing of renewables, incentivizing demand side response, and diverting investments from fossil fuels to renewables. The involvement of these experts is fundamental for creating robust economic frameworks that can support the energy transition and ensure the transition is applied in a fiscally responsible manner.

Environmental

The environmental implications of the energy transition are profound and environmental and sustainability experts can help assess the local, national, and global climate impacts by assessing opportunities to;

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Reduce water usage
• Understand the environmental impact of mining the minerals used in the transition
• Ensure air and water pollution is managed or mitigated
• Land and habitat impact

Their expertise is critical to establishing an environmentally responsible energy transition pathway that ensures a just and equitable transition for all.

Technical

The existing electricity infrastructure involves a complex network of power generation, transmission, and distribution systems. However, this infrastructure is undergoing rapid changes due to the integration of clean energy sources, energy efficiency improvements, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and smart grid technologies, which require even greater understanding and expertise. Designing, installing, managing and improving these technologies require expert involvement, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and valuing their competencies.

There is now a growing concern about the potential workforce shortages in the energy sector, particularly in fields that require extensive technical expertise. However, it is apparent that we have several factors that can contribute to this potential shortage:

• We will need to develop a larger workforce that possesses the types of skills and competencies to ensure a successful transition.
• The existing workforce with the technical skills required for the transition is nearing retirement and there might not be enough recruits to fill these critical technical positions.
• The labor marketplace is extremely tight at the moment and the energy sector has to compete with the other high-tech industries/sectors for talent.

The energy transition energy involves a vast amount of technical, financial, environmental, and policymaking challenges and navigating these demands requires a high level of diverse expertise for each discipline. However as with any highly technical process, there is a risk of oversimplifying and if simplification techniques are applied to the transition, it will potentially cause issues. In addition, the risks of poor management and decision-making could lead to major problems, such as interruptions in power supply, financial losses, or even safety issues. Therefore applying HRO principles like Reluctance to Simply and Deference to Expertise can lead to more successful outcomes, driving us steadily towards a sustainable, reliable, and efficient energy future.