A key element in supporting energy technology innovation at EU level is the availability and mobilisation of appropriately skilled human resources. Meeting the EU's decarbonisation objective and ensuring security of energy supply and competitiveness will affect employment and jobs, requiring better education and training and a more vigorous social dialogue.

On June 16, two important projects addressing this challenge are having their kick-off meetings in Brussels. With the support of Horizon 2020, they will address important gaps identified in the SET Plan Education and Training Roadmap.

BioEnergyTrain will support emerging qualifications in the bioenergy field by developing two new industrial job profiles, the Bio Refinery Engineer and the Bio-Resource Value Chain Manager. The network brings together 15 partners from 6 EU countries with a budget of EUR 3.7 million. The INPATH-TES project, on the other hand, will create a network of universities and research institutes to implement a joint PhD programme on thermal energy storage (TES) technologies, adapted to the needs of academic institutions, research centres or industry. With a budget of EUR 4.3 million, the project brings together the impressive number of 22 partners from 14 EU Member States and Horizon 2020 associated countries.