OMNI Features｜UK Offshore Energy Industries Lay Out Plan for "Energy Skills Passport"．Pandora Invests $150 Million in Factory Construction in Vietnam．Ørsted Receives $680 Million in Financing for Solar and Storage

｜UK Offshore Energy Industries Lay Out Plan for "Energy Skills Passport"
Energy industry in UK have come up with a plan for the creation of an "Energy Skills Passport" plan that would help offshore workers transition from the oil and gas and take up roles in the clean energy sector. The focus of the project is to better align technical qualifications and safety standards across the two industries, create clearer career pathways, and establish a mechanism for employers and employees to understand recognised standards.

In an announcement this morning, the trade bodies representing the UK's offshore wind and oil and gas sectors - RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK - said they had aligned on a roadmap for a prototype energy skills passport that would allow "cross-sector recognition" of energy industry expertise and training. The passpert plan is a cross-sector partnership being led by Offshore Energies UK, Renewable UK, non-profit skills body Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organization (OPITO), and the Global Wind Organisation (GWO).

The partners said the skills passport project had already driven the launch of career pathway information for more than 30 roles in the oil and gas industry, as well as a number of entry routes for roles in the wind sector, including maintenance technicians, commissioning technicians, high-voltage senior authorised persons, and troubleshooting technicians.

｜Pandora Invests $150 Million in Factory Construction in Binh Duong Province Vietnam
On May 16, Danish jewelry company Pandora broke ground on constructing a factory in the VSIP 3 Industrial Park located in Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, with a total investment of $150 million (approximately VND 3.8 trillion). This factory will operate and produce using 100% renewable energy, setting new standards for the global jewelry industry regarding carbon footprint, recycling, and carbon dioxide emissions.

According to a representative from Pandora Group, Vietnam currently presents an attractive destination for foreign investors, including those from Denmark. As a result, an increasing number of Danish companies have chosen to invest in Vietnam in recent years. Alexander Lacik, President & CEO at Pandora Group, stated that the factory is expected to commence operations in 2026 and have an annual production capacity of up to 60 million pieces of jewelry.

｜Ørsted Receives $680 Million in Financing for Solar and Storage
Ørsted has received an investment from J.P. Morgan for $680 million in tax equity financing for a portfolio of solar and storage assets in Texas and Arizona. The project portfolio consists of Eleven Mile Solar Center, a 300 MW solar and 300 MW storage project in Pinal County, Ariz., and Sparta Solar, a 250 MW solar project in Mineral, Texas.

The tax equity partnership with J.P. Morgan includes the option for tax credit transferability. Eleven Mile Solar Center will receive a one-time investment tax credit for its BESS, while the solar farm will generate production tax credits over a 10-year period.

Reference: Business Green｜VnEconomy｜Solar Industry