In our most recent Spotlight Article, we caught up with Project Manager Joel Richardson, as he sheds light on the rewards and challenges of working in the renewable energy sector, and his optimism for a greener future with the help of renewable energy generation.

1. Hi Joel! Let’s kick things off, what do you like to get up to in your spare time outside of work?
Spending time with my family, my wife and two sons Jacob who is 2 and Finley who is 5 months. I like to mountain bike and go to the gym, and I love watching movies.

2. Have you always wanted to work in Renewables? If so, how did you join the industry? What was your career leading up to joining Boston Renewables?

I started out as a tree surgeon, a job I did for 10 years. I then moved into the renewable industry when I became a wind turbine technician. I worked my way up through various different roles before becoming a lead technician and then moved into an office-based role as the Operations & Maintenance Manager. I did that for a little under 2 years before joining Boston Renewables as a Project Manager.

3. Why did you choose a career in the renewables industry and what piece of advice would you give someone looking to start their career in renewables?
Renewables wasn’t a career that was immediately on my radar and was something that I got into through a transfer of skills, namely working at heights. But through working on wind turbines, as I got to know more about the possibilities of renewable technologies and the importance of them looking to the future, it really began to pique my interest. And more recently with my work on Solar PV, it is an industry that I feel immensely proud to be a part of.

Experience has been key to me for progression in my career and is something I would always recommend to someone looking to start out in theirs. Get to know the technologies, and get hands-on experience of the systems and how they work and operate. That will always stand you in a good position.

4. What do you find the most challenging about working in this industry?
For me the challenge is to always stay at the front it terms of technology progression, things move so quickly in the renewable sector we need to make sure we are always offering our clients the best solutions to suit their needs.

In terms of the industry, energy storage is the big challenge, to allow people to store the energy they produce through their solar panels, to be used at a time that suits them.

5. What do you find the most rewarding about working in renewable energy?
I think knowing that what we do really does make a difference, helping people to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.
On a personal level, thinking that I am working towards a greener future for my children to grow up in.

6. What would you say to businesses looking to invest in a renewable energy solution?
I would say that a renewable energy solution is a great addition to any business, with utility costs rising it makes perfect sense to be able to produce your own clean green energy. With Solar PV being low cost and low maintenance, it is the ideal option with great returns on investment.

7. Lastly, tell us a little bit about what Boston Renewables has in store for 2022 (emphasis on the Castle Hill project)
We have a very busy outlook for 2022. With our 5MW Castle Hill project drawing to a successful conclusion, having helped Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust edge closer to their net-zero target, we now have several large projects in the pipeline.

Thanks Joel! If you would like to know more about our renewable energy installations, head to our services page for more information!