“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” as Aristotle once said. Of course, this also applies – perhaps even more so – when it comes to expertise. And that’s why our company not only does everything to use its employees' knowledge, but also goes the extra mile to retain this expertise. One example is Marco.

Working at height is no longer possible

But first things first. The Italian Marco has been working at RWE since 2015, initially at E.ON Climate & Renewables and from 2019 at RWE Renewables. “I worked as a senior field service technician and also supported the plant managers for a few years,” says the 33-year-old. But then he was unable to continue in his previous job. Due to health problems, the technician was no longer authorised by his doctor to climb to lofty heights to maintain and repair wind turbines.

New “troubleshooter” unit

“It was clear that we wanted to keep Marco and his extensive experience within the company," says Thomas Pump, Head of European Control Rooms at RWE’s Renewables Onshore Business. The solution: Marco becomes part of the new "Troubleshooter Group". A team that is very familiar with the wind turbines of the various manufacturers and uses their knowledge to create detailed work instructions for their colleagues. These include, for example, what to do in which situation, such as when a wind turbine is stuck. Thomas Pump: "Marco is our man in Sicily for Siemens Gamesa, a colleague in the UK looks after Vestas and the specialist for Nordex is based in Hamburg.”

Making knowledge available to colleagues

“I help my operations and maintenance colleagues to rectify faults, create troubleshooting instructions and try to pass on my knowledge to the technicians at the various wind farms,” says Marco, describing his new job. Of course, this not only applies to direct work on the wind turbine, but also to problems that can be solved remotely. The need is great: after all, the turbines run for 20, 30 or sometimes even 35 years. As with humans, complications do not diminish with age.

A solution that benefits everyone

Obviously, this solution is a classic win-win situation. RWE does not lose the expertise of Marco and his colleagues. “I am grateful to RWE for the support they have given me,” emphasises the new troubleshooter from the south of Italy. “I really appreciate the fact that I can continue to contribute to the company's success. I am proud to be part of a team and a company that not only cares about the wellbeing of its employees, but also looks for solutions that benefit everyone.”