New Pisys VR Tool Offers Streamlined Training For The New Power Economy

As renewable energy capacity is rapidly added to the grid worldwide, the International Energy Agency projects the creation of around 14 million new clean energy sector jobs by 2030. This surge in employment will require new skills to be developed at scale, placing increased pressure on training and workforce readiness programmes.

One of the critical skills required for the new power economy is high voltage (HV) switching, which enables modern renewable energy systems to be safely connected, isolated and protected. Until recently, HV switching training was expensive and inefficient, relying on hardware that is expensive to acquire and only available in select locations. To change this, HSEQ software provider Pisys has launched HVSim, a virtual reality tool that simulates HV systems on a cloud platform to enable online training.

HVSim facilitates learning-by-doing, allowing organizations to accurately develop and assess personnel competencies. It moves training beyond theoretical knowledge and procedural recall towards the demonstration of applied decision-making, situational awareness and task execution.

Another key feature of HVSim is its ability to safely expose learners to high-consequence events – such as insulation failure, overcurrent, overvoltage (switching surges/lightning) and mechanical issues – that are difficult and risky to replicate through traditional training methods. These scenarios occur infrequently in day-to-day operations, but demand precise technical execution and sound judgement when they do arise. By allowing repeated, consequence-free training for these scenarios, HVSim supports deeper learning through experiential repetition, enabling learners to build muscle memory, recognize early warning signals and understand the impact of their actions. This strengthens both individual competence and organizational resilience, ensuring that workers are better prepared to respond effectively when high-risk situations occur in live operational environments.

The HVSim platform is also designed to meet EHS practitioners’ heightened expectations for increased training data to support compliance and audits. The data that the tool generates provides additional insight for incident investigations, as EHS leaders can use safety training data relevant to individuals involved in an incident when attempting to establish root causes.

HV switching is critical for all types of electrical infrastructure – solar farms, wind installations, grid-scale battery storage systems – so solutions like HVSim will be in huge demand across the world. With 40% of EHS decision-makers in the electric power generation sector reporting that their budgets for EHS training, learning and development will increase in 2026, spend on innovative tools that improve key training areas could well soar (see Verdantix Global Corporate Survey 2025: EHS Budgets, Priorities And Tech Preferences).

To explore more insights into EHS trends for 2026, check out our predictions webinar.