Energy systems engineer to solar energy engineer
An energy systems engineer already meets 62% of what the solar energy engineer role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
50.4/ 100
1 How much of what a solar energy engineer is expected to do is already part of an energy systems engineer’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the solar energy engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A solar energy engineer role treats 20 of its required skills as things an energy systems engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adjust engineering designs
- approve engineering design
- conduct engineering site audits
- create CAD drawings
- design solar energy systems
- energy
What stands in the way is 13 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 46 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A solar energy engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of an energy systems engineer background worth leading with.
- already held design solar energy systems communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held conduct engineering site audits information skills
- already held photovoltaic systems engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held energy micro-generation technologies engineering, manufacturing and construction
- already held create CAD drawings working with computers
- already held inspect facility sites information skills
All 46 carried skills, including the 20 the solar energy engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 26 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn alternative energy required
- still to learn electrical engineering required
- still to learn solar products required
- still to learn sustainable technologies required
- still to learn types of photovoltaic panels required
- optional, not held battery design optional
- optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
- still to learn maintain concentrated solar power systems required
- still to learn operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating required
- still to learn adjust voltage required
- still to learn maintain solar energy systems required
- optional, not held maintain photovoltaic systems optional
- still to learn perform feasibility study on solar heating required
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
- optional, not held calculate solar panel orientation optional
- optional, not held read engineering drawings optional
- optional, not held run simulations optional
- still to learn design a solar heating system required
- optional, not held design a solar absorption cooling system optional
- optional, not held design thermal equipment optional
- still to learn use thermal analysis required
- optional, not held use CAD software optional
- still to learn provide information on solar panels required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a solar energy engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 design a solar heating system practise this
- 02 maintain concentrated solar power systems practise this
- 03 operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 46 skills that carry over
- already held adjust engineering designs skill
- already held approve engineering design skill
- already held conduct engineering site audits skill
- already held create CAD drawings skill
- already held design solar energy systems skill
- already held energy knowledge
- already held energy market knowledge
- already held energy micro-generation technologies knowledge
- already held engineering principles knowledge
- already held engineering processes knowledge
- already held examine engineering principles skill
- already held manage engineering project skill
- already held perform scientific research skill
- already held photovoltaic systems knowledge
- already held power engineering knowledge
- already held promote sustainable energy skill
- already held solar energy knowledge
- already held technical drawings knowledge
- already held thermodynamics knowledge
- already held use technical drawing software skill
- already held analyse big data skill
- already held analyse test data skill
- already held assess financial viability skill
- already held business intelligence knowledge
- already held cloud technologies knowledge
- already held data analytics knowledge
- already held data mining knowledge
- already held data storage knowledge
- already held draw blueprints skill
- already held industrial heating systems knowledge
- already held information extraction knowledge
- already held information structure knowledge
- already held inspect facility sites skill
- already held perform data mining skill
- already held perform project management skill
- already held renewable energy knowledge
- already held smart grids systems knowledge
- already held state estimation knowledge
- already held statistical analysis system software knowledge
- already held troubleshoot skill
- already held unstructured data knowledge
- already held use specific data analysis software skill
- already held utilise decision support system skill
- already held utilise machine learning skill
- already held visual presentation techniques knowledge
- already held wear appropriate protective gear skill
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held electricity market optional
- optional, not held quality standards optional
- optional, not held test procedures in electricity transmission optional
13 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held battery design optional
- optional, not held design a solar absorption cooling system optional
- optional, not held design thermal equipment optional
- optional, not held maintain photovoltaic systems optional
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling optional
- optional, not held calculate solar panel orientation optional
- optional, not held electricity market optional
- optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
- optional, not held quality standards optional
- optional, not held read engineering drawings optional
- optional, not held run simulations optional
- optional, not held test procedures in electricity transmission optional
- optional, not held use CAD software optional
46 held skills the solar energy engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adapt energy distribution schedules skill
- not needed by the target role advise on heating systems energy efficiency skill
- not needed by the target role analyse energy consumption skill
- not needed by the target role biogas energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role building automation knowledge
- not needed by the target role carry out energy management of facilities skill
- not needed by the target role combined heat and power generation knowledge
- not needed by the target role define energy profiles skill
- not needed by the target role design a building management system skill
- not needed by the target role design a domotic system in buildings skill
- not needed by the target role design district heating and cooling energy systems skill
- not needed by the target role design electric power systems skill
- not needed by the target role design heat pump installations skill
- not needed by the target role design passive energy measures skill
- not needed by the target role determine appropriate heating and cooling system skill
- not needed by the target role determine internal air quality parameters skill
- not needed by the target role district heating and cooling knowledge
- not needed by the target role electrical power safety regulations knowledge
- not needed by the target role electricity consumption knowledge
- not needed by the target role energy conservation knowledge
- not needed by the target role energy performance of buildings knowledge
- not needed by the target role environmental engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role fuel distribution systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role geothermal energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role geothermal energy systems knowledge
- not needed by the target role heat transfer processes knowledge
- not needed by the target role heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration parts knowledge
- not needed by the target role identify energy needs skill
- not needed by the target role identify fitted source for heat pumps skill
- not needed by the target role inspect building systems skill
- not needed by the target role instruct on energy saving technologies skill
- not needed by the target role integrate biogas energy in buildings skill
- not needed by the target role mechanical engineering knowledge
- not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
- not needed by the target role perform a feasibility study for building management systems skill
- not needed by the target role perform a feasibility study on biogas energy skill
- not needed by the target role perform a feasibility study on district heating and cooling skill
- not needed by the target role perform a feasibility study on heat pumps skill
- not needed by the target role perform energy simulations skill
- not needed by the target role perform risk analysis skill
6 further entries not listed here
9 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn alternative energy required
- still to learn electrical engineering required
- still to learn solar products required
- still to learn sustainable technologies required
- still to learn types of photovoltaic panels required
- optional, not held battery design optional
- optional, not held electricity market optional
- optional, not held fluid mechanics optional
- optional, not held quality standards optional
Common questions about this move
Can an energy systems engineer become a solar energy engineer?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. An energy systems engineer already covers 62% of what a solar energy engineer is expected to do: 46 skills carry over, 20 of which the solar energy engineer role treats as required.
What skills does an energy systems engineer need to become a solar energy engineer?
13 required skills are missing, plus 13 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is design a solar heating system.
How hard is the move from energy systems engineer to solar energy engineer?
Its learning distance is 50.4 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
How this record was compiled
Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.