Solar energy engineer to renewable energy engineer
A solar energy engineer already meets 49% of what the renewable energy engineer role asks for. The move turns on 22 required skills not yet in the profile.
66.6/ 100
1 How much of what a renewable energy engineer is expected to do is already part of a solar energy 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 renewable energy engineer role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A renewable energy engineer role treats 20 of its required skills as things a solar energy engineer already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- adjust engineering designs
- approve engineering design
- electrical engineering
- energy micro-generation technologies
- engineering processes
- fluid mechanics
What stands in the way is 22 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 renewable energy engineer role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a solar energy engineer background worth leading with.
- already held maintain photovoltaic systems working with machinery and specialised equipment
- already held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling information skills
- already held design a solar absorption cooling system communication, collaboration and creativity
- 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
All 46 carried skills, including the 20 the renewable energy engineer role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 47 missing skills fall into 9 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 biogas energy required
- still to learn geothermal energy required
- still to learn green automotive technologies required
- still to learn marine energy required
- still to learn mechanical engineering required
- still to learn mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
- still to learn wind energy required
- still to learn civil engineering required
- still to learn energy conservation required
- still to learn environmental engineering required
- still to learn resource-efficient technologies required
- optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
- optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
- optional, not held electric generators optional
- optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
- optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
- optional, not held power electronics optional
- optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
- still to learn design wind turbines required
- still to learn provide information on geothermal heat pumps required
- still to learn carry out energy management of facilities required
- still to learn inform on government funding required
- optional, not held coordinate electricity generation optional
- optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held prepare scientific reports optional
- still to learn make electrical calculations required
- still to learn research locations for wind farms required
- optional, not held assess heating and cooling systems optional
- optional, not held assess project resource needs optional
- optional, not held identify energy needs optional
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on biogas energy optional
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps optional
- optional, not held perform energy simulations optional
- optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional
- optional, not held analyse energy consumption optional
- optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
- optional, not held report test findings optional
- still to learn provide information on wind turbines required
- still to learn ensure compliance with safety legislation required
- optional, not held oversee quality control optional
- still to learn use thermal management required
- optional, not held use software tools for site modelling optional
- still to learn bioeconomy required
3 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a renewable energy engineer role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 adapt energy distribution schedules practise this
- 02 biogas energy study this
- 03 design wind turbines 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 electrical engineering knowledge
- already held energy micro-generation technologies knowledge
- already held engineering processes knowledge
- already held fluid mechanics knowledge
- already held industrial heating systems knowledge
- already held manage engineering project skill
- already held perform project management 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 provide information on solar panels skill
- already held renewable energy knowledge
- already held solar energy knowledge
- already held state estimation knowledge
- already held technical drawings knowledge
- already held use CAD software skill
- already held use technical drawing software skill
- already held analyse big data skill
- already held analyse test data skill
- already held business intelligence knowledge
- already held cloud technologies knowledge
- already held create CAD drawings skill
- already held data analytics knowledge
- already held data mining knowledge
- already held data storage knowledge
- already held design a solar absorption cooling system skill
- already held energy market knowledge
- already held engineering principles knowledge
- already held examine engineering principles skill
- already held information extraction knowledge
- already held information structure knowledge
- already held inspect facility sites skill
- already held maintain photovoltaic systems skill
- already held perform a feasibility study on solar absorption cooling skill
- already held perform data mining skill
- already held smart grids systems 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
The 3 learning areas not shown above
- still to learn adapt energy distribution schedules required
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
- optional, not held inspect wind turbines optional
25 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held assess heating and cooling systems optional
- optional, not held assess project resource needs optional
- optional, not held coordinate electricity generation optional
- optional, not held design geothermal energy systems optional
- optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
- optional, not held identify energy needs optional
- optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on biogas energy optional
- optional, not held perform a feasibility study on heat pumps optional
- optional, not held perform energy simulations optional
- optional, not held perform smart grid feasibility study optional
- optional, not held use software tools for site modelling optional
- optional, not held analyse energy consumption optional
- optional, not held develop material testing procedures optional
- optional, not held electric generators optional
- optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
- optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
- optional, not held inspect wind turbines optional
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
- optional, not held manage contracts optional
- optional, not held oversee quality control optional
- optional, not held power electronics optional
- optional, not held prepare scientific reports optional
- optional, not held report test findings optional
- optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
26 held skills the renewable energy engineer role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role adjust voltage skill
- not needed by the target role alternative energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role assess financial viability skill
- not needed by the target role battery design knowledge
- not needed by the target role calculate solar panel orientation skill
- not needed by the target role conduct engineering site audits skill
- not needed by the target role design a solar heating system skill
- not needed by the target role design solar energy systems skill
- not needed by the target role design thermal equipment skill
- not needed by the target role draw blueprints skill
- not needed by the target role electricity market knowledge
- not needed by the target role energy knowledge
- not needed by the target role maintain concentrated solar power systems skill
- not needed by the target role maintain solar energy systems skill
- not needed by the target role operate solar thermal energy systems for hot water and heating skill
- not needed by the target role perform feasibility study on solar heating skill
- not needed by the target role quality standards knowledge
- not needed by the target role read engineering drawings skill
- not needed by the target role run simulations skill
- not needed by the target role solar products knowledge
- not needed by the target role sustainable technologies knowledge
- not needed by the target role test procedures in electricity transmission skill
- not needed by the target role thermodynamics knowledge
- not needed by the target role types of photovoltaic panels knowledge
- not needed by the target role use thermal analysis skill
- not needed by the target role wear appropriate protective gear skill
20 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 biogas energy required
- still to learn geothermal energy required
- still to learn green automotive technologies required
- still to learn marine energy required
- still to learn mechanical engineering required
- still to learn mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products required
- still to learn wind energy required
- still to learn bioeconomy required
- still to learn civil engineering required
- still to learn energy conservation required
- still to learn environmental engineering required
- still to learn resource-efficient technologies required
- optional, not held geothermal energy systems optional
- optional, not held mini wind power generation optional
- optional, not held electric generators optional
- optional, not held electrical power safety regulations optional
- optional, not held energy performance of buildings optional
- optional, not held integrated food-energy systems optional
- optional, not held power electronics optional
- optional, not held sustainable manufacturing optional
Common questions about this move
Can a solar energy engineer become a renewable energy engineer?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A solar energy engineer already covers 49% of what a renewable energy engineer is expected to do: 46 skills carry over, 20 of which the renewable energy engineer role treats as required.
What skills does a solar energy engineer need to become a renewable energy engineer?
22 required skills are missing, plus 25 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by engineering, manufacturing and construction. The single most important is adapt energy distribution schedules.
How hard is the move from solar energy engineer to renewable energy engineer?
Its learning distance is 66.6 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.