Science & ResearchISCO 2149
Renewable energy engineer
Renewable energy engineers research alternative sources of energy in order to design systems for renewable energy production. They strive to optimise energy production from renewable sources, and reduce production expenses and environmental strain. They design systems which focus on energy sustainability and efficiency.
Check yourself in a minute: renewable energy engineer
Rate 5 of the 40 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
provide information on geothermal heat pumps
use thermal management
research locations for wind farms
perform scientific research
use technical drawing software
About renewable energy engineer
As a renewable energy engineer, you will design and optimize systems that harness the power of nature to generate clean, sustainable electricity and heat. Your work focuses on turning concepts into reality—whether you're developing solar photovoltaic arrays, designing wind turbine installations, engineering biogas systems, or exploring emerging marine energy technologies. You combine knowledge of electrical engineering, mechanical systems, civil infrastructure, and environmental principles to create solutions that reduce carbon emissions and operational costs. Your daily responsibilities involve technical drawings, feasibility studies, performance simulations, and collaboration with construction teams and stakeholders. This role is critical as Europe, including Poland, transitions toward renewable energy sources to meet climate goals. With government incentives and increasing demand for green energy infrastructure, renewable energy engineers are among the most sought-after professionals in the engineering sector.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a renewable energy engineer.
1
Renewable Energy System Design
- Design solar photovoltaic systems and installations tailored to specific site conditions and energy needs
- Engineer wind turbine installations including foundation design and grid integration
- Develop biogas energy systems and related industrial heating solutions
2
Technical Analysis and Optimization
- Conduct feasibility studies evaluating resource availability, technical constraints, and economic viability
- Perform performance simulations and modeling to optimize energy production and system efficiency
- Apply state estimation and power engineering calculations for system reliability and stability
3
Technical Documentation and Project Planning
- Prepare detailed technical drawings and specifications using CAD software
- Develop project schedules, budgets, and resource allocation plans
- Create technical reports documenting design decisions, performance predictions, and risk assessments
4
Environmental and Sustainability Assessment
- Evaluate environmental impacts and design solutions minimizing ecological footprint
- Apply resource-efficient technologies and green automotive technologies where applicable
- Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and sustainability standards
5
Stakeholder Collaboration and Integration
- Coordinate with construction teams, civil engineers, and equipment manufacturers
- Integrate renewable energy systems with existing infrastructure and grid operations
- Communicate technical concepts to non-specialist stakeholders and project investors
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (40)
wind energywind energyRenewable energy that harnesses the power of wind, transforming air kinetic energy into electrical. Wind energy requires the construction of land or high sea wind farms as the extraction of energy tak...electrical engineeringelectrical engineeringThe field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.bioeconomybioeconomyThe production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of these resources and waste streams into value added products, such as food, feed, bio-based products and bioenergy.energy micro-generation technologiesenergy micro-generation technologiesThe technologies which allow the small-scale generation process of harvesting low carbon sources such as the sun, wind, or water flow, to produce heat or electricity. Energy micro-generation technolog...civil engineeringcivil engineeringThe engineering discipline that studies the design, construction and maintenance of naturally built works such as roads, buildings, and canals.fluid mechanicsfluid mechanicsThe characteristics and properties of fluids, including gases, liquids and plasmas, at rest and in motion, and the forces on them.mechanical engineeringmechanical engineeringDiscipline that applies principles of physics, engineering and materials science to design, analyse, manufacture and maintain mechanical systems.environmental engineeringenvironmental engineeringThe application of scientific and engineering theories and principles aimed at improving the environment and sustainability, such as the provision of clean habitation necessities (such as air, water, ...green automotive technologiesgreen automotive technologiesTechnologies that allow the development of sustainable practices within the automotive industry. They are focused on lowering the negative effects of this industry on the environment such as air pollu...industrial heating systemsindustrial heating systemsHeating systems fuelled by gas, wood, oil, biomass, solar power, and other reneable energy sources and their energy saving principles, applicable specifically to industrial buildings and facilities.biogas energybiogas energyEnergy production for heating and potable hot water making use of biogas (the biogas is generated off-site), and its contribution to energy performance.mining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsmining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsThe offered mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.resource-efficient technologiesresource-efficient technologiesSustainable technologies which allow to produce more value using limited resources while reducing the impact on the environment, restraining the risks of scarcity.state estimationstate estimationThe process of fusing input data measurements and a mathematical model to determine the internal state of an energy system.energy conservationenergy conservationThe practice of reducing energy consumption and using fewer energy services. As a sustainable process, energy conservation is done by replacing used energy with alternative sources, using more efficie...marine energymarine energyThe energy generated from the natural movement of water such as ocean waves, tides, currents as well as from water temperature differences as thermal energy of deep cold water. Moreover, it is harness...renewable energyrenewable energyThe different types of energy sources which cannot be depleted, such as wind, solar, water, biomass, and biofuel energy. The different technologies used to implement these types of energy to an increa...provide information on geothermal heat pumpsprovide information on geothermal heat pumpsProvide organisations and individuals searching for alternative methods to provide buildings with energy on the cost, benefits, and negative aspects of the installation and use of geothermal heat pump...ensure compliance with safety legislationensure compliance with safety legislationImplement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.use thermal managementuse thermal managementProvide thermal management solutions for product design, system development and electronic devices used to protect high power systems and applications in demanding environments. These can be eventuall...research locations for wind farmsresearch locations for wind farmsPerform research on-site and using a wind atlas in order to evaluate different locations which could be suitable for the construction of groups of wind turbines, as well as perform follow-up research ...perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.carry out energy management of facilitiescarry out energy management of facilitiesContribute to develop effective strategies for energy management and making sure that these are sustainable for buildings. Review buildings and facilities to identify where improvements can be made in...use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.inform on government fundinginform on government fundingGive information to customers related to the grants and financing programmes attributed by the government for small and large scale projects in various fields such as the promotion of renewable energi...adapt energy distribution schedulesadapt energy distribution schedulesMonitor the procedures involved in the distribution of energy in order to assess whether energy supply must be increased or decreased depending on changes in demand, and incorporate these changes into...power engineeringpower engineeringSubdiscipline of energy and electrical engineering which specialises in the generation, transmission, distribution, and usage of electrical power through the connection of electrical devices to motors...provide information on wind turbinesprovide information on wind turbinesProvide organisations and individuals searching for alternative energy methods on the cost, benefits, and negative aspects of the installation and use of wind turbines, both residential and common, an...adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.make electrical calculationsmake electrical calculationsDetermine the type, size and number of pieces of electrical equipment for a given distribution area by making complex electrical calculations. These are made for instruments such as transformers, circ...solar energysolar energyThe energy which originates from light and heat from the sun, and which can be harnessed and used as a renewable source of energy using different technologies, such as photovoltaics (PV) for electrici...photovoltaic systemsphotovoltaic systemsSystems that convert a renewable source as the sun into electrical energy. Based in the energy conversion chain, photovoltaic systems could be divided into three types: grid direct PV systems, grid-in...design wind turbinesdesign wind turbinesDesign the electrical components and blades used in equipment which generates energy from the wind into electrical power, ensuring that the design is optimised to ensure safe and efficient production ...provide information on solar panelsprovide information on solar panelsProvide organisations and individuals searching for alternative methods to provide facilities and residences with energy on the costs, benefits, and negative aspects of the installation and use of sol...manage engineering projectmanage engineering projectManage engineering project resources, budget, deadlines, and human resources, and plan schedules as well as any technical activities pertinent to the project.perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.promote sustainable energypromote sustainable energyPromote the use of renewable electricity and heat generation sources to organisations and individuals, in order to work towards a sustainable future and encourage sales of renewable energy equipment, ...
Optional (50) — show
energy marketenergy marketThe trends and major driving factors in the energy trading market, energy trades methodologies and practice, and the identification of the major stakeholders in the energy sector.business intelligencebusiness intelligenceThe tools used to transform large amounts of raw data into relevant and helpful business information.engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.data miningdata miningThe methods of artificial intelligence, machine learning, statistics and databases used to extract content from a dataset.sustainable manufacturingsustainable manufacturingThe generation of manufactured products using efficient and sustainable production process that enhances the conservation of natural and energy resources while minimizing negative environmental impact...integrated food-energy systemsintegrated food-energy systemsThe integration of food and energy production into farming or food production systems.visual presentation techniquesvisual presentation techniquesThe visual representation and interaction techniques, such as histograms, scatter plots, surface plots, tree maps and parallel coordinate plots, that can be used to present abstract numerical and non-...geothermal energy systemsgeothermal energy systemsLow temperature heating and high temperature cooling, generated by use of geothermal energy, and their contribution to energy performance.energy performance of buildingsenergy performance of buildingsFactors that contribute to lower energy consumption of buildings. Building and renovation techniques used to achieve this. Legislation and procedures regarding energy performance of buildings.electrical power safety regulationselectrical power safety regulationsThe compliance with safety measures which need to be taken during the installation, operation, and maintenance of constructions and equipment which function in the generation, transmission, and distri...information extractioninformation extractionThe techniques and methods used for eliciting and extracting information from unstructured or semi-structured digital documents and sources.smart grids systemssmart grids systemsSmart grids are a digital electricity network. The system involves the electronic digital control of production, distribution and use of electricity, information management of the components and energ...power electronicspower electronicsThe functioning, design, and usage of electronics that control and convert electric power. Power conversion systems are usually categorised as AC-DC or rectifiers, DC-AC or inverters, DC-DC converters...data analyticsdata analyticsThe science of analysing and making decisions based on raw data collected from various sources. Includes knowledge of techniques using algorithms that derive insights or trends from that data to suppo...mini wind power generationmini wind power generationMini wind turbines for electricity generation on-site (on roofs etc.), and their contribution to energy performance.data storagedata storageThe physical and technical concepts of how digital data storage is organised in specific schemes both locally, such as hard-drives and random-access memories (RAM) and remotely, via network, internet ...statistical analysis system softwarestatistical analysis system softwareSpecific software system (SAS) used for advanced analytics, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics.cloud technologiescloud technologiesThe technologies which enable access to hardware, software, data and services through remote servers and software networks irrespective of their location and architecture.electric generatorselectric generatorsThe principles and operations of devices that can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, such as dynamos and alternators, rotors, stators, armatures, and fields.design a solar absorption cooling systemdesign a solar absorption cooling systemDesign an absorption cooling generation system with solar regeneration by heat tube collectors. Calculate accurate cooling demand of the building in order to select the right capacity (kW). Make a det...perform a feasibility study on solar absorption coolingperform a feasibility study on solar absorption coolingPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of the application of solar cooling. Realise a standardised study to estimate the cooling demand of the building, costs, benefits and life cycle ...assess heating and cooling systemsassess heating and cooling systemsSelect heating and cooling systems, specifically in relation with the buildings' architectural design and building functions. Discuss the relation between architectural design and selection of heating...analyse energy consumptionanalyse energy consumptionEvaluate and analyse the total amount of energy used by a company or an institution by assessing the needs linked to the operative processes and by identifying the causes of superfluous consumption.troubleshoottroubleshootIdentify operating problems, decide what to do about it and report accordingly.maintain photovoltaic systemsmaintain photovoltaic systemsPerform maintenance tasks and repairs on systems which generate electrical energy through the conversion of light into electric currents, the photovoltaic effect. Ensure compliance with regulations, a...perform a feasibility study on heat pumpsperform a feasibility study on heat pumpsPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a heat pump system. Realise a standardised study to determine costs and restrictions, and conduct research to support the process of decision ...perform data miningperform data miningExplore large datasets to reveal patterns using statistics, database systems or artificial intelligence and present the information in a comprehensible way.analyse big dataanalyse big dataCollect and evaluate numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of identifying patterns between the data.inspect facility sitesinspect facility sitesInspect the land of a possible construction site for distribution facilities by measuring and interpreting various data and calculations by using the appropriate equipment. Check if the field work is ...inspect wind turbinesinspect wind turbinesPerform routine inspections on wind turbines by climbing the turbines and carefully inspecting all parts to identify any problems, and to assess whether repairs have to be arranged.use software tools for site modellinguse software tools for site modellingUse software and other modelling tools to create simulations of and develop scenarios for possible outcomes of site operations. Use the information gathered from simulations and models for analysis an...report test findingsreport test findingsReport test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, usi...oversee quality controloversee quality controlMonitor and assure the quality of the provided goods or services by overseeing that all the factors of the production meet quality requirements. Supervise product inspection and testing.develop material testing proceduresdevelop material testing proceduresDevelop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses ...analyse test dataanalyse test dataInterpret and analyse data collected during testing in order to formulate conclusions, new insights or solutions.utilise machine learningutilise machine learningUse techniques and algorithms that are able to extract mastery out of data, learn from it and make predictions, to be used for program optimisation, application adaptation, pattern recognition, filter...examine engineering principlesexamine engineering principlesAnalyse the principles that need to be considered for engineering designs and projects such as functionality, replicability, costs and other principles.manage contractsmanage contractsNegotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, ...identify energy needsidentify energy needsIdentify the type and amount of energy supply necessary in a building or facility, in order to provide the most beneficial, sustainable, and cost-effective energy services for a consumer.prepare scientific reportsprepare scientific reportsPrepare reports that describe results and processes of scientific or technical research, or assess its progress. These reports help researchers to keep up to date with recent findings.assess project resource needsassess project resource needsTest ideas and purposes of the program against available financial and human resources to work out if the idea is realistic. Take an active role in creating work situations and ensure that the availab...coordinate electricity generationcoordinate electricity generationCommunicate the current demand of electricity generation to electricity generation workers and facilities in order to ensure that the generation of electrical power can be increased or decreased accor...use specific data analysis softwareuse specific data analysis softwareUse specific software for data analysis, including statistics, spreadsheets, and databases. Explore possibilities in order to make reports to managers, superiors, or clients.utilise decision support systemutilise decision support systemUse the available ICT systems that can be used to support business or organisational decision making.perform smart grid feasibility studyperform smart grid feasibility studyPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of a smart grid within the project. Realise a standardised study to determine the energy saving contribution, costs and restrictions, and conduct...design geothermal energy systemsdesign geothermal energy systemsDesign in detail a geothermal energy system. Determine construction site boundaries e.g., needed space, area, depth. Make detailed descriptions and drawings of the design.perform energy simulationsperform energy simulationsReplicate the building's energy performance by running computer based, mathematical models.information structureinformation structureThe type of infrastructure which defines the format of data: semi-structured, unstructured and structured.perform a feasibility study on biogas energyperform a feasibility study on biogas energyPerform the evaluation and assessment of the potential of generating biogas from waste materials. Realise a standardised study to determine the total cost of ownership, and the pros and cons of using ...unstructured dataunstructured dataThe information that is not arranged in a pre-defined manner or does not have a pre-defined data model and is difficult to understand and find patterns in without using techniques such as data mining.
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Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a renewable energy engineer do?
Renewable energy engineers research alternative sources of energy in order to design systems for renewable energy production. They strive to optimise energy production from renewable sources, and reduce production expenses and environmental strain. They design systems which focus on energy sustainability and efficiency.
What skills does a renewable energy engineer need?
A renewable energy engineer needs 40 essential skills, including wind energy, electrical engineering, technical drawings, bioeconomy, energy micro-generation technologies.
Will AI replace renewable energy engineer jobs?
The AI disruption score for renewable energy engineer is 75/100 (very high risk). Skills most exposed to automation: information extraction, perform data mining, provide information on wind turbines. Most resilient: electric generators, wind energy, energy micro-generation technologies.
AI Replacement Risk
75/ 100
Very High Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Skills most at risk from AI
Skills resilient to automation
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