What Does a Renewable Energy Engineer Do?

Renewable energy engineers develop and design systems to use energy from renewable resources, such as the sun, wind, and water. Renewable resources are energy sources that are naturally and continually replaced. They are alternatives to nonrenewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas that do not replenish themselves.

Throughout the past 200 years, nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels have revolutionized human technological progress through their convenience and the amount of energy they produce per kilogram. Even though fossil fuels account for 83 percent of all energy resources used as of 2023 [1], they are harmful to the environment, pumping carbon dioxide into the air and contributing to global climate change. This is why renewable energy use is on the rise, especially with decreasing costs for the technology, creating opportunities for renewable energy engineers to help build the energy future.

This article examines what a renewable energy engineer does, the importance of the role, the skills needed, renewable energy engineer jobs, and how to start on this career path.

What is a renewable energy engineer?

Renewable energy engineers design, implement, and maintain renewable energy infrastructure. In this role, you might design renewable energy solutions in new places using current technology, optimize technology to be more efficient and economical, or search for new renewable energy technologies entirely. Your main goal will be figuring out how to harness energy from renewable resources in a way that reduces cost and maximizes the energy generated. 

Can mechanical or chemical engineers work in renewable energy? 

While some engineers may have the specific job title of renewable energy engineer, many kinds of engineers work in the renewable energy field. Let’s take a look at the various engineers who work in renewable energy:

• Chemical engineers

• Mechanical engineers

• Industrial engineers

Chemical engineers

Chemical engineers use their understanding of chemistry, physics, and math to solve environmental problems. Two problems in the production of renewable energy that chemical engineers face are finding alternatives for fossil fuels and creating new methods for making this change possible. In this role, you will analyze the cost of alternatives, how to recycle or dispose of chemical waste, and how to scale up production processes. 

Mechanical engineers

Mechanical engineers work in every process during the production of renewable energy, from the production of effective wind turbines to solar power. In this role, you will develop and improve energy systems' mechanical, thermodynamic, fluid dynamic, and material aspects. You'll make systems cost-effective and research new technologies and infrastructure for energy storage. 

Industrial engineers

The production of renewable energy requires many interconnecting disciplines and a systematic production process that requires the skills of industrial engineers to create. You'll find processes to convert, distribute, and consume renewable energy sources by interconnecting all disciplines involved in the process. 

Renewable energy engineering jobs: Where do renewable energy engineers work?

In a similar way that renewable energy engineers work in various energy disciplines, they also work in different industries. They work for local and federal governments as well as for manufacturing and consulting companies. Some companies they work for are:

• US Department of Energy

• Exxon Mobil

• General Electric

• Amergy Solar

• TPI Composites

Renewable energy engineers work in the automotive, environmental, hazardous material, wastewater, and urban planning industries. 

How long does it take to become a renewable energy engineer?

To become a renewable energy engineer, you’ll likely pursue at least a bachelor’s degree, which typically takes four years to complete, and at most a master’s degree, which typically takes an additional two years to complete. In total, you may spend six years pursuing formal degrees in engineering. You may also consider gaining certification for a renewable energy career, which may add additional time to your career journey.

What does a renewable energy engineer do?

While all renewable energy engineers strive to optimize energy solutions, you can specialize in a specific energy source, such as solar or wind power, and work within the unique aspects of each. You’ll likely work in an office but may often travel to job sites for installation and maintenance of equipment.

Let’s take a closer look at the tasks and responsibilities of renewable energy engineers. 

Renewable energy engineer tasks and responsibilities

The overarching task of renewable energy engineers is to research and design renewable energy systems, either from scratch or revamp existing engineering systems to incorporate renewable energy. Once a project begins, you will oversee its development to ensure it meets federal, state, and local environmental regulations. You’ll also maintain equipment so that it continues to function properly and works as intended.

The day-to-day tasks of a renewable energy engineer may consist of:

• Creating cost estimates for projects

• Identifying new energy projects and ways to improve infrastructure

• Implementing safety protocols and ensuring compliance

• Managing projects to completion by coordinating with contractors

• Creating and presenting project blueprints to clients and other engineers

• Working on-site, overseeing construction operations

• Collaborating with engineering teams to look for solutions

• Carrying out final inspections after project completion

Renewable energy engineer skills

As a renewable energy engineer, you need a variety of skills to be successful in your job. Like many other engineering roles, this position requires mathematical and scientific competencies, data analysis skills, proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD), and the ability to manage teams to ensure projects are completed on time. Below is a list of technical and workplace skills essential for renewable energy engineers. 

Technical skills

The range of technical skills for renewable energy engineers includes:

• Renewable energy market knowledge

• Renewable energy regulations

• Project management

• Energy engineering

• CAD

• Solar power

• Photovoltaics (PV)

Workplace skills

Workplace skills for renewable energy engineers are as follows:

• Problem-solving

• Planning

• Organization 

• Verbal communication

• Written communication 

Renewable energy engineer salary and job outlook

The salary for renewable energy engineers varies depending on the job type. Let’s take a closer look at a variety of renewable energy engineer average salaries:

• Renewable energy engineer: $92,343 per year [2]

• Solar engineer: $84,911 per year [3] 

• Wind engineer: $105,719 per year [4] 

• Energy engineer: $98,780 per year [5] 

• Energy efficiency engineer: $94,638 per year [6]

One of the biggest factors that affect the average annual salary of a renewable energy engineer is years of experience in the field [2]:

With renewable energy expected to replace more and more fossil fuels, growth opportunities will likely open up. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a job growth rate of 7 percent for environmental engineers from 2023 to 2033 [7].

How to become a renewable energy engineer

As a renewable energy engineer, you may start your career as a junior engineer before gaining experience and taking on more of the leadership responsibilities of a senior renewable energy engineer. 

Education and training

Employers often require renewable energy engineers to have at least a bachelor’s degree for an entry-level position. Some may require a master’s degree for higher-level positions. If you pursue an undergraduate degree in environmental, electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering, you should gain sufficient knowledge in your studies to work in the field instead of needing a specific renewable energy engineering degree. 

Certification

Most employers also require renewable energy engineers to attain certification. The kind of certification needed for engineers varies from state to state. However, the Certified Renewable Energy Professional (REP) certification is a good fit for renewable energy engineers. This certification requires a related degree or qualification plus two to five years of work experience; alternatively, you may be eligible with a Certified Energy Manager credential or 10 years of work experience. You must also complete 27 hours of training and pass an exam on renewable energy topics.

A range of other basic engineering certifications may be useful, such as the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) professional engineer certification. This certification first requires the passing of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, which recent graduates can take. Once you have gained four years of work experience, you can take the Principles and Practice of Environmental (PE) exam to prove your competency in the field. Always check your state’s licensing board before registering for an examination to see if it has additional requirements. 

Getting started as a renewable energy engineer with Coursera

Are you looking to upskill in your current job or find an entry-level position as a renewable energy engineer? Try the Renewable Energy and Green Building Entrepreneurship course from Duke University or the Introduction to Environmental Science Specialization from Dartmouth, both on Coursera. They each provide you with a shareable certificate upon completion to prove your skills.