Renewable Energy Careers in Italy

Martina Zandara, Manager - Renewable Energy (Italy)

With a diverse landscape and a rapidly expanding renewable energy industry, Italy is amongst the top countries in Europe leading in renewable energy. Discover the exciting opportunities this industry has to offer and join us on our mission towards a clean energy future.

Leading Sectors in Italy

As of 2022, renewables make up approximately one-third (31.4%) of power generation in Italy, and the Italian renewable energy market is not stopping there. It is expected to see significant growth in the coming years. The increase will be mainly driven by two factors: favourable weather conditions and the availability of substantial funds raised by national and regional forums.

Things are looking positive, but the recovery of hydro after Italy's 2022 droughts makes the renewables data look better than it really is. The country is still off track to meet its energy transition target of 70% of electricity coming from renewables by 2030. Nevertheless, solar and wind energy produced a record amount of power in Italy in 2023, with wind farms generating a record 23.4 Terawatt hours (TWh) and solar panels surpassing their previous total to hit 30.6 TWh. All renewable sources met almost 37% of the nation’s electricity demand - up from 31% in 2022.

Solar is expected to dominate the Italian renewable energy market due to increased solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. Italy’s solar industry has always been one of the most developed in Europe, thanks to the country’s climate and government incentives. It has registered a seven-fold increase in the number of photovoltaic systems since 2010, reaching over 1.2 million in 2022. That year, Lombardy and Veneto were the regions contributing the most to this growth, accounting together for over 30% of the PV installed capacity in the country.

The Italian market for BESS is also growing rapidly and currently amounts to 2.3 GW. It almost exclusively consists of residential scale systems, associated with small scale solar plants, having a capacity of less than 20 kWh. However, Italy is paving a new way with its new long-term contract-based policy support mechanism for storage, which could see the country deploying BESS capacity faster than all other European markets across the next 5 years.

In Demand Jobs

As the renewable energy industry grows, certain roles are becoming increasingly critical to meet the country’s ambitious energy goals.

One current key in-demand role is that of Renewable Energy Engineers. With Italy’s focus on expanding its renewable energy capacity, engineers skilled in solar and wind technologies are in particularly high demand. These professionals play a vital role in designing, developing, and implementing projects. Their work is essential in optimising the performance of renewable energy systems and ensuring that these technologies are efficiently integrated into the national energy grid.

Another key role in Italy’s renewable energy market is that of Energy Storage Specialists. As renewable energy sources like solar and wind become more widely used, the need for efficient energy storage solutions is becoming increasingly important. Specialists in this field are at the forefront of developing advanced batteries and other storage technologies that are critical for stabilising energy supplies. In Italy, where the push for energy storage is supported by new long-term policy mechanisms, Energy Storage Specialists are integral to the country’s ability to fully capitalise on its renewable energy potential.

Career Opportunities

The renewable energy industry offers opportunities to contribute to the production of clean energy sources and make a lasting impact. Now more than ever, we need to focus on this energy transition, and with Italy ranking 4th in renewable energy employment, the timing couldn’t be better.

Not to mention Italy’s favourable work-life balance, rich culture, and pleasant Mediterranean climate, the growth of its renewable energy industries makes it an ideal place to pursue a new career change in renewable energy. It’s undoubtable that the future of the energy landscape presents an exciting landscape for job seekers in renewable energy.

We are always updating our jobs page with the freshest opportunities. Click here to browse all our live jobs.

Alternatively, if you would like to discuss any of the above, are actively seeking a new job or are interested in exploring new opportunities, our Italian experts are always ready to assist. Click here to learn all about our Italian Renewable Energy market, services and team.