Is the Skills Gap the Achilles’ Heel of Solar Growth?

Andy Newland, Manager – Renewable Energy (UK)

The renewable energy sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace each year, solar capacity alone has reached 18.5GW in capacity as of May 2025¹. But there's a serious problem beginning to rise beneath the surface: a widening skills gap, especially in the operational side of the renewables industry.

Lack of Structured Pathways into Solar & Battery Tech Careers

One of the biggest obstacles causing the significant lack of talent supply is the absence of clear, structured entry routes into renewable energy careers. Colleges and training providers still fail to offer dedicated qualifications or NVQs specifically tailored to utility-scale solar or battery systems, look at the wind industry's GWO certificates! As it stands, it appears that most renewables professionals enter the industry inadvertently, often starting their career as time-served electricians working on domestic or rooftop installations before moving into large-scale solar projects².

Apprenticeships are equally rare, with only a handful of regional firms offering them, which are typically for small rooftop installations rather than the megawatt-scale systems that need the most attention. This lack of formal pathways has left the industry heavily reliant on workers who "fall into" renewables rather than actively choosing it as a career.

Another issue highlighting the talent gap coming from higher education is the lack of knowledge and understanding around careers in renewable energy. A report by WorldSkills in 2022 discovered that "63% of 16–24-year-olds have never even heard of 'green skills.'"³ This overwhelming number displays the lack of awareness and education on the key skills that are crucial to help drive initiatives to reach net-zero targets.

This isn't only a gap in the market; it's a crisis waiting to happen. Collaboration between industry players, colleges, and training bodies could unlock a huge pool of untapped talent and help close the gap between limited supply and increasing demand.

Industry Preference for Experience is Fuelling Talent Shortage

Instead of acquiring and developing new talent, most companies opt to compete for the same limited pool of experienced professionals. Employers overwhelmingly prefer "plug-and-play" hires who can start immediately, rather than investing in training and development. There are obviously reasons why companies prefer this method, but ironically, it's normally owing to a lack of internal resources to train the new starters!

This issue is only worsened by the notoriously thin margins on O&M contracts. O&M contracts are typically awarded on a lowest-cost basis, leaving little to no room to accommodate training costs. Meanwhile, salaries for solar farm technicians in the UK have surged by as much as £10,000 in just five years⁵, creating a mercenary job market where engineers are being headhunted by the highest bidder, further eroding the already strained margins in a quest to avoid training and developing a new in-house talent base.

"Fewer than 1 in 10 employees receive green skills training at work"⁴
- OVO Energy, 2023

This short-term approach may seem cost-effective today, but it is causing huge implications for wage inflation, high staff turnover, and long-term instability.

That being said, there is also a proverbial elephant in the room regarding compensation, particularly in comparison to other electricians' salaries. A recurring observation within the industry is that solar/BESS technicians will often earn comparatively less than equally qualified Level 3 electricians who ply their trade outside of renewables in a domestic or commercial setting. In some cases, electricians completing second-fix work on residential properties earn more than a technician responsible for maintaining tens of megawatts worth of critical national infrastructure! Whilst salary inflation is a real challenge for O&M providers, it also needs to be argued that salaries for solar and BESS electricians, some of whom are maintaining NSIP-level projects, should also be remunerated to reflect the quality and significance of the work they are completing. This might mark the start of a shift in how O&M contracts are priced and awarded, something worth watching closely.

Additional Barriers to Entry and Retention

The renewable workforce is facing the same challenges as other engineering sectors, but with even higher stakes. Skilled professionals are ageing out of the industry, and the replacement rate isn't keeping up.

Diversity remains a significant issue, with women representing just 15.7% of the engineering workforce in 2023⁶, arguably an even lower percentage for renewable field service engineers. Total engineering apprenticeships have fallen by 8% between 2017–2023, as discovered by EngineeringUK⁷, only further highlighting the concerning lack of talent entering the market.

With so few fresh recruits entering the sector, it isn't only adding pressure to decision-makers but also to existing workers. With the limited number of fellow colleagues, current renewable energy workers are under increasing pressure to manage workloads to reach business objectives, raising burnout risks and further discouraging new entrants.

Missed Opportunities: Training Juniors Could Be the Game-Changer

Ironically, the most effective solution is also the simplest: train more junior staff. By developing talent internally, companies could reduce wage pressures, improve retention (which in turn will reduce attrition costs), and secure long-term operational stability.

Structured training programmes, paired with clear career progression roadmaps and reward milestones, foster loyalty and brand commitment⁹. Workers from adjacent electrical industries already possess valuable transferable skills, but many are overlooked due to rigid hiring criteria which are often fixated on previous renewable experience.

Initiatives such as the Energy Skills Passport are proving that cross-sector transitions work¹⁰. Companies that embrace these strategies now will be better positioned to attract and retain talent for years to come.

Looking Ahead

The skills gap in renewable energy operations is a growing threat to the UK's and global clean energy ambitions. But it's far from unsolvable. Companies need to shift their mindset from chasing quick, ready-to-go hires to building long-term talent pipelines.

Investment in training infrastructure, partnerships with colleges, and a willingness to broaden hiring criteria are critical first steps. Retention strategies, including clear career development pathways, will be essential for keeping skilled workers in the sector.

The government has acknowledged the problem and has implemented initiatives to tackle the gap in skilled workers in the green space⁸¹¹¹². Now, it relies on the private sector to rise to the challenge or risk falling behind in the race for a clean energy future.