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13 February 2026

What training is required to work in renewable energy in Spain?

Renewable energy is a well-established career path in Spain, driven by the growth of clean energy generation and the electrification of the economy. In this context, a key question arises: what training is needed to work in the sector and what profiles are in demand?

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1.What jobs are being created in the renewable energy sector?

2.Is there specific training in renewable energy?

3. Professional retraining and continuing education

Renewable energy already accounts for around 56% of the electricity generated in our country, a figure that rises to 57% if self-consumption is included, according to the latest data from Red Eléctrica de España.

This development has a direct impact on employment. In 2024, renewable energies employed 126,574 people (80,962 directly) according to the Macroeconomic Impact Study by APPA Renovables. 

evolucion empleo asociado a las renovables en españa

Evolución del empleo asociado a las energías renovables en España

 

Periodo
2018 – 2024

Leyenda

  • Empleo directo

  • Empleo indirecto

  • Empleo total

Datos por año (número de empleos)

2018

  • Empleo directo: 120.254

  • Empleo indirecto: 98.129

  • Empleo total: 84.542

2019 (en el gráfico aparece rotulado por error como 2018)

  • Empleo directo: 60.243

  • Empleo indirecto: 37.660

  • Empleo total: 97.903

2020

  • Empleo directo: 59.222

  • Empleo indirecto: 36.742

  • Empleo total: 95.964

2021

  • Empleo directo: 72.500

  • Empleo indirecto: 43.028

  • Empleo total: 115.528

2022

  • Empleo directo: 80.323

  • Empleo indirecto: 50.492

  • Empleo total: 130.815

2023

  • Empleo directo: 81.770

  • Empleo indirecto: 45.558

  • Empleo total: 127.328

2024

  • Empleo directo: 80.962

  • Empleo indirecto: 45.612

  • Empleo total: 126.574

Fuente
APPA Renovables y Deloitte

This sector is evolving towards new activities and technologies, such as renewable hydrogen and thermal solutions, which require technical training and increasingly specialised profiles. But before we talk about training, what jobs are being created in the renewable energy sector in Spain?

 

What jobs are being created in the renewable energy sector?

Clean energy requires a mix of profiles covering different functions:

  • Installation, operation and maintenance: technicians who work with solar panels, wind turbines, storage systems and other renewable infrastructure.
  • Engineering and design: engineers specialising in different fields, such as energy, electrical, mechanical or industrial engineering, as well as energy efficiency.
  • Project management, planning and control: profiles with training and specialisation in management, regulation and environmental aspects, as well as organisational skills.
  • Regulation and regulatory development: professionals specialising in regulatory frameworks, administrative procedures, environmental assessment and compliance with legal requirements related to the development, design and implementation of energy projects.
  • Digitalisation and data analysis: experts in advanced systems, smart grids and digital tools for optimising energy assets.
  • Logistics and supply chain: responsible for planning, purchasing materials, procuring equipment, coordinating with suppliers and managing the transport and installation of components such as solar panels, wind turbines or storage systems.
  • New professions linked to the energy transition: sustainability consultants, electric mobility specialists and circular economy professionals.

 

In addition, the electrification of other sectors, such as transport and industry, and the deployment of network infrastructure are generating demand for technical and management profiles linked to the planning, operation and maintenance of electricity systems. These activities incorporate new energy solutions in areas that were not traditionally associated with renewable energy.

Operarios trabajando en Aldeavieja
Repotenciación eólica en Aldeavieja (Ávila).

 

Is there specific training in renewable energy?

The short answer is yes, but the sector is not limited to a single training path. Renewable energy requires a wide range of skills, from practical technical abilities to scientific knowledge.

Working in renewable energy does not fit a single profile. The sector encompasses technical, industrial, environmental and management roles, and requires a combination of skills ranging from operation and maintenance to planning and innovation.

 

Vocational training

Vocational training focuses on technical skills for the installation, operation and maintenance of energy infrastructure.

Vocational training programmes offer the necessary training to work in:

  • Installation, operation and maintenance of solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems.
  • Installation, operation and maintenance of wind turbines and wind farms.
  • Low and medium voltage electrical installations linked to renewable projects.
  • Installation and maintenance of energy storage systems and equipment for efficient electricity consumption management, such as batteries, energy monitoring systems, and equipment for controlling and optimising energy use in buildings and industrial facilities.

 

The training content is geared towards mastering technical tasks such as the assembly and commissioning of equipment, the supervision of the operation of installations, the detection and resolution of incidents, the interpretation of electrical diagrams and the application of safety and occupational risk prevention protocols.

Training in occupational health and safety is a fundamental part of this field, especially in work at height, high-voltage installations, or industrial environments, where ensuring safety is inseparable from the proper execution of projects.

 

University education

University education provides the scientific and technical foundation necessary for complex functions in design, planning, project management and technology development.

Some of the most relevant degrees in the renewable energy context include:

  • Industrial engineering.
  • Energy engineering.
  • Electrical or electronic engineering.
  • Mechanical engineering.
  • Environmental science.
  • Physics or mathematics applied to energy.

 

These degrees prepare students for positions involving:

  • Design and optimisation of renewable energy projects.
  • Calculation of energy resources.
  • Integration of renewables into complex electricity systems.
  • Management of multi-level projects (economic, technical, regulatory).

The university usually combines theory with applied research projects and internships in business environments, which enhances employability and the ability to adapt to emerging technologies.

Colocación de paneles solares.
Installation of solar panels.

 

Professional retraining and continuing education

The energy transition and renewable energies require professionals working in the sector to update their skills over the years. Do you know why?

  • To adapt to new roles and tools (e.g. energy modelling software or digital control systems).
  • To transform previous experience in traditional sectors (such as electricity, mechanics or construction) into a professional profile geared towards the maintenance of energy facilities or electricity consumption management.
  • To accompany the industrial transition, where many energy generation and consumption processes are being redefined.

 

In addition, investments in electricity grids and the electrification of other sectors are placing the electricity grid at the heart of the energy transition, and its development is generating new employment opportunities.

There is no single path to working in renewable energy: what exists is a convergence of technical, scientific and practical training, accompanied by continuous training, which allows adaptation to the current and future challenges of the energy system.

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