A career in renewable energy consulting

venky · Intermediate Crude Joined: Mar 13, 2005 Posts: 789

This is something I have been thinking about a while. As the transistion progresses there is going to be a need for people with skills in renewable energy technologies capable of designing effective solutions for both Business and Private users. To build new markets where buyers will have access to alternative energy technologies as per their needs.

Is anyone on this forum a renewable energy consultant? What advice would he give to someone looking to get into this field? A Master's degree or an MBA? Or trying to gain experience in a renewable energy company and building up contacts?
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ThePostman · Tar Sands Joined: Apr 03, 2006 Posts: 44

Well... I have tried to start a consulting business (w/MBA from a solid University) and a good deal of operations and I.T. experience and what I've learned is:

1. Contacts are everything. It's very difficult to get off the ground without them.
2. Experience in your niche' is everything. You're being hired as an "expert" in your field.
3. Knowledge is everything. Both in terms of business acumen (you must show ROI for your efforts) and the industry in general.

So you pretty much need all three is what I'm getting at. Consulting in green tech is probably too broad. Focus on a certain aspect such as logistics, operations, etc. You can start with the simple "change out the filament light bulbs" to the full on restructuring of the business model, just have focus on a certain aspect unless you happen to be a specialist in all fields (not likely since that's something of a contradiction in itself).
RC in Portland
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Gerben

My business card says Alternative Energy Consultant. I'm mostly a sales consulant though. Making your hobby your work is not easy. Don't start unless you have customers.

My current employer wanted to hire me as a consultant. I asked them to give me a job as such instead. On my own I could have asked them twice of what I get as an employee, but now I have job security (we have good laws protecting employees here). No worries, no risks. And enough money to buy bread and a bicycle. No SUV, though, but who'd want one?

vision-master

joeltrout

A friend of mine just got hired for a large wind energy company in Houston. He is a meteorologist and was working for a weather company and realize he could work in the wind industry and make a ton more money and have a great future ahead of him.

If I were you I would try to get on early as possible that way 5 years down the road you have experience while companies are trying to hire people because wind companies will be in huge demand but they can't operate without skilled people.

joeltrout
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xerces

I have a small green space design consultancy. One thing that is worth noting is that client social networking and good PR is of the utmost importance. Because it's the best way to acquire contracts. And a consultant is dead in the water without a steady flow of contract revenue.
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highlander

With the right skill set and contacts, the green industry consultants will do fine for a few years.

As far as anycareer, I'd say forget it.

Be flexible, hard working and dependable in any endeavor you find yourself in.
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Highlander 2007

roccman

Don't mean to rain on anyones parade, but having spent a large sum of money on "green" equipment...I just don't see people having available cash.

Property values and communities with high percentages of empty houses are crashing and turning into crack dens. I just don't see many making a 20K investment in "green" anything...in a ghetto.

So you want to cater to the rich...who does not...they already have "green" consultants.

Sorry but one should have started 10 years...like with all "new opportunities" when J6P is talking about them it is already way too late.

Best to invest time and resources now growing amaranth and make bread from a solar oven and selling on a street corner...just be sure to pack heat so no one steals you oven.
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"There must be a bogeyman; there always is, and it cannot be something as esoteric as "resource depletion." You can't go to war with that." Emersonbiggins

"... hope is a rotten-thighed whore" Niko Kazantzakis

We are going back to roccland - me

WisJim

There are many levels of renewable energy consulting that you could do. On a basic level, you could get training for either solar electric, solar water heating or wind generation site assessment. In Wisconsin, classes and training for certification for site assessors is available through the MREA.

xerces