The growth of renewable and low-carbon technologies is creating new opportunities for qualified electricians across the UK.
Solar PV, Battery Storage, EV Charging and electrified heating are becoming increasingly common in homes, businesses and commercial developments. For electrical professionals, that creates an opportunity to build specialist knowledge on top of the skills and qualifications they already hold.
The important point is that renewable energy training isn't a replacement for core electrical competence.
It builds on it.
For qualified electrical professionals, specialist renewable courses can provide a focused route into technologies such as Solar PV installation, Electrical Energy Storage Systems and EV Charging without starting electrical training again from scratch.
Heat pumps also create opportunities for electricians, particularly around the electrical elements of installations and for professionals who also have relevant heating experience.
In this guide, we'll look at the renewable energy training available to electricians in 2026, what each technology adds to your existing skillset, and how to decide which area to specialise in.
Why Electricians Are Well Placed to Move into Renewable Energy
Your electrical skills are the starting point.
Renewable technologies introduce new systems, equipment and installation requirements — but they build on electrical knowledge you already use every day.
A qualified electrical professional may already understand areas such as:
- Circuit design
- Cable selection
- Circuit protection
- Earthing and bonding
- Isolation
- Inspection and testing
- Electrical safety
- BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations
Renewable training builds specialist knowledge on top of this existing competence.
Solar PV introduces the requirements associated with photovoltaic generation.
Battery Storage introduces the principles and requirements associated with storing and managing electrical energy.
EV Charging introduces the specialist considerations associated with electric vehicle charging equipment.
The technology changes. Your electrical knowledge remains the foundation underneath it.
Do You Need to Be a Qualified Electrician to Take Renewable Energy Courses?
This depends on the qualification.
Renewable courses have specific entry requirements, and these can vary between technologies and awarding organisations.
Check your eligibility before you book.
For many specialist electrical renewable qualifications, candidates need an appropriate electrical background and current knowledge of BS 7671 Requirements for Electrical Installations.
That's why a short Solar PV, Battery Storage or EV Charging course should not be viewed as a shortcut into becoming an electrician.
If you're already electrically qualified, however, renewable training can allow you to add specialist technologies to your existing skillset.
At Kelly Energy Training, we recommend checking the entry requirements for the individual qualification before booking.
Not sure whether you're eligible? Speak to our training team →
Which Renewable Energy Qualifications Can Electricians Add?
There isn't one compulsory renewable training pathway.
Once you meet the relevant entry requirements, you can choose the technology that matches the work you want to undertake.
GENERATE
Solar PV
Develop specialist knowledge around photovoltaic generation and installation.
View Solar PV Training →STORE
Battery Storage
Develop specialist knowledge around Electrical Energy Storage Systems.
View Battery Storage Training →USE
EV Charging
Develop specialist knowledge around electric vehicle charging equipment and infrastructure.
View EV Charging Training →There are also opportunities for electricians around heat pump installations, particularly where electrical competence is combined with relevant heating knowledge and experience.
You don't necessarily need to complete every renewable qualification. The aim should be to develop the specialist skills that are relevant to your work and career.
Solar PV Training for Electricians
Solar PV is one of the most established renewable technologies available to electrical professionals.
Photovoltaic systems generate electricity from sunlight, introducing specialist requirements beyond those found in conventional electrical installations.
What Does an Electrician Already Bring to Solar PV?
Electrical professionals already bring much of the underpinning knowledge required to understand the electrical side of a photovoltaic installation.
- AC electrical installation
- Circuit protection
- Earthing and bonding
- Cable selection
- Isolation
- Inspection and testing
- Electrical safety
- Understanding and applying BS 7671
What Does Solar PV Training Add?
Specialist Solar PV training can cover areas including:
- Photovoltaic principles
- Solar PV system components
- Array configuration
- DC electrical considerations
- Inverters
- System protection
- Isolation
- Installation requirements
- Commissioning
- Inspection and testing
- Maintenance
- Relevant standards and documentation
The aim isn't to relearn electrical installation — it's to understand how your existing electrical knowledge applies to photovoltaic systems.
Explore Solar PV Installation & Maintenance Training →
Battery Storage Training for Electricians
Battery Storage is becoming an increasingly important part of modern electrical and renewable installations.
Instead of electricity being used only when it is generated or supplied from the grid, an Electrical Energy Storage System can allow energy to be stored and used later.
This makes Battery Storage particularly relevant alongside technologies such as Solar PV.
What Does Battery Storage Training Add?
Specialist Battery Storage training develops knowledge around Electrical Energy Storage Systems and how they integrate with electrical installations.
- Energy storage principles
- Battery technologies
- System components
- System configurations
- Electrical design considerations
- Installation requirements
- Protection
- Isolation
- Commissioning
- Inspection and testing
- Safe working practices
- Relevant standards and documentation
Solar PV + Battery Storage
Solar PV can generate electricity. Battery Storage can store electricity for later use. That makes the two technologies a natural combination for many electrical professionals.
Explore Battery Storage / ESS Training →
EV Charging Training for Electricians
EV Charging is another specialist area that builds directly on existing electrical competence.
Installing electric vehicle charging equipment involves more than simply supplying power to a charger.
Electrical professionals need to understand the particular design, protection, installation and commissioning requirements associated with EV charging equipment.
What Does EV Charging Training Add?
- Types and modes of EV charging
- Charging equipment
- Electrical supply requirements
- Circuit design
- Earthing arrangements
- Protection requirements
- Open PEN conductor considerations
- Load assessment and management
- Smart charging
- Installation
- Inspection and testing
- Commissioning
- Relevant standards and regulations
Explore EV Charging Installation Training →
EV Charging and OZEV in 2026
There is an important distinction between being appropriately trained to install EV charging equipment and being an OZEV-authorised installer for government grant schemes.
OZEV is the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
Government support remains available through a number of eligible chargepoint grant schemes, subject to the current scheme rules and eligibility requirements.
Think of these as two separate considerations:
1. The technical competence required to install EV charging equipment.
2. Any additional OZEV authorisation or scheme requirements for grant-funded work.
Heat Pumps and Opportunities for Electricians
Heat pumps sit slightly differently within the renewable landscape.
A complete heat pump installation includes considerably more than electrical work. Depending on the system and role, this can involve heating-system design, pipework, hydraulic considerations, commissioning and potentially refrigerant work.
An electrician without the relevant heating competence shouldn't assume an electrical qualification alone qualifies them to undertake the complete heat pump installation.
The Electrical Side of Heat Pump Installations
Heat pump projects can require electrical work involving areas such as:
- Dedicated electrical supplies
- Circuit protection
- Isolation
- Controls and associated wiring
- Electrical testing
- Integration with other electrical systems
This creates opportunities for electrical contractors working alongside appropriately competent heating and renewable professionals.
For electricians who also have relevant plumbing or heating qualifications and experience, further specialist heat pump training may provide a route towards a broader installation role.
Generate, Store and Use: How Renewable Technologies Work Together
One of the most interesting developments for electricians isn't any single renewable technology.
It's how these technologies increasingly interact.
A Simple Energy Journey
GENERATE
Solar PV
Generate electricity from solar energy.
STORE
Battery Storage
Store electricity so it can be used later.
USE
EV Charging
Use electricity to support EV charging.
Generate → Store → Use
Heat pumps add another dimension by increasing the electrification of heating.
For electrical professionals, understanding multiple technologies can help develop a broader appreciation of how modern electrical energy systems interact.
Which Renewable Course Should an Electrician Take First?
There isn't one correct answer.
The best starting point depends on your existing qualifications, the work you're currently undertaking and where you want your career or business to develop.
You want to work with renewable electricity generation and photovoltaic systems.
You want to develop specialist knowledge of Electrical Energy Storage Systems or complement existing Solar PV work.
You want to install electric vehicle charging equipment and expand into EV infrastructure.
You work around electrified heating or have relevant heating/plumbing experience and want to investigate a broader role within heat pump installations.
There is no compulsory Solar → Battery → EV sequence.
Choose the technology relevant to your work, then add other specialist areas as your experience and career develop.
Should Electricians Train in More Than One Renewable Technology?
For many electricians, there can be advantages to understanding more than one technology.
A customer installing Solar PV today may consider Battery Storage.
Someone with Solar PV and Battery Storage may also own an electric vehicle.
A property moving towards greater electrification may eventually combine renewable generation, storage, EV charging and electric heating.
Build the skillset that matches the work you want to do.
You don't need every renewable qualification. Add specialist areas as they become relevant to your customers, projects and career direction.
Renewable Energy Training in London
For electricians searching for renewable energy training in London, Kelly Energy Training delivers specialist electrical and renewable courses from our training centre in Enfield, North London.
Our renewable training includes:
We also continue to develop our training provision around emerging low-carbon technologies.
Our Enfield training centre is accessible from across North London, Hertfordshire, Essex and the wider M25 area.
Training combines technical learning with practical experience, helping candidates understand how specialist renewable technologies relate to real electrical installations.
Renewable Training Connected to Industry
Kelly Energy Training forms part of the wider Kelly Group, giving our training business connections to organisations operating across infrastructure, telecommunications, electrical and renewable energy.
FROM TRAINING TO THE REAL WORLD
Connected to GGRS Energie
GGRS Energie operates within renewable and low-carbon technologies including Solar PV, Battery Storage and EV Charging.
These links help keep our renewable training connected to technologies being used beyond the classroom.
Where suitable vacancies exist, learners can also explore opportunities across the wider Kelly Group.
Explore Current Kelly Group Vacancies →
Please note: Employment is not guaranteed, and completing a Kelly Energy Training course should not be interpreted as an offer of employment.
Renewable Energy Training FAQs
What renewable qualifications can an electrician add?
Qualified electrical professionals may be able to add specialist qualifications in areas including Solar PV installation, Electrical Energy Storage Systems and EV Charging, subject to meeting the entry requirements of the individual qualification.
Electricians with appropriate additional heating experience may also explore specialist heat pump training.
Do I need to be an electrician to install Solar PV?
Solar PV installations involve specialist electrical work.
A short Solar PV course should not be viewed as a substitute for the underlying electrical competence required to carry out electrical installation work safely.
Is Battery Storage worth adding after Solar PV?
For many electrical professionals, Solar PV and Battery Storage are complementary specialist areas.
However, Battery Storage doesn't have to be taken after Solar PV simply because the technologies work well together. Your training choices should reflect the work you intend to undertake and the entry requirements of the qualification.
Do electricians need an EV Charging qualification?
Electricians working with EV charging equipment need appropriate competence for the work they undertake.
Specialist EV Charging training can develop knowledge of areas such as charging modes, protection, earthing arrangements, load management, smart charging, installation and commissioning.
Do I need OZEV approval to install EV chargers?
OZEV authorisation is particularly relevant to government-funded chargepoint installations.
That should not be confused with the underlying electrical competence required to install EV charging equipment.
Can an electrician work on heat pump installations?
Yes, electricians can undertake appropriate electrical work associated with heat pump installations where they are competent to do so.
Electrical competence alone doesn't automatically qualify someone to undertake the complete heating, hydraulic or refrigerant aspects of a heat pump installation.
Which renewable course should I take first?
There is no mandatory sequence.
If you want to work with renewable generation, consider Solar PV.
If you want to work with energy storage, consider Battery Storage / ESS.
If you want to work with electric vehicle infrastructure, consider EV Charging.
Your starting point should be based on your existing qualifications and the type of work you want to undertake.
Where can I find renewable energy courses in London?
Kelly Energy Training delivers specialist renewable and electrical training from our centre in Enfield, North London, including Solar PV, Battery Storage and EV Charging courses.
The centre is accessible from across London, Hertfordshire, Essex and the wider M25 area.
Build on the Electrical Skills You Already Have
For qualified electrical professionals, moving into renewable energy doesn't mean starting your career again.
Your existing electrical competence is the foundation.
Renewable training allows you to add specialist knowledge in the technologies that are becoming increasingly important across modern electrical installations.
That could mean learning how to generate electricity through Solar PV.
How to store it through Battery Storage.
How to use it through EV Charging.
Or developing your understanding of the electrical infrastructure supporting technologies such as heat pumps.
There isn't one compulsory renewable pathway.
The right approach is to check your eligibility, choose the technology that fits your work and career goals, and continue adding specialist knowledge as your experience develops.
At Kelly Energy Training in Enfield, North London, we provide specialist renewable energy training for electrical professionals looking to take that next step.
Not Sure Which Renewable Course Is Right for You?
Tell us what electrical qualifications and experience you already have, and our team can help you understand which renewable training options may be appropriate.
Talk to Our Training Team → View the Electrical Training Pathway →
