23.02.2026
The energy transition is no longer a future ambition. To stay on track with global climate goals, an estimated 38 million additional energy professionals will be needed worldwide. In Britain alone, the government has set a target for 95% of electricity generation to come from clean sources by 2030.
Behind every offshore turbine, every solar array, every Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) switched on, there’s a workforce challenge that determines whether progress accelerates or stalls.
As a Principal Consultant – Renewables at Morson Edge and renewable energy specialist, I partner with clients scaling ambitious renewable programmes under intense regulatory, commercial and engineering pressure. My role is to connect them with the specialist talent that turns strategy into delivery and investment into operational assets.
From concept and development through construction, commissioning and long-term operations, we provide the expertise that keeps projects on track. We support offshore wind, utility-scale solar, battery storage, smart grid upgrades and green hydrogen. At every stage of the lifecycle.
The green skills gap: A structural talent deficit
With renewables overtaking coal in 2025 as the world’s largest source of electricity generation, the sector is accelerating at pace. At the same time, experienced energy professionals are retiring or transitioning from legacy markets. Demand for renewable energy talent shows no signs of slowing.
According to the IEA report, employment in the global energy sector is expanding at twice the pace of the wider economy, even as skilled labour bottlenecks create rising delivery risks. Solar PV is a major driver of growth, supported by rapid hiring across nuclear, grid infrastructure and energy storage. Electrification is reshaping the market further, with roles in EV and battery manufacturing increased by nearly 800,000 in 2024 alone.
Energy employment is surging. Skills shortages are tightening. That gap is where projects stall.
The UK alone has committed to creating hundreds of thousands of clean energy roles by 2030. Across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific, similar ambitions are reshaping labour markets. Yet demand continues to outpace supply in critical disciplines, including:
- Offshore and onshore wind engineering
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) design and commissioning
- Grid integration and modernisation
- Battery storage and energy management systems
- Green hydrogen development
- Bioenergy and hydropower
- Transmission and distribution upgrades
Offshore wind capacity is forecast to almost triple by 2030. Turbine technicians, subsea engineers and installation specialists are already in extreme demand. Grid engineers with system stability expertise are essential as intermittent generation increases. Commissioning specialists capable of bringing complex BESS assets online are scarce. Project managers able to navigate multi-jurisdictional consenting regimes are highly sought after.
From my conversations with clients, one point is clear: the energy transition is as much a workforce transition as it is a technological one.
Securing the right expertise early protects programme timelines, reduces delivery risk and safeguards investment. Because in renewable energy recruitment, timing is everything.
The full lifecycle challenge – and the Morson Edge solution
Hiring managers today are under relentless pressure. Programmes are scaling faster than internal teams can grow. Regulatory frameworks are tightening. Grid constraints are intensifying. Supply chains are stretched. Investors expect certainty. And all of it depends on securing the right expertise at exactly the right moment.
The challenge is rarely just headcount. Often it is timing, specialism and experience. Finding specialists who can navigate consenting regimes, manage EPC interfaces, integrate storage, stabilise grids and commission assets safely and on schedule can be difficult, especially during the rapid infrastructure expansion and severe talent shortages.
But when those skills are not in place early enough, delays compound. This leads to escalated costs and increased risk.
This is why it is important to act quickly. At Morson Edge, we support clients across the entire renewable project lifecycle, supplying specialist talent at each critical stage. From early development and design through construction, commissioning and long-term operations, we connect you with the expertise that keeps projects moving and performance on track.
One powerful differentiator for Morson Edge is the ability to redeploy skills from:
- Oil & gas into offshore wind
- Nuclear into grid and hydrogen
- Aerospace into systems engineering for storage
Many of the most effective renewable engineers did not begin their careers in renewables. We map transferable skills across energy, defence and infrastructure, unlocking adjacent expertise to close critical gaps.
Here are five steps of how we solve clients’ renewable energy recruitment challenges:
1. Planning and feasibility
Before steel hits ground, projects demand environmental, financial and regulatory clarity.
Client pressures:
- Securing viable sites while balancing environmental impact
- Navigating multi-layered planning and permitting frameworks
- Building robust financial models amid policy shifts
Our response:
We connect clients with environmental planners, grid consultants, financial analysts and development managers who have delivered similar projects before. Early-stage clarity reduces downstream risk. Better decisions up front prevent costly delays later.
2. Design and engineering
Modern renewable systems are not standalone assets. They must integrate into increasingly complex energy ecosystems.
Client pressures:
- Integrating renewables into ageing grid infrastructure
- Designing for resilience and future scalability
- Accessing engineers fluent in emerging technologies
Our response:
We supply electrical, mechanical and C&I engineers, system architects and design specialists experienced working with wind turbines, solar panels, hydrogen and storage integration. From concept design to detailed engineering, we provide the expertise that turns ambition into build-ready reality.
3. Construction and installation
As global demand intensifies, competition for skilled site labour becomes acute.
Client pressures:
- Coordinating multi-site logistics, often in remote environments
- Maintaining safety and quality standards under tight deadlines
- Avoiding programme slippage due to labour shortages
Our response:
We mobilise project managers, construction leads, turbine technicians, cable jointers and installation teams worldwide. Our global footprint allows us to connect talent across borders, accelerating delivery without compromising compliance or safety.
4. Operations and maintenance
Once operational, assets must perform reliably for decades.
Client pressures:
- Managing intermittency and storage optimisation
- Driving predictive maintenance strategies
- Controlling operational costs while maximising output
Our response:
We connect O&M engineers, asset managers and performance analysts skilled in digital monitoring, predictive diagnostics and storage management. The focus shifts from build to optimisation. Output improves. Downtime reduces. Returns strengthen.
5. Repowering and decommissioning
The first wave of renewable assets is already approaching maturity.
Client pressures:
- Responsible end-of-life disposal
- Repowering wind and solar sites efficiently
- Making commercially sound upgrade decisions
Our response:
We provide specialists in lifecycle assessment, recycling, grid upgrades and repowering strategy. Sustainability extends beyond installation. It continues through asset evolution.
Connecting global talent to local delivery
The renewable workforce challenge is rarely confined to one geography. Talent pools vary in maturity. Regulatory landscapes differ. Project pipelines surge regionally.
Morson Edge operates globally, with insight into local labour markets across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. This allows us to:
- Identify transferable expertise across adjacent sectors
- Relocate specialist engineers for critical phases
- Build blended teams combining local knowledge and global experience
- Accelerate mobilisation through pre-qualified talent networks
We do not simply fill vacancies. We anticipate workforce demand curves, mapping talent ahead of project peaks. Because in renewables, timing is everything.
A long-term partner in a long-term transition
60% percent of our renewables clients have partnered with us for over 15 years. That longevity reflects sector depth.
We support leading renewable operators including ScottishPower, Skyborn and ACRWORLD, and through our international network we operate across key global markets. Across energy, power and renewables, we manage more than £231m of annual spend and deliver over 4,000 placements each year across 18 European countries.
To add to this, as a specialist in renewable disciplines, I understand the nuances of consenting regimes, grid codes, offshore safety certifications and hydrogen pilot programmes.
At Morson, we know the difference between theoretical capability and deployable expertise. And that distinction matters when projects are measured in megawatts, capital exposure is significant, and deadlines are non-negotiable.
To summarise, here’s why clients choose us:
Deep sector intelligence – from floating wind to green hydrogen, BESS to transmission upgrades, we understand the technical and regulatory landscape shaping renewable delivery.
Global reach, local execution – our international network connects scarce skills to urgent projects, without losing sight of local compliance and labour market dynamics.
Speed with precision – we maintain an extensive pre-qualified talent pool, enabling rapid mobilisation without compromising quality.
Lifecycle capability – we support projects from land acquisition through commissioning and long-term operations.
Cleaner power takes sharper people
Closing the green skills gap and providing more green jobs is not a short-term hiring exercise. It requires structured workforce planning, early careers investment and global mobility strategies as well as a deep understanding of renewable infrastructure.
At Morson Edge, we supply the specialists building wind farms, integrating storage, modernising grids and advancing hydrogen. Our expertise spans the full project lifecycle, and our candidate network covers the hardest-to-fill roles. We give you speed, precision, and peace of mind. If you’re ready to tackle your challenges head-on, reach out to me at Matthieu.Harivel@morson.com.
Let’s power renewable energy projects with the right people for a cleaner, greener tomorrow.
