Workforce and skills requirements in Scotland’s solar industry

The aim of this study was to investigate the skills need of the solar industry in Scotland, based on a proposed ambition of 4 to 6 gigawatts (GW) installed solar capacity by 2030.

These were addressed through a literature review, model development and stakeholder engagement.

Findings

• The workforce serving the solar industry will need to increase from approximately 800 in 2023 to an estimate of over 11,000 full time equivalent (FTEs) in 2030. Most of this growth is attributed to construction-related activities, especially for ground-mounted solar projects
• People currently employed in the industry have the right skills, however, there is a significant shortage of skilled labour. Therefore, there is a need for more people to be recruited into the solar industry. The existing training provision, with some development and adaptation, can provide the necessary skills to those who do not have direct solar industry experience.
• If skilled workforce shortages are not addressed, the potential impact on the ability to deliver 4 to 6 GW of solar capacity by 2030 could be significant, given the difference between current and required future workforce levels.  
• The expansion to around 11,000 FTEs by 2030 includes 9,100 FTEs for construction related activities, almost 82% of the new workforce required. These workforce requirements are relatively temporary. In contrast, approximately 2,000 FTEs will be required for operation and maintenance activities, which provide more lasting employment needs.
• The highest levels of workforce requirements were identified in the following specialisms: electricians, grid connection engineers, high voltage technicians, electrical engineers and constructions workers.
• This research points to two pathways for achieving a suitable skillset for these specialisms:
  • Upskilling in addition to general technical training through short courses or in-house training, or
  • Adding PV-relevant modules to existing training courses.
• The installation of commercial rooftop projects is and will continue to be concentrated in and around the main clusters of population in the central belt of Scotland, the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, the east- and north-east of Scotland and in and around the Inverness area.
• The majority of the ground-mounted projects will be located in more rural and less densely populated regions of Scotland, particularly Aberdeenshire, Angus, Fife and Tayside, where there is availability of land at a size appropriate for these larger systems. The installation of ground-mounted systems is expected to require a partly mobile and partly fixed workforce.
• Reliable data relating to the future pipeline of domestic rooftop projects is not readily available.

For further details please read the report.

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