European Solar Academy

Towards the solar energy future

Urgent demand for solar skills in Europe

The EU targets almost 600GW of newly installed solar capacity by 2030, but a major skills gap stands in the way. The European Solar Academy equips you with the expertise to meet this urgent demand. Many solar industry roles, like construction and roofing, will become accessible through upskilling. Encouraging and facilitating lifelong training is essential, particularly for workers transitioning from other industries.

In 2024, solar PV generated 304 TWh of electricity in the EU – that’s enough to power nearly 90 million European households.

InnoEnergy, Eurostat

The EU solar PV sector supports over 800,000 jobs and this number expected to surpass the 1 million mark by 2027.

SolarPower Europe: EU Solar Jobs Report

Some 20,000 trained operators and technicians would be required along the upstream supply chain to manufacture 30 GW worth of solar panels in the EU every year.

InnoEnergy

Skills solutions for the solar industry

At the European Solar Academy, we are committed to transforming the EU workforce for the solar industry. Our mission is to revolutionise upskilling and reskilling across the solar PV value chain, equipping SMEs and professionals with the expertise needed to meet industry demands. By enhancing workforce capabilities, we’re not just keeping up — we’re leading the charge toward a sustainable future.

Our mission

Support & Reinforce Education and Training

Provide robust training across the solar PV value chain.

Boost Industry Competitiveness

Strengthen the EU industry’s competitiveness and supply chain resilience.

Transform Challenges into Assets

Address the skills gap to support the EU industry’s market share and supply chain resilience.

Assist Subject-Matter Experts

Facilitate workforce upskilling and reskilling for SMEs in solar energy.

Why is this important?

The solar PV sector will drastically increase in the next 5 years, and with that skills in specialisations, material science and chemical engineering would be in the forefront. As solar panels change, manufacturing them with highest quality material is going to be a priority.”

Unit recruitment managers in Germany, Solar PV Reuse/Recycle

Integrated photovoltaics with advanced energy management and batteries would require high technical skills and will be in high demand in the next five years.”

Learning and Development Manager/Director in Germany, Solar PV Maintenance/Operations

The two challenges related to reskilling and upskilling that we faced are the lack of in-depth technical knowledge of electrical systems and solar modules.”

HR Manager in the Netherlands, Solar PV Reuse/Recycle

Helping the workforce to manufacture 40% of Europe’s net zero technologies. Here is what we want to achieve:

Here is where you come in

We’re looking to support all parts of the solar PV value chain, so if you have expertise in manufacturing, deployment, operations and maintenance or decommissioning and recycling, we need your help to bridge the skills gap and design skilling solutions to equip workers with knowledge needed to excel in the solar industry.

Are you a training provider in solar PV?

Do you want to help us shape the future of solar education? Join us today to create impactful training experiences that drive industry innovation and growth. By acting swiftly and effectively, we strive to significantly impact the solar PV industry and the broader EU goals.

Get in touch

Are you a subject matter expert in solar PV?

Join us as we shape the future of solar energy education. We’re interested in hearing from you if you have expertise in any part of the solar value chain and an interest in helping to develop content.

Get in touch

Open Skills Hub

As part of the Community Programmes initiative by InnoEnergy Skills Institute, the Open Skills Hub delivers on our mission to enable access to clean tech education. As a close partner of the European Union, we play a key role in delivering the European Commission’s skills strategy. We run the Net Zero Industry Academies turning policy into action to ensure that citizens in Europe benefit from the transition.

Now introducing our brand new Free Access course Solar Careers Decoded

Discover the Open Skills Hub

Driving the Solar Revolution: Talent and Skills Shaping the Solar PV Sector

Europe’s solar photovoltaic (PV) industry is growing rapidly, leading the transition to a net zero future. However, this growth brings challenges — especially the need for a skilled workforce to drive innovation. Our report offers critical insights into the trends and skills shaping the solar industry. Whether you’re a business leader, policymaker, or solar professional, this report is essential to staying ahead.

Read the full report

Talent Pipeline as a Service

Talent Pipeline as a Service (TPaaS) is a flexible, end-to-end solution for recruiting, training, and certifying skilled clean tech talent. Turn hiring into a strategic advantage — scale your operations, close critical skills gaps, and tackle staffing challenges with confidence. Have talent on demand wherever and whenever you are.

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Green Talent Accelerator

Green Talent Accelerator is a transformative framework designed to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in clean tech. It connects role-specific skills, curated training, and industry-recognised certifications into a structured system — helping you develop faster and stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

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Community Programmes

Community Programmes educate, inspire, and accelerate clean energy adoption. Through collaboration and awareness, we ensure community acceptance and industry alignment. As an EU partner, we turn policy into action, delivering the European Commission’s skills strategy to benefit citizens across Europe.

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Serving across industrial alliances

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European Battery Alliance (EBA250)

Launched in 2017 by the European Commission, led by InnoEnergy. It brings together more than 800 industrial, financial and innovation actors from mining to recycling with the common objective to build a strong, competitive and resilient European battery industry. EBA works towards quadrupling the European battery cell capacity to between 400 and 500 GWh by 2030. This would meet the Net Zero Industry Act target of 40% domestic manufacturing capacity, thereby empowering the European car industry and other sectors in a more sustainable, competitive, and resilient manner.

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European Solar PV Industry Alliance (ESIA)

The alliance aims to accelerate solar PV deployment in the EU by scaling-up to 30 GW of annual solar PV manufacturing capacity in Europe, facilitating investment, derisking sector acceleration, to support Europe’s decarbonisation targets. Launched by the European Commission in 2022, EIT InnoEnergy is leading the alliance as Secretariat and joined by SolarPower Europe and the European Solar Manufacturing Council on the alliance’s steering committee.

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The European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Centre (EGHAC)

EGHAC focuses on building the business case for and accelerating the uptake of industrial low-carbon hydrogen projects for specific hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, fertilisers and aviation. Through EGHAC, InnoEnergy builds, derisks and scales new green industrial champions which are customer driven, commercially viable hydrogen projects which apply InnoEnergy’s value chain-driven methodology.

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