Rates of pay for Renewable Energy Engineers and Consultants

You may also find our Guide to Becoming a Renewable Energy Engineer useful.

Working as a renewable energy engineer means that as a consultant you can earn daily rates between £300 to £1,000. The Renewable Energy sector is one of the most popular sectors, consistently increasing in popularity, as it is a source that is continually trying to be improved on.

Naturally the rate you charge for your services all depends on the experience and specialist skills you have. If you are a new contractor within the Renewable Energy sector, you cannot expect to demand the same daily rate to that of an experienced contractor who has been working for years.

Daily rates as with any sector are often linked to supply and demand. With the high industry demand, impartially the wind sector, which saw the industry grow by 91% in 2010 (February 2011) and with the lack of contractors available within this sector, Renewable Energy Engineers can demand higher rates of pay to compensate for the extra work load.

Negotiating your contract rate is vital as a Renewable Energy Engineer, especially when first starting out – it’s likely that you can increase the standard rate by playing on your skill set. Remember to take the following into consideration when negotiating your daily rate:

Level of experience you have
The demand for your specific skills
Ability to negotiate (very important and something many find uncomfortable)
Keenness for the job

Your first few contracts whilst you build up your skill set will be at a lower daily rate. It is important though to remember as you complete more projects and your experience grows you will be rewarded with higher daily rates. Some very special renewable energy consultants can earn in excess of £1,000 per day!

Below are some examples of contracts you may find. Don't be disheartened that there isn't a £1,000 per day contract, these contracts are usually advertised stating, contract rate negotiable or daily rate available on request, this so they attract the correct skill sets and are not inundated with applicants.

Senior Environmental Engineer - http://www.oilcareers.com

Required Skills:

Experience of all aspects of environmental engineering on oil and gas projects in FEED and EPC, including waste inventories, environmental management, atmospheric pollutants inventory and impact mitigation
It is essential that you have Oil and Gas project experience
LNG experience preferred
Experience of Australian projects would also be an advantage
Daily Rate: £390

Offshore Senior Authorised Person - http://www.renewablescareers.com

Required Skills:

Working for an EPC company
Experience working on high voltage electrical systems up to 132kV
H&S and CDM knowledge
Experience working on commissioning projects
Distribution and generation background
Engineering supervision experience
Client liaison
Offshore experience preferable
HND in Electrical Engineering (or equivalent)
Must be Authorised to 132kV
Candidates must come from a T&D and or Power Generation background
Daily Rate: £400

Design Management Engineer - http://www.acre-resources.com/green-jobs

Required Skills:

Experience with designing offshore structures ideally from a civil engineering background
Experience with offshore jacket foundation design
Engineering offshore construction advice and solutions
Expertise on procurement design and construction of renewable projects
Renewable energy projects and new business
Budget demonstrating
Excellent time management skills
Daily Rate: £420

For more information, visit the following pages:

If you still have questions about contracting then contact our New Client Services team on 0500 152500 / 01442 275789 or email rachel@sjdaccountancy.com

SJD Accountancy

SJD Accountancy are the UK's largest specialist provider of fixed fee, limited company accountancy services to contractors; we've been acting for contractors across the UK since 1992 and have more than 11,000 clients.

We are the only National specialist firm of accountants with offices in all major UK cities so you’ll never be far from your accountant. SJD also have more qualified staff than any other firm in our market with qualifications from the following major tax and accountancy bodies - ATII, ATT, ACCA, CA, ACA, FCCA, ACMA. You’ll also be pleased to know that we are one of the lowest priced as well.

Free face-to-face meetings. This is another unique service, only SJD offers free face to face meetings - tax is complicated and sometimes only a meeting will do.
Unlimited access to your own dedicated accountant. No call centres, no outsourcing, no automated call handling. Simply telephone, e-mail or meet your own dedicated accountant face to face.
Money back service guarantee. All your telephone calls and e-mails will be answered the same day or we will refund your monthly fee's.
Outstanding reputation. We have won more awards for customer service and accountancy excellence than any other firm in our market.
All inclusive low cost monthly package which includes completion of accounts, payroll bureau, dividends and corporation tax computations, personal taxation, free bookkeeping software, unlimited access to your accountant and all company returns. All this for a fixed monthly fee of £110 plus VAT, which is one of the lowest prices in the market.

If you have any questions about contracting or would like any further advice please either contact your SJD Accountant or call our new client services helpdesk on 0500 152500 / 01442 275789 or email: nikki.hanlon@sjdaccountancy.com.

Appoint SJD Accountancy and never worry about your tax or accountancy affairs again!

You may also find the following pages, guides and case studies useful:

Take home pay calculator - How much could you be taking home
Contractor FAQ - All your frequently asked questions and their answers
First time Contracting or Freelancing? - A summary of the alternatives along with pros and cons
Choosing an accountant - For a full review
Step-by-step Guide to Contracting - Download a FREE copy of our guide
Limited or Umbrella? Can't decide? - We help you decide which is best for you
Guide to Contracting - All the best guides to contracting in one place
Expenses Guide - Know exactly what you can claim
Umbrella company guide - Everything you ever wanted to know about umbrella company services
IR35 Guide - A great plain English guide to IR35