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Renewable energy consultant vs energy consultant

The differences between renewable energy consultants and energy consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a renewable energy consultant, becoming an energy consultant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a renewable energy consultant has an average salary of $94,129, which is higher than the $81,907 average annual salary of an energy consultant.

The top three skills for a renewable energy consultant include renewable energy, solar pv and regulatory filings. The most important skills for an energy consultant are renewable energy, project management, and energy efficiency.

Renewable energy consultant vs energy consultant overview

Renewable Energy ConsultantEnergy Consultant
Yearly salary$94,129$81,907
Hourly rate$45.25$39.38
Growth rate-4%
Number of jobs8,71017,538
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age4344
Years of experience42

What does a renewable energy consultant do?

Renewable energy consultants carry out energy surveys and audits and advise clients on sources of renewable energy. They also advise on sustainable solutions within the built environment and infrastructure sectors. Their additional duties and responsibilities include analyzing data to calculate and compare current and historical use of energy. Generating reports that are understandable to the management and help in decision-making is also an important task of the job.

What does an energy consultant do?

An energy consultant is responsible for evaluating a company or household's energy consumption to identify alternatives that would minimize energy costs without compromising the quality of resources. Energy consultants analyze the clients' utility bills, inspect the equipment and machinery used for production, and strategizing energy plans to limit energy waste and costing. They also recommend materials with low costs and efficient energy features. An energy consultant must have excellent communication and analytical skills, especially in measuring energy credits and building systems.

Renewable energy consultant vs energy consultant salary

Renewable energy consultants and energy consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Renewable Energy ConsultantEnergy Consultant
Average salary$94,129$81,907
Salary rangeBetween $61,000 And $144,000Between $56,000 And $118,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
Best paying industry-Utilities

Differences between renewable energy consultant and energy consultant education

There are a few differences between a renewable energy consultant and an energy consultant in terms of educational background:

Renewable Energy ConsultantEnergy Consultant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 65%Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityStanford University

Renewable energy consultant vs energy consultant demographics

Here are the differences between renewable energy consultants' and energy consultants' demographics:

Renewable Energy ConsultantEnergy Consultant
Average age4344
Gender ratioMale, 82.1% Female, 17.9%Male, 77.0% Female, 23.0%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 17.1% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage5%11%

Differences between renewable energy consultant and energy consultant duties and responsibilities

Renewable energy consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage contractor RFP document preparation including technical write-up, minimum standards and specification, commissioning and testing procedures.
  • Draft AutoCAD plots and one-line diagrams of the PV systems.
  • Supervise engineering team and review PV system designs for compliance with codes.
  • Consult on HVAC systems, energy audits, and equipment installations for reducing energy consumption / costs.
  • Offer energy audits, performance testing, product and method recommendations, energy savings, ROI and incentive processing.
  • Document customer interactions utilizing Salesforce.
  • Show more

Energy consultant example responsibilities.

  • Design retrofit and manage construction.
  • Manage and set appointments through Salesforce.com
  • Design retrofit, manage project and conduct pre-and post-utility analysis.
  • Provide SharePoint development and administration, budget and financial reporting; manage invoicing; and develop training manuals and user guides.
  • Log all communications with customers in CRM (Slalesforce.com) system.
  • Conduct analysis of customer's current, project electrical usage and financial ROI.
  • Show more

Renewable energy consultant vs energy consultant skills

Common renewable energy consultant skills
  • Renewable Energy, 96%
  • Solar PV, 1%
  • Regulatory Filings, 0%
  • Solar Power, 0%
  • PPA, 0%
  • Sales Plan, 0%
Common energy consultant skills
  • Renewable Energy, 19%
  • Project Management, 12%
  • Energy Efficiency, 8%
  • Emerging Technologies, 7%
  • HVAC, 6%
  • Solar Power, 5%

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