IR - Senior Solar Energy Analyst

Mainstream Renewable Power is the leading independent developer of utility-scale wind and solar power plants. The company focuses on delivering a high-quality portfolio of more than 7 GW of wind and solar assets across high-growth markets in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.

In South Africa, Mainstream won a total of 848 MWs of wind and solar projects under the Government’s renewable energy procurement programme since the first round in 2011, making it the country’s most successful independent renewable energy developer. The company most recently finished constructing 250 MW of wind farm projects, which achieved commercial operation in 2020. More recently, the company won 1.27 GW of wind and solar projects under the recent Round 5 of REIPPPP, which should achieve financial close within the next 6 months.

In Chile, Mainstream owns 1.3 GW of fully contracted wind and solar projects in operation, in construction or at late-stage development, due to its unprecedented success in government auctions. In Asia, the company is developing large-scale projects in Vietnam and the Philippines.

Mainstream has raised more than €3.0bn in project finance to date and employs over 500 staff across 13 countries; the number of staff is expected to double in the near term.

This is an exciting time for Mainstream as we are integrating with Aker Horizons, our new equity partner, and striving towards our ambitious targets of securing 5.5 GW of renewable assets to financial close and be IPO-ready by 2023.

Summary of the role:

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Solar Energy Analyst position at Mainstream’s global Energy Analysis Group (EAG), located in Dublin. This is a technical role working on Mainstream’s projects in multiple regions, also involved in defining global EAG standards. The position requires a highly organised candidate with excellent technical skills and 5+ years of experience in solar energy analysis. The role works closely with global EAG staff (currently 20), as well as Development, Procurement, Engineering, and Commercial colleagues.

What you will do:

• Through collaboration with internal and external experts, implement continual improvement of solar energy analysis tools and procedures in Mainstream global EAG.
• Build and operate Python tools for energy analysis of operating solar projects.
• Design best-practice measurement campaigns for solar project sites, including cost/benefit assessments of different technologies.
• Oversee data collection and quality control to ensure maximum data coverage.
• Conduct preliminary solar farm design and produce solar Energy Production Estimates while achieving maximum accuracy and minimised uncertainty, within project timelines.
• Procure, manage, and review third-party energy production reports, ensuring optimal service from suppliers.
• Review EPC contracts and technical datasheets of solar PV plant equipment. Liaise with external parties regarding the suitability of solar technology options.
• Communicate site-specific energy production and site condition risks to project teams.
• Carry out energy analysis due diligence for acquisition opportunities.
• Review and test EAG’s in-house data management and analysis system (using Python/Django).
• Conduct and support in-house research and oversee technical internships.

What we require:

• Qualifications: graduate degree in engineering or physical science as a minimum.
• 5+ years of pre-construction solar energy analysis experience across a range of markets.
• Best-practice knowledge of modern commercial PV technology, solar measurements, and PV plant layout design.
• Experience working for a lenders’ advisor, renewables developer, or operator of solar PV plants.
• Experience in reviewing EPC contracts and technical datasheets of solar PV plant equipment.
• Ability to define non-standard work requirements within joint ventures and international project teams, and to anticipate and manage the workload accordingly.
• Excellent verbal and writing communication skills, strong mathematical and analysis background, and ability to communicate technical issues to non-technical colleagues.
• Highly analytical with attention to detail and ability to exercise engineering judgement; self-starter with an inquisitive nature.
• Experience in the use of PVsyst; experience in using other solar energy analysis software is an advantage.
• Experience in working with geospatial data in Global Mapper, ArcGIS, QGIS, or similar software.
• Experience in the analysis of operational solar plants, plant performance ratios, and I-V tests is an advantage.
• Programming/software development experience in Python or related language.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills.
• Fluency in English; other languages are an advantage.
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Why you really should click that button 👇

We offer you the opportunity to work in a dynamic and entrepreneurial organisation, to be part of a diverse workplace with regards to gender, age and cultural background in the most exciting industry in the world today. You will receive a very competitive total benefits package including an excellent base salary, bonus scheme and share options.

Career development

• Excellent training (an average 54 hours a year)
• Secondment and relocation opportunities
• Career progression (16% promotions across the Group in 2021)
• Mentorship programme

Shared financial success

• A competitive, industry benchmarked and cost-of-living linked salary, reviewed annually
• Annual bonus
• Company shares options
• Salary contribution to your pension fund

Work/life balance

• WFH in a hybrid working arrangement
• Generous annual leave, plus a community or charity workday each year
• Paid maternity, paternity, adoptive and bereavement leave
• Allowance for WFH set up

True diversity & inclusion

• Equal opportunity targets
• GWEC Women in Wind and Mainstream Women in Renewables programmes
• You can be you, whatever your gender, colour, or sexual orientation

Care for health & wellbeing

• Generous health insurance subsidy
• Income protection insurance
• Life cover
• Free Employee Assistance Program

These are only some of the reasons why we are officially certified as a Great Place to Work.