Renewable Energy Trends and Strategy Training Course

Duration 10 days 20 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Energy Managers, Sustainability Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-ETR-007

Before you join: Participants should understand basic business finance, electricity consumption data and their organisation’s energy or sustainability responsibilities.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Power systems, industrial sites and public infrastructure are being reshaped by falling renewable generation costs, electrification, storage, carbon reporting requirements and changing energy-security priorities. Decision-makers must distinguish credible opportunities from weak proposals, compare technologies on more than headline capacity, and convert transition commitments into investable projects and operating plans. This requires sound judgement on generation yield, grid constraints, policy exposure, contracts, financing and emissions claims.

This course examines the technologies, markets and strategic choices shaping renewable energy investment. Participants assess solar, wind, storage, green hydrogen, bioenergy and emerging generation options; interpret resource and yield data; calculate levelized cost of energy; evaluate power purchase agreements; and connect renewable procurement with Scope 2 emissions reporting. The programme also addresses grid integration, flexibility, project finance, permitting, supply-chain risk, community consent and climate-related financial disclosure.

Teaching combines concise technical briefings with cases from utilities, manufacturers, commercial property portfolios, public agencies and development-finance programmes. Participants progressively build a renewable energy strategy case using demand data, technology assumptions, financial estimates, risk controls and implementation milestones. They leave with a board-ready renewable energy strategy pack that can be adapted for a corporate portfolio, public programme, utility initiative or industrial facility.

The course suits professionals who already work with energy, sustainability, infrastructure, finance, procurement or operations and need stronger capability to assess renewable energy decisions. It is delivered instructor-led over 10 days, in a classroom in 50+ cities or live online. Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. Participants receive a certificate of completion.

What you will be able to do

  • Assess renewable technology options using resource, yield, cost and grid-access criteria
  • Calculate levelized cost of energy and compare project economics under stated assumptions
  • Interpret P50 and P90 energy-yield estimates for solar and wind projects
  • Evaluate power purchase agreement structures, pricing clauses and allocation of risk
  • Develop a renewable energy procurement strategy linked to Scope 2 reporting
  • Apply grid integration and storage-sizing methods to variable renewable generation
  • Build an investment case using cash flows, sensitivity analysis and risk registers
  • Present a renewable energy strategy pack with priorities, milestones and governance

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Judge renewable project proposals beyond installed capacity and headline savings
  • Contribute credible assumptions to energy budgets, investment papers and procurement decisions
  • Assess PPA offers, renewable certificates and emissions claims with greater confidence
  • Explain grid, storage and policy constraints clearly to senior decision-makers
  • Build a transferable renewable energy strategy portfolio for professional progression

For your organisation

  • Improve screening of renewable investments before feasibility-study expenditure
  • Reduce exposure to weak contractual terms and unsupported renewable claims
  • Connect energy procurement decisions with Scope 2 reporting requirements
  • Prioritise projects using comparable cost, risk, carbon and delivery criteria
  • Create clearer governance, milestones and accountability for transition programmes

Course modules

20 modules over 10 days

Participants can explain how policy, technology, demand and market design shape renewable energy decisions.

  • Decarbonisation pathways linked to electricity demand, electrification and energy security
  • Power-system value chain from generation assets through retail electricity supply
  • Merit-order pricing and wholesale market effects of variable generation
  • Capacity markets, ancillary services and flexibility revenue fundamentals
  • Carbon pricing mechanisms affecting fossil generation and renewable investment cases
  • PESTLE assessment of transition drivers, constraints and strategic uncertainties

Participants can compare major renewable technologies against operational and strategic requirements.

  • Solar photovoltaic configurations: rooftop, ground-mounted, floating and agrivoltaic systems
  • Onshore and offshore wind turbine characteristics, siting and yield factors
  • Hydropower, geothermal and sustainable bioenergy technology selection criteria
  • Green hydrogen production pathways, electrolyser economics and end-use demand
  • Marine energy and advanced geothermal maturity assessed using technology readiness levels
  • Technology screening matrix balancing cost, maturity, emissions and local constraints

Participants can interpret resource data and estimate generation uncertainty for renewable projects.

  • Solar irradiance measures: GHI, DNI, plane-of-array and seasonal variability
  • Wind resource assessment using hub-height speeds, direction and turbulence intensity
  • Capacity factor calculated from expected generation and rated asset capacity
  • P50 and P90 yield estimates applied to lender risk assessment
  • Loss assumptions covering shading, soiling, wake effects and availability
  • Satellite datasets, meteorological stations and bankable measurement campaign requirements

Participants can assess solar PV design, performance and delivery considerations.

  • Site constraints assessed through orientation, shading, land-use and geotechnical reviews
  • Module technologies compared: monocrystalline, bifacial, thin-film and degradation rates
  • Inverter selection, DC-AC ratio and clipping loss calculations
  • Performance ratio used to diagnose solar plant generation efficiency
  • Preliminary layout considers access roads, drainage, setbacks and cable routes
  • Construction risk register covering procurement, weather, permits and commissioning

Participants can assess wind project viability from site screening through operating performance.

  • Wind farm micrositing balances energy capture, wakes, setbacks and access
  • Turbine power curves translated into annual energy production estimates
  • Wake-loss modelling assumptions tested against layout and prevailing wind direction
  • Environmental surveys address birds, bats, noise and visual impact
  • Balance-of-plant scope includes foundations, roads, substations and collection systems
  • Operations plans cover predictive maintenance, spare parts and availability guarantees

Participants can determine where storage and demand flexibility improve renewable energy value.

  • Lithium-ion battery architecture: cells, modules, inverters and battery management systems
  • Storage duration matched to peak shifting, arbitrage and resilience requirements
  • Round-trip efficiency, degradation and cycle life included in economics
  • Dispatch strategy compares self-consumption, demand charges and market revenues
  • Demand response baselines established from interval-metered consumption data
  • Pumped hydro, thermal storage and long-duration alternatives compared systematically

Participants can identify grid constraints and integration measures for variable renewable projects.

  • Interconnection studies examine hosting capacity, fault levels and voltage control
  • Curtailment risk quantified using grid congestion and dispatch assumptions
  • Frequency response, inertia and reserve requirements for inverter-based generation
  • Grid codes specify ride-through, reactive power and protection settings
  • Transmission planning links renewable resource zones with demand centres
  • Flexibility stack combines storage, interconnection, demand response and forecasting

Participants can calculate and interpret project costs, revenues and economic performance measures.

  • Levelized cost of energy calculated from lifecycle costs and generation
  • CAPEX breakdown covers equipment, civil works, interconnection and development costs
  • OPEX assumptions include maintenance, insurance, land leases and asset management
  • Net present value and internal rate of return compared
  • Sensitivity analysis tests power price, yield, inflation and capital cost
  • Merchant revenue forecasts separated into energy, capacity and ancillary-service streams

Participants can structure an investment case and assess financing risks for renewable projects.

  • Project finance cash flows distinguish construction, operations and debt service
  • Debt service coverage ratio tested against downside generation scenarios
  • Equity returns assessed through distributions, residual value and exit assumptions
  • Weighted average cost of capital reflects country, technology and contract risk
  • Term sheets reviewed for covenants, security, repayment and reserve accounts
  • Investment committee papers present assumptions, sensitivities and approval conditions

Participants can assess regulatory exposure and plan permissions for renewable energy projects.

  • Renewable support mechanisms compared: auctions, feed-in tariffs and tax credits
  • Auction design influences bid pricing, completion risk and market concentration
  • Permitting sequence maps land rights, environmental approvals and grid consent
  • Environmental and social impact assessment identifies material project effects
  • Local-content rules and import duties tested within procurement strategies
  • Regulatory risk register assigns owners, triggers and response actions

Participants can select procurement routes that match demand, risk appetite and emissions objectives.

  • Load profile analysis identifies baseload, peaks and operational flexibility
  • Onsite generation screened against roof area, land access and demand coincidence
  • Physical PPAs compared with sleeved, virtual and direct-wire structures
  • Contract-for-difference mechanics separate fixed-price certainty from market settlement
  • Renewable energy certificates evaluated for quality, vintage and retirement evidence
  • Procurement decision tree matches contract structures to organisational priorities

Participants can review PPA commercial terms and identify material risk allocation issues.

  • PPA pricing models include fixed, indexed, floor-and-collar and pay-as-produced
  • Volume risk allocated through shaped, baseload and as-generated delivery terms
  • Settlement provisions address imbalance charges, curtailment and negative pricing
  • Credit support covers parent guarantees, letters of credit and collateral
  • Change-in-law clauses allocate policy, tax and regulatory exposure
  • Contract review checklist identifies termination, force majeure and step-in rights

Participants can connect renewable procurement decisions with credible greenhouse-gas reporting.

  • GHG Protocol Scope 2 location-based and market-based methods compared
  • Quality criteria assess contractual instruments, exclusivity and certificate retirement
  • Residual mix factors prevent double counting in electricity emissions claims
  • Avoided-emissions estimates separated from reported inventory emissions reductions
  • Carbon accounting controls document meter data, contracts and assurance evidence
  • Claims review distinguishes renewable electricity use from carbon neutrality statements

Participants can address supply-chain, environmental and community risks in project planning.

  • Critical minerals exposure assessed for lithium, nickel, copper and rare earths
  • Supplier due diligence reviews labour, traceability and environmental performance evidence
  • Lifecycle assessment compares embodied emissions, operations and end-of-life treatment
  • Circularity plans cover module reuse, turbine blades and battery recycling
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies affected communities, authorities and rights holders
  • Benefit-sharing mechanisms include local jobs, community funds and ownership models

Participants can assess physical climate risks and build resilience measures into renewable assets.

  • Physical risk assessment considers heat, flooding, drought, storms and wildfire
  • Climate scenarios test asset performance under changing weather distributions
  • Site design adapts drainage, cooling, foundations and fire protection measures
  • Insurance requirements reflect catastrophe exposure, deductibles and business interruption
  • TCFD-aligned disclosures connect climate risks with financial planning assumptions
  • Business continuity plans define outage response, communications and recovery priorities

Participants can formulate a phased renewable energy strategy using strategic and financial evidence.

  • Energy baseline combines consumption, costs, emissions and contractual commitments
  • Abatement cost curve ranks measures by cost, carbon and implementation timing
  • Strategic scenarios compare self-generation, PPAs, certificates and efficiency investments
  • Portfolio diversification balances technologies, geographies, counterparties and contract tenors
  • Decision criteria weight economics, resilience, emissions, feasibility and stakeholder acceptance
  • Strategy roadmap sequences quick wins, development projects and long-term commitments

Participants can establish governance, controls and delivery plans for renewable energy programmes.

  • RACI matrix assigns decision rights, approvals and delivery accountabilities
  • Stage-gate governance controls progression from screening through investment approval
  • Work breakdown structure defines development, procurement, construction and operations tasks
  • Risk register scores probability, impact, mitigations and accountable owners
  • Key performance indicators track generation, savings, emissions and delivery milestones
  • Benefits-realisation plan links project outputs with financial and carbon outcomes

Participants can use operational data to monitor renewable performance and improve decisions.

  • SCADA data architecture connects sensors, meters, gateways and supervisory systems
  • Generation forecast accuracy measured using mean absolute percentage error
  • Performance benchmarking compares actual yield against budget and weather-normalised expectations
  • Availability losses classified by grid, equipment, weather and planned maintenance
  • Dashboard design links executive metrics with operational exception reporting
  • Data-quality checks identify missing intervals, meter errors and timestamp inconsistencies

Participants can prepare decision materials that address financial, technical and stakeholder concerns.

  • Board paper structure states decision, rationale, options and recommendation
  • Investment narrative connects energy costs, resilience, emissions and strategic priorities
  • Waterfall charts explain savings drivers, cost changes and uncertainty ranges
  • Risk heat maps communicate material exposures and planned mitigations
  • Stakeholder messages adapted for finance, operations, communities and regulators
  • Approval presentation rehearses challenge questions on assumptions and trade-offs

Participants can build, review and present a complete renewable energy strategy pack for a defined organisation or asset portfolio.

  • Define organisational demand baseline, strategic objectives and decision constraints
  • Select technology and procurement options using weighted evaluation criteria
  • Build lifecycle cost model with yield, price and financing assumptions
  • Prepare implementation roadmap, governance structure and risk response plan
  • Review emissions claims against GHG Protocol Scope 2 requirements
  • Present investment recommendation, sensitivities and decision requests to stakeholders

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Renewable energy strategy pack template
  2. Technology screening and scoring matrix
  3. LCOE and investment-case spreadsheet model
  4. PPA commercial review checklist
  5. Renewable procurement decision tree
  6. Implementation roadmap and risk register

Who should attend

  • Energy Managers — assess procurement, onsite generation and decarbonisation options
  • Sustainability Managers — connect renewable claims with credible emissions reporting
  • Infrastructure Project Managers — screen renewable project feasibility and delivery risks
  • Procurement Managers — negotiate electricity contracts and renewable certificate purchases
  • Investment and Finance Analysts — evaluate renewable project cash flows and risk assumptions
  • Public-Sector Energy Officers — design credible renewable programmes and procurement plans

Skills and tools covered

Renewable project appraisalEnergy market analysisPPA evaluationGrid integration planningClimate disclosure analysisTransition strategy design

Tools and standards

Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), P50/P90 energy-yield analysis, GHG Protocol Scope 2 Guidance, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)

How the course runs

Training methodology

The instructor uses short briefings to establish technical and commercial concepts, followed by guided analysis of realistic solar, wind, storage, corporate procurement and public infrastructure cases. Groups interpret generation data, compare contract terms, test financial assumptions and respond to grid or policy changes through structured simulations. Participants apply each method to a developing strategy case, receiving instructor feedback at defined review points. The final sessions are used to consolidate assumptions, challenge risk responses and prepare decision-maker presentations.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should understand basic business finance, electricity consumption data and their organisation’s energy or sustainability responsibilities. Experience with procurement, facilities, operations, infrastructure, investment analysis, environmental management or public policy is useful. Participants should be comfortable reading spreadsheets and discussing costs, contracts and project risks. Prior engineering qualifications are not required, and the course does not assume prior experience of renewable project development, energy modelling software or electricity-market trading. Technical concepts are introduced before they are used in financial and strategic analysis.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic business finance, energy consumption or sustainability responsibilities. Engineering qualifications and prior renewable project-development experience are not required.

Bring a laptop for spreadsheet-based analysis and, where permitted, a recent electricity bill, energy-use profile or renewable project question from your organisation. Templates and case materials are provided.

It is designed for energy, sustainability, procurement, infrastructure, facilities, finance and public-sector professionals. It is particularly useful for people who must assess renewable proposals or prepare transition plans.

This course focuses on investment, procurement, market, policy, carbon-accounting and implementation decisions. It covers technical concepts needed for informed management decisions, rather than detailed electrical design or installation practice.

You can use the screening matrix, cost model, PPA checklist and roadmap to assess current opportunities. The capstone strategy pack provides a practical structure for an internal investment paper or procurement plan.

The first week establishes technology, resource, grid, economic and policy foundations while participants begin their strategy case. The second week focuses on procurement, contracts, reporting, risk, governance and final capstone presentations.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.