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Green Trade Jobs: Solar, Heat Pump & EV Charging Careers (2026)

💷 £30,000 - £50,000⏱ 6 months - 2 years (with existing trade background)📈 Demand: Extremely High

Overview

The UK's net-zero targets are creating an entirely new generation of trade careers. By 2030, the government plans to install 600,000 heat pumps per year, reach 70GW of solar capacity, and deploy 300,000+ EV charge points. This requires hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople — and there aren't nearly enough yet. If you're already a qualified electrician, plumber, or heating engineer, adding renewable energy skills is the single best career move you can make in 2026.

The Green Skills Opportunity

The numbers are staggering:

• Heat pumps: The UK needs to go from ~55,000 installations/year to 600,000/year by 2028. That requires an estimated 50,000 trained heat pump installers — we currently have around 3,000.
• Solar PV: Target of 70GW by 2035 (currently ~15GW). Domestic and commercial installations booming.
• EV charging: 300,000+ public charge points needed by 2030, plus millions of home chargers.
• Battery storage: Home and commercial battery systems growing rapidly alongside solar.
• Insulation/retrofit: 19 million homes need energy efficiency upgrades under the government's retrofit programme.

This isn't a trend — it's a fundamental economic shift. Tradespeople who upskill in renewables now will have the most secure, best-paid careers for decades to come.

Heat Pump Installer

What it is: Installing air source and ground source heat pumps to replace gas boilers in homes and commercial buildings. Heat pumps use electricity to extract heat from the air or ground.

Who it suits: Existing plumbers, heating engineers, and gas engineers. Your existing skills in pipework, heating systems, and system design transfer directly.

Qualifications needed:
• Level 3 NVQ in Plumbing & Heating or equivalent (prerequisite)
• Heat Pump training course (typically 1-2 weeks for qualified heating engineers)
• MCS certification — Microgeneration Certification Scheme. Required to install heat pumps that qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant (£7,500 per installation)
• F-Gas qualification if handling refrigerant

Salary: £35,000 - £50,000 employed. Self-employed MCS-certified installers are charging £1,500-£3,000 per installation and can complete 2-3 per week. That's potential earnings of £70,000-£100,000+.

Getting started: Contact training providers like Logic4Training, BPEC, or your local college. Many offer fast-track heat pump courses for qualified heating engineers. Plumber guide →

Solar Panel Installer (Solar PV)

What it is: Installing photovoltaic solar panels on domestic and commercial roofs, including wiring, inverters, and connection to the electrical system.

Who it suits: Existing electricians (for the electrical side) and roofers (for the panel mounting). Many solar companies train both elements.

Qualifications needed:
• Electrical qualifications — Level 3 NVQ in Electrical Installation or equivalent
• MCS certification for installations qualifying for Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments
• Solar PV installation course — Typically 5 days for qualified electricians
• Working at height certification
• Ideally: 18th Edition + 2391 Inspection & Testing

Salary: £28,000 - £42,000 employed. Self-employed solar installers earning £40,000 - £65,000. Companies installing solar + battery packages are seeing very strong demand.

Market outlook: Solar installations doubled between 2022-2025 and continue to grow. Rising energy costs make solar an obvious investment for homeowners. This is a growth market for the foreseeable future.

Electrician guide →

EV Charger Installer

What it is: Installing electric vehicle charging points at homes, workplaces, and public locations. Involves electrical supply upgrades, charger mounting, and network connectivity.

Who it suits: Qualified electricians. This is essentially specialist electrical work.

Qualifications needed:
• Level 3 NVQ in Electrical Installation
• 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (BS 7671)
• EV charger installation course — Typically 1-2 days for qualified electricians
• OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles) approved installer status — needed for grant-funded installations
• Manufacturer-specific training (Tesla, Pod Point, Andersen, etc.)

Salary: £30,000 - £45,000 employed with an EV installation company. Self-employed installers earning £500-£800 per domestic installation, with potential for 3-5 installations per week = £75,000-£150,000+ turnover.

Market outlook: The UK ban on new petrol/diesel car sales from 2035 means EV charging demand will only accelerate. With over 1 million EVs already on UK roads and growing fast, this is one of the fastest-growing trade niches.

Electrician guide →

How to Transition to Green Trades

If you're an existing tradesperson looking to add renewable energy skills:

Step 1: Assess your base qualifications
• Electricians → Solar PV, EV charging, battery storage
• Plumbers/heating engineers → Heat pumps, solar thermal
• Roofers → Solar panel mounting (partner with an electrician for wiring)
• General builders → Insulation, retrofit coordination

Step 2: Choose your training
• Logic4Training — Heat pump, solar, EV courses
• BPEC — Heat pump and renewable heating
• NICEIC — Solar PV and EV charger courses
• Local colleges — Part-time and evening courses available

Step 3: Get certified
• MCS certification is key for heat pumps and solar — it allows your customers to access government grants
• OZEV approval for EV charging grant work
• TrustMark registration for all retrofit work

Step 4: Market yourself
• Add green services to your Checkatrade/MyBuilder profile
• Join the MCS installer directory
• Target local councils and housing associations who need bulk installations

Funding: The government's Green Skills Fund and various CITB grants can subsidise training costs. Check CITB.co.uk for current grants.

The construction industry is going green fast. Getting qualified now puts you ahead of the curve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I become a heat pump installer without being a plumber?▼

Technically you can train from scratch, but it's much harder and longer. The standard route is to qualify as a plumber/heating engineer first (2-4 years) then add heat pump training (1-2 weeks). Some training providers offer combined courses for career changers, but expect 1-2 years minimum.

How much does renewable energy training cost?▼

For already-qualified tradespeople: heat pump courses £1,000-£2,500, solar PV courses £800-£1,500, EV charger courses £300-£600. MCS certification costs around £1,200-£2,000 annually. CITB grants and the Green Skills Fund can offset these costs.

Is the demand for green trades really that high?▼

Yes. The UK needs to go from 55,000 heat pump installations/year to 600,000/year. Solar installations are doubling every 2-3 years. Over 300,000 EV charge points are needed by 2030. The skills gap is enormous and will take years to fill.

Which green trade pays the most?▼

MCS-certified heat pump installers currently earn the most, with self-employed installers potentially earning £70,000-£100,000+. EV charger installation has the highest turnover potential for volume work. Solar PV is the most established market with steady demand.