Will solar energy systems engineers be replaced by AI?
Updated
Solar energy systems engineers score 54 of 100 for AI exposure. The largest share of their task time, 52%, is work AI speeds up while they stay in charge. AI can take over 26% outright, and 22% stays with people.
- 26% AI can do it
- 52% AI helps
- 22% Needs a person
High exposure
Higher than 83% of the 923 occupations we scored.
Task by task
We graded 13 tasks, listed here from most to least exposed. AI can do 3 of them today, speeds up 7 and leaves 3 to people.
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Create checklists for review or inspection of completed solar installation projects. Checklists are easy to generate from project scope and standards. | 70% AI can do it |
| Create electrical single-line diagrams, panel schedules, or connection diagrams for solar electric systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) software. Diagram and schedule generation is templated; reviewer checks output. | 65% AI can do it |
| Perform computer simulation of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation system performance or energy production to optimize efficiency. Simulation software runs models; AI helps interpret results. | 65% AI can do it |
| Create plans for solar energy system development, monitoring, and evaluation activities. AI drafts plan documents; engineer sets goals and priorities. | 55% AI helps |
| Review specifications and recommend engineering or manufacturing changes to achieve solar design objectives. AI can review specs quickly; engineer judges recommended changes. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop design specifications and functional requirements for residential, commercial, or industrial solar energy systems or components. AI drafts requirements from inputs; engineer validates technical content. | 55% AI helps |
| Develop standard operation procedures and quality or safety standards for solar installation work. AI drafts SOPs; safety standards need expert validation and accountability. | 55% AI helps |
| Perform thermal, stress, or cost reduction analyses for solar systems. Software handles calculations; engineer interprets results and tradeoffs. | 50% AI helps |
| Design or coordinate design of photovoltaic (PV) or solar thermal systems, including system components, for residential and commercial buildings. Design tools and AI speed layout; engineer is responsible for final design. | 45% AI helps |
| Design or develop vacuum tube collector systems for solar applications. Specialized thermal design with prototyping; AI aids calculations only. | 30% AI helps |
Show the other 3 tasks
| Task | AI exposure |
|---|---|
| Conduct engineering site audits to collect structural, electrical, and related site information for use in the design of residential or commercial solar power systems. Requires physical site visits to measure structures and wiring. | 15% Needs a person |
| Test or evaluate photovoltaic (PV) cells or modules. Physical lab testing of modules requires hands-on equipment and presence. | 15% Needs a person |
| Provide technical direction or support to installation teams during installation, start-up, testing, system commissioning, or performance monitoring. Live direction of crews on site; AI only supports paperwork. | 12% Needs a person |
How solar energy systems engineers compare
All occupations (923)
Architecture and engineering (56)
Pay and outlook in the US
- Median pay
- $122,930 a year, May 2025
- People employed
- 19,259 in the US, May 2025
- Projected change in jobs
- +3.7% from 2024 to 2034
Skills to build
- Run site audits to measure structures and wiring on location
- Model PV energy production in Aurora HelioScope
- Run power system studies in ETAP and SKM Power Tools
- Validate generated single-line diagrams in AutoCAD before sign-off
- Test PV cells and modules with lab equipment and record results
- Script checks on simulation outputs in Python
Safer roles nearby
5 related occupations with lower scores.
Questions about solar energy systems engineers and AI
Will AI replace solar energy systems engineers?
Partly. About 5 in 10 working hours go to tasks AI can already do, mostly electrical single-line diagrams and PV performance simulation. Site audits and live direction of installation crews stay with engineers because they need a person on the roof and in the field.
Which tasks are AI taking over for solar energy systems engineers?
Checklists for inspecting completed installations carry an exposure score of 70 because they follow directly from project scope and standards. Single-line diagrams and panel schedules carry 65 because the output is templated and the engineer only checks it. PV performance simulation also scores 65, since software runs the models and AI helps read the results.
Which tasks stay human for solar energy systems engineers?
Site audits score 15 on exposure because measuring structures and wiring requires a physical visit. PV cell and module testing also scores 15 because it runs on hands-on lab equipment. Technical direction of installation crews scores 12 because it happens live on site, with AI only supporting the paperwork.
How do solar energy systems engineers stay valuable?
Take responsibility for the site audit data that every design depends on, and sign off the final layout in AutoCAD yourself. Check Aurora HelioScope and ETAP outputs against field measurements before release. Use Python to script the review of simulation results so you spend your time on the tradeoffs the numbers leave open.
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