Companies to keep an eye on in renewable energy

Pre-Covid, renewables accounted for 28% of the global electricity generation, and if there was one thing that the market learnt from the pandemic, it was that renewables are the most resilient source of energy. So what companies are making a name for themselves on the renewable energy scene?

1. Ørsted

We couldn’t write a list of the top companies within renewable energy without including this Danish company. Not only has Quanta been in partnership with Ørsted for 10 years, supplying them the top talent in the renewable energy market, but they’ve clinched a spot in the top 10 biggest green energy and technologies stocks list.

Earlier this year, the multinational renewable energy company announced a $57 billion investment plan with the vision to diversify from offshore wind energy and devote more time to developing other areas of the business, including solar energy, wind energy and green hydrogen.

Ørsted is on a mission to power the world with green energy alone. As the business continues to plough money into developing each of its renewable energy subsectors, it's sure to make some waves across the industry.

2. Swimsol

It’s not all about scale. Swimsol isn’t as high profile as many other solar energy companies, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for with innovative ideas. Founded by one of Germany’s notorious solar pioneers, Swimsol set out to provide an alternative to diesel generators which remote islands have become reliant on. In doing so, Swimsol has paved the way for more inventive uses of solar panels, which now sit atop bus stops, along Dutch cycle lanes and even on the Eiffel Tower.

3. Siemens Gamesa

Third on this list is another front-runner on the green energy scene. Siemens Gamesa is a Spanish-German company that operates solely within onshore and offshore wind, specialising in wind turbines and services.

In the 1970s, the world was rocked when it became glaringly obvious that an oil shortage could tip us into an energy crisis. It was at this exact point that governments turned their attention to alternative energy sources.

Wind energy has come a long way since then, and just last year Siemens Gamesa’s launched its biggest turbine, which boasts a 14-megawatts capacity. This model will be rolled out to its offshore wind farm fleet once commercially available in 2024. This will make it the most powerful wind turbine on the market, but companies like Vestas are hot on Siemens Gamesa’s tail.

4. Vestas

Another Danish-based company making the list is a testament to the dedication of the country. The IEA share that “Denmark's net-zero commitments and advancements with renewables” are why they’ve secured a sizeable share of the global renewable energy market.

While both companies are in competition, Vestas takes the lion’s share of the wind turbine market, with Siemens Gamesa in a close second. So what is Vestas doing to make sure it stays ahead? Besides building the V236-15.0 MW - which is set to best the most powerful turbine yet – the company has invested in a geographic diversification strategy that has seen complete installations in more than 80 countries across five continents.

5. Seat

The name might ring a bell, and you’ve probably heard and seen plenty of this car manufacturer. But you might not have known is that in 2019, it launched a “Life Metamorphosis” project, which sought to turn organic waste into biomethane - a renewable natural gas that can power select cars.

This is just one example of the many energy from waste (also known as waste to energy) processes that companies are now using. While thermal technologies dominate the market, it's the biological technologies that Seat are using that we should all be turning our attention to because of their more eco-friendly properties. That’s not to say that biological technologies are the only way to go. With more money being invested in this green energy, creating more EfW jobs than ever before, it might not be long until the next hot technology comes along.

Could it be the perfect time to look for your next renewable energy job?

The rise in green energy jobs is just one of the reasons to look for your next role. As the industry grows, there are more exciting roles opening up and ready for the taking. Find your next renewable energy job with Quanta, or sign up for job alerts to hear about the latest jobs.