Description: Independent power producers are corporations that plan, own, and operate electricity generation facilities and are not public utilities. The development process at an IPP entails scouting potential project areas, acquiring land, getting necessary permits and approval, coordinating the power purchase agreement (PPA) with an offtaker (who is buying the power), coordinating interconnection, and engaging with the local community to ensure that they are on board with the project. While IPPs are separate from public utilities, it is important to note that many IPPs are owned by the same parent companies as utilities, but operate completely separately to avoid a conflict of interest.

Projects: Solar, wind, battery storage, natural gas, hydro, and geothermal facilities with a capacity >5MW.

Clients (Offtakers): Most often utilities, but a growing number of Fortune 500 companies are entering power purchase agreements for utility-scale projects (i.e. Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, etc.)

Pros: Tangible, large-scale impact (steel in the ground), collaborative work, exposure to many different functions, lots of travel (could be a pro or a con)

Cons: Long project timelines, lack of specialization/hard skills, constant project pivots/delays

Leading Firms: Invenergy, NextEra Energy Resources, Avangrid, Cypress Creek Renewables, Pinegate Renewables, Strata Clean Energy, RWE, Orsted, EDF Renewables, Apex Clean Energy, Pattern Energy, Deriva Energy

Timeline: Somewhat early recruiting cycle, especially NextEra Energy Resources. Application deadlines for internships and full-time positions tend to fall in October/November for the earliest companies but can stretch to March/April for the latest movers. Large range of potential deadlines.

Process: Resume and cover letter screening, one/multiple rounds of behavioral interviews. Interviews are usually non-technical, but demonstrating energy experience is a huge plus.

Description: Within their own service territory, utilities develop projects to meet energy load. These projects are generally a bit smaller in size (although not always) and are subject to less competition than the unregulated projects, although they must hold up against bids from IPPs. Since utilities can use eminent domain, there are generally fewer land issues with these projects as well.

Projects: Solar, wind, battery storage, natural gas, hydro, and geothermal facilities with a capacity >5MW. Generally fewer renewable projects compared to IPPs.

Pros: Shorter project timelines, more levers available to problem solve, easier interconnection.

Cons: Fewer renewable projects, smaller projects, less project variety.

Leading Firms: NextEra Energy, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, National Grid, ConEdison, Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison

Timeline: Usually on the later side, with most application deadlines falling in the spring. However, there are usually a few utilities (NextEra, National Grid) that hire earlier, so be on the lookout for roles in October-December.

Process: Resume and cover letter screening, one/multiple rounds of behavioral interviews. Interviews are usually non-technical, but demonstrating energy experience is a huge plus.

Description: Also known as C&I developers, these firms plan and build smaller-scale renewable projects (almost always solar), to serve on-site load for businesses or other small customers. These projects are generally behind-the-meter (not connected to the grid), and can be located on top of warehouses, office buildings, parking lots, or factories. C&I developers often offer other energy solutions to complement solar, such as battery storage, fleet charging infrastructure, and microgrids.

Projects: 100kW-5MW solar systems, 30kWh-10MWh battery storage systems, fleet charging infrastructure, microgrids.

Clients: Public and private companies (office buildings, warehouses, factories, parking lots, retail stores), universities/schools, local/state governments

Pros: Shorter project timelines than utility-scale, greater project variety, fewer hurdles and delays

Cons: Smaller projects (less impact per project), less exposure to how the grid/larger energy systems work, more time spent on business development compared to project development

Leading Firms: Powerflex, Sol Systems, Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions, Nexamp, Standard Solar

Timeline: Application deadlines in the winter/spring, although again this can vary.

Process: Resume and cover letter screening, one/multiple rounds of behavioral interviews. Interviews are usually non-technical, but demonstrating energy experience is a huge plus.

Description: Residential developers finance, plan, and build rooftop solar and battery storage systems for individual customers. Due to the lower capital requirements, financing these projects is a core competency for these firms, unlike utility-scale and C&I developers.

Projects: Rooftop solar and battery storage financing, planning, and installation. Garage EV charging installation.

Clients: Individual customers

Leading Firms: Sunrun, Southern Energy Management, SunPower Corporation, Enphase Energy, Vivint Solar

Timeline: Generally on the later side. Application deadlines in the winter/spring.

Process: Resume and cover letter screening, one/multiple rounds of behavioral interviews. Interviews are usually non-technical, but demonstrating energy experience is a huge plus.

Description: Asset owners manage the operations of existing renewable energy facilities to maximize revenue and ensure compliance with the PPA. This includes voluntary curtailment (or shutting off) of power production, scheduling maintenance, or possibly selling the power in the market (if there is no PPA). Many IPPs/developers will plan, build, and own their own plants, but there are some that specialize in development and sell the completed plants to another firm for operation oversight.

Projects: Monitoring power production and other related data, working with offtakers to ensure PPA compliance, developing electricity sale strategy in the open market, create valuations for existing projects to gauge transaction potential

Leading Firms: Brookfield Renewable Corp., Greenbacker Capital, NextEra Energy Resources, EDF Renewables, Clearway Energy, Iberdrola (Avangrid), D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments, All utilities

Timeline: Earlier recruiting cycle, especially for the asset owner specialists (non-IPPs). Deadlines in the preceding summer or early fall.

Process: Resume and cover letter screening, one/multiple rounds of behavioral interviews. Could include technical finance questions/modeling for asset owner specialists (i.e. D. E. Shaw Renewables). Energy knowledge is a plus as always.