Course overview
Finding a good renewable energy site is a geoscience problem before it is an engineering one. Solar irradiance varies with terrain and atmosphere, wind behaves differently across a ridge line than across an open plain, geothermal gradients depend on subsurface geology you cannot see, and biomass supply depends on land use that changes season to season. This course looks at how exploration teams measure, map, and compare these resources so that capital goes to sites that will actually perform.
The material is built around resource assessment and siting rather than plant design. You will work through the methods used to characterize a prospect, from geospatial screening and remote sensing down to the environmental and social studies that decide whether a permit is granted. It sits alongside our more specialized Renewable Energy and Geothermal Resource Exploration program, but keeps a wider frame across all the main renewable resource types.
Why this matters for energy organizations
Poor resource assessment is expensive in a way that shows up years later. A wind project sited on optimistic anemometry underperforms for its whole operating life, and a geothermal well drilled on thin data can be a stranded cost of several million before a single megawatt is produced. As IRENA and the IEA track record capacity additions each year, developers, lenders, and governments are all pushing for resource data that can survive due diligence.
Good exploration work also lowers the risk of environmental and community conflict. Many stalled renewable projects failed not on their engineering but on land use, biodiversity, or stakeholder objections that better early screening would have surfaced. Treating geoscience, environmental study, and siting as one connected process is what separates projects that reach financial close from those that do not.
What you will be able to do afterwards
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Select exploration methods for solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass.
- Apply resource mapping and site selection using GIS tools.
- Interpret irradiance, wind measurement, and thermal gradient data.
- Assess ecological and social risks in early-stage exploration.
- Design stakeholder engagement approaches for affected communities.
- Rank prospects across sites using modeling and forecasting tools.
- Align strategy with the Paris Agreement and net-zero targets.
Course outline
Unit 1: Foundations of sustainable energy exploration
- Sustainable energy principles versus extraction thinking.
- Renewable energy demand trends in IEA and IRENA outlooks.
- Energy supply versus land, water, and biodiversity limits.
- Role of geoscience in the sustainable development goals.
Unit 2: Renewable energy resource assessment
- Solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass exploration methods.
- Site selection using irradiance and wind measurement.
- GIS, satellite imagery, and digital elevation models.
- Worked resource assessments across regions and climates.
Unit 3: Environmental and social considerations
- Environmental impact assessment in early-stage exploration.
- Ecological risks, from habitat disturbance to land access.
- Community engagement and stakeholder participation.
- Responsible practices protecting resource and community.
Unit 4: Innovative tools and technologies
- Data acquisition: drone survey, LiDAR, and sensor networks.
- Digital platforms and AI for pattern detection in data.
- Modeling and forecasting of renewable energy potential.
- Sustainability metrics and life-cycle thinking.
Unit 5: Policy, regulation, and strategic planning
- National energy frameworks and effects on permitting.
- Legal and policy drivers of environmental licensing.
- Alignment with the Paris Agreement and net-zero targets.
- Practical roadmap for sustainable resource development.
How the course is delivered
Sessions are led by an experienced instructor and built around expert-led discussion, worked examples, and documented case studies. You will follow guided walkthroughs of assessment tools and frameworks, review real resource datasets together, and discuss siting decisions in group format. There is no live field survey or software lab; the aim is to build judgment about methods and results you can apply back in your own organization. The regulatory and policy material in Unit 5 is educational only: it does not provide certification, a compliance opinion, or legal advice, and specific projects should be checked against local law.
Who should attend
The course suits professionals involved in identifying, assessing, or approving renewable energy sites.
- Geoscientists, geologists, and geophysicists moving into renewable resource work.
- Renewable energy project developers and site selection specialists.
- Environmental and social impact assessment practitioners.
- GIS, remote sensing, and resource-modeling analysts.
- Energy planners and policy staff in ministries, utilities, and development agencies.
About EuroQuest International Training
EuroQuest International Training was founded in 2015 and delivers more than 1000 professional development courses to over 15,000 participants worldwide. The company is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with training hubs including Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a geoscience or engineering background to attend?
A technical background helps, but it is not required. The course explains exploration methods and geospatial tools from first principles, so environmental specialists, planners, and project managers can follow the material alongside geoscientists.
Does the course cover all renewable resource types or only geothermal?
It covers solar, wind, geothermal, and biomass resource assessment together, with an emphasis on comparing them. For a deeper treatment of subsurface and geothermal exploration specifically, our Renewable Energy and Geothermal Resource Exploration course goes further into that area.
Will this course certify me to conduct environmental impact assessments?
No. The course is educational and builds understanding of EIA scope and resource assessment practice, but it does not grant certification or a professional license, and it does not substitute for the qualifications required under local regulation.
Related courses
- Sustainable Energy Strategies and Renewable Integration
- Green Hydrogen and Future Energy Solutions
- Corporate Sustainability and ESG Strategies in Energy
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Operations
Register for this course
To reserve a place or ask about scheduling, register your interest or contact the EuroQuest International Training team, and an advisor will help you plan your attendance.
All Course Dates & Locations
32 dates · 17 cities · Sep 2026 – Jun 2027