Career roadmap 5 steps about 214 hours Classroom & live online

How to become a Solar PV Design Engineer

A solar PV design engineer plans rooftop and ground-mounted solar plants, from panel layout and shadow checks to energy yield and electrical drawings. This roadmap covers AutoCAD, SketchUp, PVsyst, AutoCAD Electrical and Excel.

Who can start:ITIDiplomaGraduate (any stream)B.Tech / B.E.Working professional

Your roadmap to become a Solar PV Design Engineer

  1. Draw site and roof layouts in AutoCAD 2D

    Learn drawing, editing, layers, blocks, dimensions and plotting so you can trace a roof or land plan, place module rows with correct spacing and walkways, and print clean layout drawings.

  2. Model roofs and check shadows in SketchUp

    Build a 3D model of the roof or site with parapets, water tanks and nearby buildings, then run sun and shadow studies for different months to decide where modules can safely go.

  3. Simulate energy yield in PVsyst

    Enter location and weather data, choose modules and inverters, define strings, orientation and tilt, add shading and losses, and produce the yearly generation report that clients and banks ask for.

  4. Prepare electrical drawings in AutoCAD Electrical

    Draw single line diagrams, string and inverter wiring, AC and DC distribution boards and earthing and lightning protection layouts, with proper symbols and cable tags.

  5. Make BOQs and calculation sheets in Excel

    Use formulas, tables and charts to prepare the bill of materials, cable sizing and voltage drop sheets, and simple generation and savings summaries for proposals.

  6. Course-completion certificate + completion badge

    Finish the program and its project — you get the course-completion certificate and a digital completion badge with your name.

    Sample course-completion certificate — Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program
    Course-completion certificate (sample) — Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program · verifiable online
    Completion badge — Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program
    Course-completion badge
    Program
    Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program
    Issued by
    CADD Training Cetre
    How to earn
    Complete the program and its project
    With your name and year · its own verify link
  7. Certification exam

    Take the certification exam: a theory test on the software of the program and a practical task of the job — at the centre or online.

  8. Certified certificate + marksheet

    Pass the exam and get the certified certificate with your marksheet. Anyone can check it online with its QR code.

  9. Certified badge

    Your certified badge — add it to LinkedIn and share it anywhere; it opens its own verify page.

    Certified badge — Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program
    Certified badge
    Program
    Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program
    Issued by
    CADD Training Cetre
    How to earn
    Pass the certification exam
    You also get
    Certified certificate + marksheet
    With your name and year · its own verify link · “Add to profile” on LinkedIn
  10. Make your CV & apply for jobs

    Make your CV in your student panel (Career → My CV) — your program, certificates and projects are added for you. Send it as a link with a preview picture, apply to jobs and answer Hire Me requests from companies.

The counsellor can shorten or extend this plan for your qualification and the time you have. Ask for your personal plan →

Job-Ready Career Programs for a Solar PV Design Engineer

Join at the level that suits you — each level is a complete course you can enrol in.

Associate

Solar PV Design Engineer – Associate Career Program

Entry job — the first steps of the roadmap

3 software · 130 hours Enquire
Professional

Solar PV Design Engineer – Professional Career Program

The whole roadmap — every software of the job

5 software · 214 hours Enquire

What does a Solar PV Design Engineer do?

A solar PV design engineer works out how a solar plant should be built before any material is ordered. On a normal day you study a site or roof drawing, check shadows from parapets, tanks and nearby buildings, arrange modules in rows and strings, size inverters and cables, simulate how much energy the plant will produce in a year, and prepare the layout drawings, single line diagrams and bill of materials that the installation team and the client need.

Solar designers work with EPC companies and rooftop installers, solar module and inverter dealers, electrical consultants, developers of large solar parks, and industries that install plants on their own factory roofs. Many small installers also need freelance help with layouts, net metering drawings and generation reports for homes, schools and commercial buildings.

India is adding solar capacity on homes, factories and open land, helped by net metering and government rooftop schemes such as PM Surya Ghar. Every one of these projects needs a correct layout, a realistic generation estimate and clear electrical drawings for DISCOM approval and site work. That steady flow of projects is why installers look for people who combine basic electrical knowledge with drawing and simulation software.

Who can start

  • ITI Electrician and Wireman trainees who want to move into design work
  • Diploma or B.Tech students in Electrical, Electronics or Mechanical Engineering
  • Solar installation and site technicians who want to prepare designs themselves
  • Electrical engineers working in building services or utilities who want to shift to renewable energy

Skills you will have

  • Reading roof plans and site drawings and planning module rows with correct spacing
  • Shadow analysis using 3D models and sun path studies
  • String sizing and matching modules with inverters
  • Energy yield simulation and loss analysis in PVsyst
  • Preparing single line diagrams, wiring and earthing drawings
  • Cable sizing, voltage drop and protection device selection basics
  • Preparing BOQs and technical proposals for rooftop and ground-mounted plants

Career growth

  1. Solar Design Trainee / CAD Draughtsman (Solar)
  2. Solar PV Design Engineer
  3. Senior Design Engineer or Proposal Engineer
  4. Solar Design Lead or Engineering Manager
  5. Solar Consultant or own EPC business
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Solar PV Design Engineer — FAQ

How to become a solar PV design engineer after diploma?

Make sure your basic electrical concepts are clear, then learn AutoCAD 2D, SketchUp for shadow studies, PVsyst for energy simulation and AutoCAD Electrical for single line diagrams. Design two or three sample rooftop plants for your portfolio and apply to solar EPC companies and installers.

What is PVsyst used for?

PVsyst is a simulation software that estimates how much energy a solar plant will produce over a year. Designers use it to compare module and inverter options, check shading and losses, and prepare generation reports for clients, lenders and tenders.

Do I need an electrical engineering degree for solar design?

Not always. Layout and drawing work is open to ITI and diploma holders, but sizing inverters, cables and protection needs sound electrical knowledge. Electrical diploma or degree holders usually move into full design responsibility faster.

Is AutoCAD necessary for solar design jobs?

Yes. Almost every solar company shares roof plans, plant layouts and single line diagrams as AutoCAD drawings. PVsyst gives the energy numbers, but the drawings that go to site and to the DISCOM are made in CAD.

How long does it take to learn solar PV design software?

Each step above shows its own course duration. With regular classes, most students complete this roadmap in four to six months, and site visits or practice on real roof drawings make the learning much faster.

Can I learn solar PV design online?

Yes. CADD Training Centre runs live online classes as well as classroom batches. You need a computer that can run AutoCAD, SketchUp and PVsyst smoothly, and should practise on sample roof and site drawings between classes.

More questions? Ask our counsellor or see all career roadmaps.

Solar PV Design Engineer5 steps · about 214 h
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