Renewable Energy Foundations for Business

The transition to renewable energy is reshaping industries, driving changes in supply chains, investment strategies, and long-term business models. As policies tighten, financial incentives evolve, and new technologies emerge, organisations must adapt to remain competitive and meet growing sustainability expectations.

This self-paced online course explores the key forces behind this shift, from global climate commitments and net-zero targets to the economic and operational advantages of renewables. Using a systems-thinking approach, it examines the challenges and opportunities of moving away from traditional energy sources, covering electrification, energy storage, infrastructure needs, and the financial and policy mechanisms enabling the transition.

Crucially, the course highlights both the urgency and the business case for renewable energy. Beyond reducing emissions and mitigating climate risks, it explores how renewables enhance economic resilience, improve energy security, and align with evolving regulatory and investor expectations. By analysing societal benefits—such as cleaner air and resource sustainability - alongside strategic industry advantages, it provides a comprehensive understanding of why and how businesses must adapt.

More than just theory, this course equips participants with practical tools to take action. Through real-world case studies and interactive exercises, learners will develop strategies to assess risks, identify opportunities, and overcome implementation barriers to the renewable transition - helping their organisations lead in the evolving energy economy.

This course equals 8 hours of the CPD Certification Service(Opens in a new window) time.

The transition to renewable energy is reshaping industries, economies, and the way we power our world. This course is structured around five key modules, each exploring a critical aspect of this transformation:

• The Energy System Today – How We Got Here: This module examines the evolution of the energy system and the risks of continued fossil fuel dependence from environmental, social, and economic perspectives.

• The Need for a Renewable Energy Transition: Explore the global drivers behind the shift to renewable energy, including emissions targets and the intersection of social and business priorities.

• What the Renewable Energy Transition Looks Like: Discover major technologies like solar, hydro, tidal, and geothermal, along with innovations in storage, automation, and digital solutions that enable the transition.

• Barriers and Opportunities in the Transition: Identify the challenges slowing adoption, the role of businesses of all sizes, and how government policies can accelerate progress.

• Driving Change in Business and Beyond: Apply the knowledge gained throughout the course to develop a personal action plan, helping you lead and influence the transition within your organisation and industry.

This course equips you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the renewable energy transition and drive meaningful change in your industry whilst capitalising on business opportunities. By the end of the course, you will:

• Develop a strategic mindset to understand the risks and opportunities presented by the shift to renewable energy.

• Strengthen decision-making skills by evaluating how businesses, governments, and individuals can accelerate the transition.

• Gain the ability to identify credible solutions and distinguish between genuine progress and greenwashing.

• Enhance leadership capabilities to influence and implement sustainable energy strategies within your organization.

• Build a future-focused perspective to adapt to the evolving energy landscape and contribute to long-term sustainability goals.

This course is ideal for professionals working in energy-intensive industries such as utilities, oil and gas, engineering, manufacturing, mining, construction, or those with responsibilities for energy and infrastructure choices at larger organisations. It is suited to those looking to deepen their understanding of the energy transition and its impact on their sector with up to 10 years’ experience in the field.

Experienced professionals with more than 10 years’ experience will also benefit, gaining insights to support leadership and decision-making in their organisations.

This course offers a flexible and engaging learning experience, allowing you to complete 6-8 hours of content at your own pace over a 12-month period. You’ll progress through a series of modules featuring a mix of videos, case studies, interactive graphics, and self-assessments designed to make learning both practical and immersive. With a focus on multi-format content, the course ensures that each concept is reinforced in ways that suit different learning styles.

As you navigate the course, you’ll engage with real-world examples from the renewable energy transition, helping you connect theory to practice. Regular quizzes and assessments provide ongoing opportunities to test your understanding, while supplementary reading and optional content deepen your knowledge.

At the end of the course, you’ll develop a personal action plan, equipping you with concrete steps to integrate sustainability strategies into your role within your organisation. Upon successful completion, you’ll receive a digital badge from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, marking your achievement.

Course licences are valid for 12 months giving you and your team the flexibility to revisit the content as needed even after completing it. For organisations, the admin portal allows you to distribute licences easily and to track your team’s progress and gain aggregated feedback, supporting future learning strategies.

This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service, and may be applicable for CPD points, with individuals responsible for claiming or validating their own hours.

Providing a foundational understanding of the renewable energy transition, this course is designed for professionals with up to ten years’ experience of working in the energy sector or related industries and departments. Learners with more than 10 years’ experience are also welcome to join to build upon their existing knowledge and skills to best support the transition.