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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wind Farm Planner

💰 $70,000 - $140,000

Renewable EnergyWindPlanningEngineeringProject Development

🎯 Role Definition

The Wind Farm Planner is responsible for the technical and commercial planning of onshore and offshore wind projects from early-stage feasibility through to construction handover. This role leads wind resource assessments, micrositing, energy-yield and wake-loss modeling, permitting and interconnection coordination, and cross-functional collaboration with developers, engineers, environmental teams and stakeholders to deliver optimal, bankable project layouts and schedules. Strong experience with industry tools (WindPRO, WAsP, OpenWind/NOJA, FLORIS), GIS, meteorological instrumentation, and project development workflows is essential.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior Wind Engineer / Wind Resource Analyst
  • GIS Technician or Environmental Planner with wind experience
  • Renewable Energy Project Coordinator or Technical Analyst

Advancement To:

  • Senior Wind Farm Planner / Lead Planner
  • Development Manager / Project Development Lead
  • Head of Site Planning or Principal Wind Energy Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Renewable Energy Project Manager
  • Grid Connection / Transmission Planner
  • Environmental Compliance or Permitting Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and deliver comprehensive wind resource and energy yield assessments (EYA) using industry-standard tools (WindPRO, WAsP, OpenWind, FLORIS), including long-term correction, uncertainty quantification, and sensitivity analyses to support project financing and PPA negotiations.
  • Perform micrositing and turbine layout optimization to maximize energy production while minimizing wake losses, environmental impacts, landowner constraints and civil infrastructure costs.
  • Develop and maintain detailed GIS datasets for site constraints, land parcels, terrain, land use, protected areas, cultural heritage, roads, and grid infrastructure; integrate GIS outputs into layout, permitting and construction planning.
  • Conduct onshore and offshore site feasibility studies including topography, soil/geotechnical inputs, bathymetry (offshore), access logistics, and constructability assessments to inform design and budget estimates.
  • Manage meteorological measurement campaigns (met mast, LiDAR, SoDAR): design measurement plans, oversee procurement and installation, ensure data quality control, perform post-processing and correlate to reference datasets.
  • Produce and present bankable technical reports and energy yield statements for lenders, investors and stakeholders that document methodology, assumptions, uncertainties and expected annual energy production (AEP).
  • Coordinate interconnection and grid integration studies, liaise with transmission system operators (TSOs), prepare point of connection studies, and integrate grid constraints into layout and project timing.
  • Support environmental and permitting teams by providing technical inputs for habitat, noise, shadow flicker, and visual impact assessments; modify layouts to mitigate environmental and stakeholder constraints.
  • Prepare detailed conceptual and preliminary design packages (civil, foundation, electrical balance-of-plant) to support cost estimating, RFQs and procurement processes.
  • Work closely with commercial and development teams to produce financial models, LCOE estimates and scenario analyses that reflect layout-driven yield, capex and opex implications.
  • Lead technical due diligence for acquisitions and JV opportunities: evaluate existing resource data, validation of models, review civil and electrical design packages, and identify technical, schedule and cost risks.
  • Run wake-loss and array performance studies, calibrate models using SCADA and operational data during pre- and post-construction phases to refine expectations and O&M strategies.
  • Engage with landowners, local authorities, and community stakeholders to negotiate site leases, easements and access agreements and to address public consultation issues that affect siting and schedule.
  • Provide construction-phase planning and on-site support: review contractor layouts, advise on temporary works and access, validate as-built turbine locations and ensure alignment with planned micrositing.
  • Coordinate supply chain and procurement inputs related to turbine selection, foundation types, and BOS equipment, ensuring technical specifications align with site-specific constraints and grid requirements.
  • Implement risk assessments and mitigation plans covering technical, environmental, health & safety, contractual and schedule risks and embed mitigation in project planning and design reviews.
  • Oversee performance forecasting and reporting processes, establish baseline AEP metrics, and support commercialization activities including PPA structuring and asset valuation.
  • Support the development and maintenance of company planning standards, checklists, and templates to standardize micrositing, EYA and permitting processes across projects.
  • Collaborate with electrical engineers on substation, cable routing and HV design to ensure minimal losses and cost-effective connections while considering future expansion and O&M access.
  • Manage and interpret meteorological and SCADA datasets for pre-construction validation and post-construction performance verification, identifying model deviations and recommending corrective actions.
  • Coordinate multi-disciplinary reviews (civil, electrical, environmental, H&S) during feasibility, permitting and detailed design stages to ensure all disciplines’ constraints are reconciled in final layouts.
  • Lead optimization of construction schedules and logistics planning including turbine delivery, craneage, storage yards, and port operations (offshore), to reduce mobilization time and cost.
  • Prepare tender documentation and technical scopes of work for turbine suppliers, balance-of-plant contractors, and measurement campaigns; evaluate technical bids and support commercial negotiations.
  • Track regulatory and market changes (grid codes, permitting requirements, environmental legislation) and update project planning assumptions and compliance strategies accordingly.
  • Mentor junior engineers and planners, provide training on industry tools and methodologies, and participate in hiring and competency development to scale planning capability.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Maintain and improve internal planning templates, modeling scripts, and data validation routines for repeatable, auditable workflows.
  • Assist business development with technical responses to RFPs and early-stage client or investor due diligence inquiries.
  • Support H&S teams by reviewing site access plans, emergency response considerations and contractor HSE documentation during planning and mobilization.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Wind resource assessment and energy-yield modeling (WindPRO, WAsP, OpenWind, FLORIS) — demonstrated ability to generate bankable AEP reports with uncertainty analysis.
  • GIS proficiency (ArcGIS, QGIS) for constraint mapping, route optimization, terrain analysis and deliverable map production.
  • Data analysis and scripting skills (Python, MATLAB, R) for automation, data cleaning, time-series analysis and custom modeling tasks.
  • Familiarity with meteorological instrumentation and processing (LiDAR, SoDAR, met mast setup, QC, correlation and long-term correction).
  • Experience with wake-loss modeling, array optimization and turbine micro-siting methodologies.
  • Knowledge of electrical interconnection processes, power system basics, and grid code requirements for onshore and offshore connections.
  • Experience preparing technical tender documents, evaluating technical bids and supporting procurement of turbines, foundations, and BOS equipment.
  • Ability to develop conceptual civil, foundation and access designs and interface effectively with geotechnical and civil engineering teams.
  • Proficiency with project scheduling and cost tools (MS Project, Primavera, Excel-based CAPEX/OPEX models) and familiarity with LCOE calculations.
  • Experience with SCADA data analysis for performance verification and operational benchmarking.
  • Strong technical writing skills for producing bankable reports, permits, presentations and investor-ready documentation.
  • Familiarity with environmental constraint analysis (noise, shadow flicker, bird & bat assessments) and experience integrating mitigation into planning.
  • Experience with offshore planning considerations (if applicable): bathymetry, foundation types, port logistics, export cables and installation sequencing.
  • Knowledge of permitting processes, landowner agreements, and community engagement practices related to wind project development.

Soft Skills

  • Clear, persuasive stakeholder engagement and negotiation skills with landowners, regulators, TSOs and community groups.
  • Strong project management and organizational capability to manage multiple projects and priorities concurrently.
  • Problem-solving and analytical mindset with attention to detail and ability to synthesize technical and commercial trade-offs.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills tailored for technical and non-technical audiences, investors and lenders.
  • Collaborative team player able to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams and lead cross-functional workshops.
  • Commercial awareness and ability to balance technical optimization with cost and schedule realities.
  • Adaptability, resilience and a results-focused approach in fast-moving development environments.
  • Mentoring and coaching ability to build capability in junior staff and support continuous improvement.
  • Risk management mindset, capable of identifying, quantifying and mitigating project risks proactively.
  • Time management and prioritization skills with a focus on meeting deliverables and contractual milestones.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Electrical), Renewable Energy, Environmental Science, Meteorology, or related technical field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Renewable Energy, Wind Energy Engineering, Electrical Power Systems, Civil Engineering, or Atmospheric Science.
  • Professional certifications in project management (PMP) or GIS are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Wind Energy / Renewable Energy
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Civil / Structural Engineering
  • Electrical Power Systems
  • Environmental Science / Ecology
  • Meteorology / Atmospheric Science
  • GIS / Geomatics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years for mid-level Wind Farm Planner roles; 8+ years for senior/lead positions.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of direct experience in wind farm planning, energy yield assessment, micrositing and grid connection processes.
  • Proven track record delivering PC/finance-ready AEP reports, layout optimization, and supporting permitting and construction handover.
  • Experience working with lenders, investors, TSOs and executing technical due diligence in project M&A or development processes.
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