What are the key skills for success as an energy data analyst?

Actively working to improve data literacy, unlocks the full potential of the usable data at your disposal, leading to more accurate insights and more effective decision-making. It's a skill set that continues to grow in importance especially in the utility field. I for one really cut my teeth in the Quality Assurance side of things. Once you have the ability to assess data quality, including recognizing and addressing issues like missing or erroneous data, you are well on your way to recognizing patterns and trends within, which can lead to valuable insights and predictions.

Data is organised information. Hence, it is important for any data analyst to be able to sort information and filter off non relevant information. In addition, analyst should be able to make sense of organisaed data to drive meaningful conclusions.

As a voracious consumer of information and data on the "energy transition" I agree 100% with @Owen Rolt's observation on the topic.

Understanding statistics, forecast, and trends are extremely useful to interpret and data analysis. For sure you can support tools such as Excel, Power BI, Matlab, or other software packages to organize the data.

In my opinion, Excel is a powerful software. Most of the features an energy manager needs are available in Excel. If you are dealing with big data, it is useful to use data mining softwares. Of course, you must be completely familiar with the relevant algorithms.

A knowledge in PVsyst is also good to know about software it can simulate the performance of an energy system under various conditions.

As utilities convert from legacy systems to newer cloud based systems database management becomes a top topic of concern for those managing projects. Understanding how to work with databases using SQL is crucial for extracting, querying, and manipulating data from relational databases. Once those skills are harnessed data visualization becomes the next key skill needed. Tools like Tableau, Power BI, and matplotlib/seaborn in Python, are essential for creating clear and effective visualizations to communicate insights. I for one enjoy learning new things from Udemy or Khan Academy to hone my skills on specific topics that would otherwise not be available from a companies learning portal.

Comparison of the cost in producing a kWh energy from different energy sources and their impact on the environment will help the business in making best decisions for the company and environment.

A tip regarding Energy knowledge: you should keep updated about marketing trends and improvements. Furthermore, understand benchmarking indicators to have a reference baseline.

The knowledge in energy domain would enable analysts to value add in terms of data intepretation. More often than not, analysts would analyse data on its own. However, with domain knowledge, one could actually make valuable contribution to energy data analysis.

Facilitating meeting and workshops shouldn't be a scary thing for Energy data analysts. Being called upon to lead discussions or workshops, requires strong facilitation skills to keep the conversation productive and on track. Being able to adjust your communication style and level of technical detail based on who you're talking to is a key aspect of effective communication. Jumping in and volunteering to facilitate no matter how large or small of an audience helped me in become more comfortable leading engagements. Actively seeking opportunities to practice and receive feedback can help you become a more effective communicator and collaborator overall.

Industry and public consultation is key - it's important to try to understand how industry stakeholders interpret and respond to your findings. It can throw up some unexpected new lines of inquiry - I would encourage working groups and feedback sessions as key mechanisms to a complete research project.

I would say a genuine passion for the field often translates into a deeper commitment to seeking innovative solutions, staying updated with industry trends, and continuously striving for improvements. This can lead to meaningful contributions to the energy sector and broader society. By continually developing and honing these skills, energy data analysts can not only advance their own careers but also play a vital role in shaping a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. Their work contributes to the optimization of energy resources and the reduction of environmental impact, which is essential for a more sustainable and resilient global energy landscape.

Skepticism and patience are two of the biggest factors I like to see in an analyst. Someone who challenges all assumptions along the path of analysis. An individual who does not readily throw out data that doesn't fit the story but instead notes it for deeper exploration. Patience in all forms is key, especially when communicating. knowing one's audience and being able to walk through things to understand the decisions that can be made from the data is huge.

One of the key things I have learned as an analyst is not being afraid to think outside the box. Sometimes the solutions aren't always right in front of you and you need to have a little creativity to tell your story. Consulting with departments outside of my own whether the field, IT, or customer service, helps you embrace diverse perspectives and ideas. It will encourage collaboration with colleagues from different backgrounds and disciplines to bring fresh insights. That kind of experience is invaluable.