Are you considering a career in renewables?
The renewables sector has received a ton publicity in the last few years. Not many parts of our economy have a similar chance to influence our future in years to come. Most governments are participating in the Kyoto Protocol, or have at least subjected themselves to reducing carbon dioxide emissions drastically within the next decades. This ambitious goal can only be reached by increasing the proportion of renewable sources in our energy mix.
Renewable energy has a very bright future ahead.
In such a positive environment renewables will probably be the fastest growing sector of the economy in coming years with ten thousands of new jobs created. Have you considered being a part of it?
This fascinating industry offers many interesting and rewarding careers. Whether you are a recent graduate passionate about the environment or if you are looking for a career change and want to do challenging and sustainable work, you will learn more about careers in this young but thriving industry on this website. We will explain the work that is available, and the skills that are most in demand. So let’s get started!
History
Renewable energy has been around for millennia, but until the 1980′s, the sector was not recognized at all. The few renewable projects that existed back then, mainly large hydro, early geothermal, and landfill gas projects, had to sell their power to the local electricity companies, and were entirely dependent on them.
With the privatization of electricity in the late 1980′s and the new legislation that came with it, there was additional financial and fiscal support to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy generation, and investment started to flow into new technologies. The EU also announced a renewable energy quota at that time and required individual nations to set similar targets. When the Kyoto Protocol was adopted in 1997, renewable energy (“green energy”) took to a much bigger stage once again.
With the recent nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, renewables attracted even more attention. Germany and Switzerland announced to shut down all nuclear power plants but the year 2020, and other nations around the world will follow.
Industry overview
Renewable energy is an umbrella term for different types of renewable sources: Solar, wind, water, ocean, geothermal, and biomass. Some of them are commercialized and able to compete with conventional power on price and reliability, others are still experimental and need large improvements in efficiency. Wind energy is one of the most visible contributor to renewable energy in most countries, while hydroelectricity remains the most important renewable technology as far as output is concerned. This may change in the years to come, as already, the co-firing of biomass together with hydrocarbons in conventional power stations is very widespread.
Manufacturers of renewable energy technology, project and business development companies, fuel supplier, power retailers, contractors and service providers play important roles in the renewables market place. Their number is already large and growing, but the industry is still developing. Organizations vary a great deal in size and specialization (and so do their stock prices). At the top are equipment manufacturers, electric utilities, and international energy companies (“oil companies”) who spend heavily on R&D for new sources of fuel. On the other end are new start-up companies that specialize in certain fuel systems or services, often driven by an individual or a research team. Both offer valid alternatives and entry points to the working world of renewable energy.
Future outlook of the industry
As in any other industry, economies of scale help reduce costs and enable industries to become competitive. In many countries, consumers can choose if they want to pay more for electricity that is generated with renewable sources. In other countries, the government is subsidizing new technology and research directly to help it evolve faster. The more public support renewable energy gets, the better its chances to replace or at least sufficiently supplement conventional energy sources.
Available work
The renewables industry offers many great opportunities for engineers and technically qualified staff, but it is by no means exclusive to engineering graduates. Only about 20% of employees in the renewables industry are in technical occupations, while the most part (about 50%) is working in general management and other professional positions such as sales and administration.
With renewables the focus is much more on the specific fuel source and its associated challenges than with maximising the efficiency and availability of very expensive plant like is the case with conventional power stations. The conventional energy industry relies much more heavily on very specialized cutting-edge engineering. The technology of most renewable power plants is very simple by comparison. The problems involve agricultural, planning, location, and marine or environmental challenges, which offers up a more diverse spectrum of employment opportunities than in coal or gas fired power stations.
Because the renewables sector is so diverse, one cannot generalize about the kind of available work too much, but in general, most jobs have to do either with manufacturer or project development companies. Of course, all of these companies and organizations need financial and legal staff, human resource managers, and all the other professional occupations found in traditional enterprises.
The most important thing to remember in this young industry is that companies will come and go. If you are prepared to remain flexible and mobile, and if you are willing to build up experience, there will always be well-paid and challenging opportunities in the future.
Necessary skills
There is a wide range of skills needed in the renewables industry. They depend on whether you are interested to work in development, manufacturing, construction, operations, or in a specialist team.
Technical engineering skills are in high remand by manufacturers and maintenance/installation contractors: Civil, mechanical, electrical engineering, as well as software and process protocol are such applications. Although renewable energy plants is not yet as technical as traditional power plants, this may change in the future, as new technologies will emerge and economies of scale are established.
Project development and management skills are equally important: Economics, financial appraisal and management, business planning, project management, commercial/legal skills and marketing would be such applications.
As new technologies develop and mature, specialist skills associated with them will become required: Offshore, wind, wave, and tidal projects will need specific talent that can master marine offshore problems, while biofuels will create opportunities for professionals with agricultural, environmental, and planning backgrounds.
Skill shortage areas
In general, there exists a shortage of electrical/electronic engineers in both the conventional and the renewables industry. The number of electrical engineering students has continually dropped over the last decade by more than 30%. Other recruitment shortages include related technical fields such as design and manufacture of composites, geophysics, and specialized fabrication. Others are the management of energy crops, and project installation. The reason for these shortages lies in the fact that most students have not seen an interesting and lucrative career in these renewable energy fields, but this will change rapidly in the future.
Available jobs
Each renewable energy sector (solar, wind, water, ocean, geothermal, and biomass) has a wide range of careers. These sectors are not dominated by engineers who need to make plant more efficient ad infinitum, but focuses more on siting and clean fuel management. The potential for growth is huge in this industry, which is one of its main attractions. Already, renewable energy is the fastest growing area in the energy sector.
Salaries in this sector are good, and the mentioned skill shortages will keep salary levels rising. If you have a relevant technical or non-technical background and have drive and commitment, the opportunities are great to develop a successful career in this field where you can contribute to halt climate change and environmental damage.
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We are compiling more resources about specific studies and degrees at the moment. In the meantime, please check out the Energy Risk Professional or the Renewable Energy Blog.
