Energy Engineer

Engineers solve problems. And in the energy industry, there are plenty to solve. We have limited resources, consume as if there’s an endless supply, and pollute our environment while we do it. But as an Energy Engineer, you work to reverse the negatives, and find ways to produce cleaner, more effective, and more efficient forms of energy.

An industry that used to depend solely on wood or coal now has a plethora of options. We now rely on a combination of natural gas, coal, solar, wind, and nuclear energies. As an Energy Engineer, you bring your skills to the table in one of these arenas. For example, you might study, design, build, and maintain huge wind turbines—a clean, renewable resource. Or you might develop new and more efficient solar panels that are smaller, cheaper, lighter, easier to use, or that produce more energy. As an Energy Engineer, you might also design better storage systems for energy, allowing solar energy to accumulate in sunny periods and be stored for use during the winter. In this way, what used to be a product efficient only in warm, sunny climates can now be used in areas blessed by less rays.

You work inside homes and businesses, performing energy audits. You look at the efficiency of windows, doors, insulation, and flooring. You also evaluate the energy consumption of appliances, then based on your findings, you create more efficient models. Pollution is another concern, so you work to create processes that limit the amount of waste products released into the air and water. Overall, you find ways to conserve resources, reduce pollution, and manage resources.