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Green Energy Careers

What does green mean, anyway? What does a green job in energy look like?

A green career is one that involves either promoting environmental conservation or reducing human environmental impact. While green jobs are found across all industries, the most likely place to find them is energy, especially in Renewable Energy (jobs like ethanol production workers and wind turbine service technicians) and Energy Efficient Building Operations (jobs like solar photovoltaic installers and construction and building inspectors).

Green energy jobs involve any of the following activities:

  • energy generation from renewable sources
  • manufacturing of goods used in renewable power generation, construction, and installation of energy and pollution management systems
  • engineering and consulting services in support of the activities above

The only way to tell a green job from a non-green job is the "extra" layer of knowledge or expertise that is required in addition to traditional skills. In the energy industry, more than others, this "extra" layer can make a difference in your marketability and your role within the company. And, your job satisfaction will be higher if green is your thing.

Green jobs and competencies in energy

Green jobs available in energy are very similar to traditional energy jobs. For example, there are similar responsibilities in operating both a coal- or gas-fired plant and operating a wind farm.

So, do green credentials truly help you become more employable?

Since energy efficiency is an achievable and strategically important goal for energy employers and for the government that heavily regulates most of the industry, some kind of knowledge and expertise in energy-efficiency will have to become a standard requirement for most workers in the future.

Then which specific green expertise and credentials can help you become more employable in the energy field?

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  1. Examples of green jobs and green competencies

    Energy Generation from Renewable Sources

    • Be competent in planning, design, installation, repair, and maintenance of emissions control equipment to improve the energy efficiency of existing power plants and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.
    • Examples include power plant operators, process operators, engineers, information technology careers, and computer systems engineers.

    Energy Transmission & Distribution

    • Be competent in planning, designing, installing, repairing, and maintenance related to energy delivery and distribution systems including emissions control equipment or Smart Grid.
    • Examples include lineworkers who know about new Smart Grid technology, substation mechanics who can install and maintain Smart Grid technology at substations, meter technicians who can install Smart meters or demand meters, power engineers who can plan and design new transmission and distribution systems including Smart Grid technology.

    So, if you are a construction worker, you can go green by acquiring credentials in energy-efficient construction. If you are an engineer who designs process flow in a generating station and have knowledge of energy efficiency, you can find a green opportunity designing emissions control processes at that same station.

    Source: Adapted from the Center for Energy Workforce Development report, Greening of the Industry (244KB, .pdf)



Marketing your green credentials

You don't necessarily need to go back to school to gain green credentials in energy. You need to actively search for opportunities to work on projects where you can learn green principles and technologies.

Green certificates and a few certifications in renewable energy, energy-efficient construction, and production already exist across the State of Minnesota. Energy training programs are rapidly emerging to keep up with demand and technological change.

Be aware, however, that employers look more at a candidate's proven ability to apply energy conservation principles to their business than at green-labeled educational credentials. If the company you want to work for has a conservative culture, it's wise not to overwhelm anyone with your enthusiasm for rescuing the planet from peril. Instead, emphasize how your deep understanding of energy conservation and efficiency can contribute to improving the bottom line.