Renewable energy is the future for mankind, so if you want to become an engineer in the clean energy sector, you have a wide variety of majors to choose from.
Depending on what you want to do, you can choose to become a mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, civil engineer, chemical engineer, materials engineer, or even aerospace or industrial engineer.
Chemistry and physics are two of the most popular sciences to go into, but what could you do with each of these?
Never forget that you can access a personal loan to finance your studies if needed.
Renewable energy sources rely mainly on sunlight and wind, but also on water (hydro), geothermal (underground heat) and biomass.
1. Becoming a Civil Engineer
If you want to build a dam that is used to harness the kinetic energy of the falling or fast flowing water to produce hydroelectric power, you have to become a civil engineer.
Civil engineers can also deal with earthquakes for geothermal plants and make sure that the structure and everything related can withstand the vibrations that occur in the event of an earthquake.
2. Becoming a Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineering is ideal for those who want to work on solar panels. For senior projects, some mechanical engineers have tested the differences between stationary solar panels and solar panels tracking the sunlight, to see if efficiency is improved when following the sunlight throughout the day.
The mechanical engineer will design all the mechanical aspects of these systems.
Mechanical engineers can also work on wind turbines to determine the aerodynamics, to optimize the shape of the turbine, and make it more productive.
As a mechanical engineer, you can also design the piping for geothermal applications, or the turbine which spins due to the action of steam and generates clean power.
3. Becoming a Materials Engineer
Materials engineers could work to optimize the efficiency of the materials used by solar panels. This way they are trying to make the solar cells more efficient and more affordable, using cheaper and more common materials to fabricate them.
This work is done by analyzing various materials that are favorable of entering the field of nanotechnology, where materials engineers are working on energy storage to improve the performance and prolong the life of the batteries used to store renewable energy or to power electric vehicles.
4. Becoming a Chemical Engineer
Chemical engineers can be in charge of the process in which solar panels are made, this way they can reduce the manufacturing costs by investigating organic and carbon solar cells.
These engineers can also work in biofuel research facilities to produce clean fuels that can replace diesel and gasoline.
5. Becoming an Electrical Engineer
Electrical engineers will deal with electric power generation and to distribute the large amount of clean electricity produced by a solar park, wind farm, hydroelectric power plant, geothermal and biomass power plants.
All electrical components in these systems will be worked by electrical engineers.
6. Becoming an Industrial Engineer
Industrial engineers can oversee the entire process and ensure that the energy capabilities meets the needs of the clients. They don’t design these systems, but they focus more on the larger scale and the business side of things.
Physics majors will work on computers to model fluid flow and capture ocean energy and will also design these systems.
They can also work on developing superconducting materials (superconductors), to improve the transmission systems with regards to renewable energy.
3. Becoming an Aerospace Engineer
Aerospace engineers can also work on wind turbines because it involves aerodynamics.
Conclusion
If you want to become an engineer in the renewable energy sector you will have a job that is part of the future and you will also contribute to reduce the amount of pollution produced on the planet.
