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Top Tech Skills to Land a Job in the Renewable Energy Sector

03 08 20 - 02:57




by Artur Meyster




Renewable energies are a commendable sector that is often times regarded as altruistic. Not only the works that are done contribute significantly toward a sustainable future but jobs in this field are also compensated well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, all jobs related to renewable energies have higher salaries than the average American jobs. The BLS also highlighted that solar-panel installers and wind-turbine installers are some of the fastest-growing careers in the country.

It goes without saying that the tech industry also plays an influence on the development of the renewable energy sector. If you would like to get a tech job in this sector, we’ll show you some of the most in-demand skills that you would need.

Financial Analysis

The role of a financial analyst is a vital one. When building a project, for instance, most companies have to abide by certain regulations imposed by the government and its institutions. Therefore, companies would have to look at all the possible scenarios they might encounter while ensuring that they follow the routes that are the most financially sensible.

In this sector, a financial analyst is a professional that provides consulting services to renewable energy companies in terms of financing and administration. Financial analysts make quantitative analyses to spot factors that could be affecting the project’s investment and overall finances.

If you’re curious about the salary of a financial analyst, we can tell you that it’s more lucrative than you may think. A financial analyst can make up to $85,660 annually, according to this Business Insider article below. The same article also highlighted that the role is projected to grow by 10% in 2026.

Data Science

Data science covers a lot of ground and not only in the tech industry. The reason being data scientists can spot errors and predict future patterns that might influence the results of a particular project. That’s why the role of a data scientist has become so important in the renewable energy industry.

Data science can provide a variety of benefits to the renewable energy industry. Through data science, companies can improve the reliability of solar panel technology and maintenance systems. Besides, by applying other related technologies like machine learning algorithms, renewable companies can optimize the cooling and heating systems in the panels and wind energy systems, among others.

Data science can also help companies lower the costs of production by analyzing data from the process of development. The scientists can help companies analyze the market trends to come up with the best solutions for their customers.

If you would like to become a data scientist, there are great schools like Galvanize or Thinkful that offer immersive courses that teach you all the essential skills you’ll need to become successful in this career. The estimated annual salary of a data scientist is over $100,000, so this is definitely a skill that promises lucrative outlooks.

Software Development

According to the cited article below from Business Insider, software engineering roles will increase by 11.1% by 2026. This means that software development will be even more in-demand in the future of renewable energy companies.

In essence, software engineers are professionals who develop, maintain and update digital products that help a company achieves its business goals. In the renewable energy sector, there are many ways a company can benefit from hiring stellar software developers, be it for specific projects or general use cases.

Machine Learning

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are causing a big splash even in the renewable energy sector. You may think that they’re not related, but they sure are. There are so many initiatives that embrace the machine learning trend in the industry, as seen in some initiatives by institutions like IBM, Google, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Most of the applications of machine learning in renewable energy systems rely on predictions. The technology helps companies identify future climate changes, among others, which then tells them to act accordingly.

If you would like to become a machine learning engineer, there are many schools such as Hack Reactor or Springboard, where you can learn everything from the fundamentals of machine learning to statistics in just a couple of months. These schools are also affordable, in comparison to traditional universities.

Conclusion

Some of the most in-demand tech trends in the renewable energy industry like data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence are here to stay. They will only continue to create a positive impact on the way renewable energy companies work. So, if you are thinking about making a career shift, consider familiarizing yourself with one of the above mentioned skills.








Related:

Best tech jobs




Financial analysts for renewable-energy companies are expected to see 10.9% job growth by 2026


How to Become a Data Scientist in 2020


Galvanize - coding bootcamp and coworking space


How to Become a Software Engineer in 2020


Start a Data Science Career


Springboard - on-line courses - UI/UX Design, Data Science, Data Analytics, Web Development, Full Stack Development


Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech.

Linkedin Used tags: alt_energy_tech_jobs, alternative_energy_jobs, how_to_get_a_job_in_renewable_energy, solar_panel_installers, wind_turbine_installers

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Top Tech Skills to Land a Job in the Renewable Energy Sector

Monday 03 August 2020 at 02:57 am




by Artur Meyster more

Raging wildfires: Climate changes to blame for record season?

Saturday 16 July 2011 at 06:07 am Raging wildfires: Climate changes to blame for record season?


By Pete Spotts


The images are stark: soot-grimed firefighters steering bulldozers or wielding shovels to clear underbrush; curtains of orange flame tracing the contours of summits; aircraft dumping chemicals to slow a fire's progress.

Between Jan. 1 and early July of 2011, slightly more than 38,000 wildfires charred the landscape in the United States at a record pace. So far this year, wildfires have consumed just under 4.9 million acres of forest and grassland, a cumulative expanse the size of New Jersey.

That's 1 million more acres than fires consumed during the same period in 2006, which saw a record 9.9 million acres burned for the entire year.

Beyond the numbers, this year's fires may provide the first large-scale tests of the effectiveness of projects undertaken over the past decade to help forests survive wildfires, several specialists say.

The West's forests are adapted to deal with certain types of wildfires, researchers note. But since the mid-1980s, they add, some of these forests have experienced an increasing number of fires to which they are not well adapted.

Many researchers trace this shift in part to climate change. more

Hybrid Moves Into Housing

Sunday 22 May 2011 at 01:14 am Hybrid Moves Into Housing


By Brenda Krueger Huffman

(Chicago) – Recycling - Check. Conserving energy - Check. Hybrid car - Next car, check. Hybrid home system - What? Yes, it’s here. Hybrid has seamlessly, successfully moved into housing.

Safety Power, Inc. was initially started to provide homes with back up power. The company quickly grew to include renewable energy options and advising commercial and industrial clients with electrical conservation. Recently the company has come full circle and began marketing a new more capable type of renewable energy system for homes.

The award winning firm was voted one of the “Top 5 Sustainable Product Companies in Illinois” and continues to grow its residential client base in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Safety Power also serves larger firms on the national level.

Robert Brazzale, President of Safety Power, a master electrician turned entrepreneur, began Safety Power in 2007. An avid member of Local First Chicago, Rob believes in assisting sustaining local economies with green collar jobs and belongs to many green orientated groups in Chicago and around the country. more

Are electric car makers missing the trick?

Tuesday 29 March 2011 at 11:12 am Are electric car makers missing the trick?


by Martin Ott

I believe that electric car makers may be driving us all down the road that may result in the same sort of technology failures that we have seen in the past.
I'm not referring to the Sinclair scooter here but cast your mind back to the débâcle of Betamax v VHS home recording systems. The eventual winner was the technically inferior VHS but the battle was not resolved until innumerable consumers had paid out for worthless Betamax systems. Back in the 70's a similar conflict occurred over audio systems when America fell in love with the 8 track tape system that moved magnetic tape in a loop over the player head at a high speed resulting in a better sound. The world market finally dictated that the audio cassette was the way to go but not until millions of consumers had been lumbered with home and in-car systems that went down the technological cul de sac. more

Wind Turbine Manufacturer Acknowledges SGS´s Contribution towards Successful Project Completion

Tuesday 29 March 2011 at 10:57 am by Suresh Varma

The Theni Wind Farm project was developed by CLP India Pvt. Ltd., one of the major wind farm project developers in India. Located in the south western part of Tamilnadu, a southern state of the country, the facility consists of 60 Vestas V82 geared wind turbines. As recognition of its contribution towards the successful execution of this wind power project SGS received Vestas award.

Each turbine at the wind farm has a capacity of 1.65 MW IEC Class IIB machine with a blade diameter of 82 m. After a six-month long completion period, the Theni Wind Farm was officially opened in May, 2010.

Acting as contract engineer during project execution, SGS was responsible for ensuring that all activities were carried out at the site by the contractor in line with the final agreement. In doing so, SGS supervised the quality of construction works, the fulfillment of the technical parameters and kept the project within the scheduled time and contracted price. more

E.ON uses PPC's Broadband Powerline technology in smart grid project

Tuesday 29 March 2011 at 10:37 am E.ON uses PPC's Broadband Powerline technology in smart grid project

by Power Plus Communications

Mannheim - Power Plus Communications AG (PPC), the leading provider of Broadband Powerline Communication systems (BPL) for smart grids has taken on a key role within an E.ON smart grid project to facilitate an extension of Cisco's Connected Grid Solution.

E.ON Westfalen Weser AG is currently trialing smart grid technology within its network of 1.3 million inhabitants and PPC's proven medium voltage BPL solution has connected substations in the project using the existing power grid.

Using BPL technology, standard compliant and IP-based data transfer rates of 5-30 Mbit/s can easily be achieved via the medium voltage cable itself. Within E.ON’s smart grid project, PPC's medium voltage technology facilitated the extension of Cisco's Connected Grid Solution. The Cisco smart grid Router and Switches used in the project are highly compatible with BPL networks, providing a real cost advantage over fiber optic networks – which can be much more expensive where cables are not pre-existing.

By combining their technology at Westfalen Weser, PPC and Cisco have ensured the evolution of fast and efficient smart grids which are controlled on an IP basis. This increases the reliability of the power grid, fulfills regulations and drives down costs. At the same time this modern smart grids communications technology makes it possible to effectively integrate renewable energy into the grid. more

MIT Infrastructure "Life Cycle" Study is Progress Both Left & Right Can Embrace - Part 2, Fiscal Responsibility

Saturday 19 February 2011 at 09:02 am By Brenda Krueger Huffman


Chicago – Perhaps moving to the center is where we all need to be politically on the environment and effective spending compatibility. Not all green technology is crazy, and not all business profit or government expenditure is evil.

Even if you do not believe in man caused climate change, we can all agree leaving a cleaner planet and a more fiscally responsible government for the next generation is preferable to not doing so.

Perhaps green technology can be cost effective, and government fiscal responsibility may realistically include affordable green initiatives. Honest “life cycle analysis” and “life cycle cost analysis” study considerations should be a political compromise starting point both the left and the right can embrace. more

Global warming: Impact of receding snow and ice surprises scientists

Thursday 27 January 2011 at 11:05 am Global warming: Impact of receding snow and ice surprises scientists

By Pete Spotts


Washington - A long-term retreat in snow and ice cover in the Northern Hemisphere is weakening the ability of these seasonal cloaks of white to reflect sunlight back into space and cool global climate, according to a study published this week.

Indeed, over the past 30 years, the cooling effect from this so-called cryosphere – essentially areas covered by snow and ice at least part of the year – appears to have weakened at more than twice the pace projected by global climate models, the research team conducting the work estimates.

The study, which appeared online Sunday in the journal Nature Geoscience, represents a first cut at trying to calculate from direct measurements the impact of climate change on the Northern Hemisphere's cryosphere. The study was conducted by a team of federal and university scientists who examined data gathered between 1979 and 2008. more

EPA presents plan on greenhouse gases

Wednesday 05 January 2011 at 10:38 pm By Mark Clayton


Washington - Setting the stage for a New Year battle royal between Congress and the White House over greenhouse gas emissions, the US Environmental Protection Agency Thursday laid out a timetable for the nation's largest carbon emitters – power plants and refineries – to begin curbing those pollutants.

Republicans have said all year that they plan to pull out all the stops to keep the EPA from phasing in greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations beginning in 2011, saying they would damage the energy industry, raise prices, and cost jobs.

Rep. Fred Upton (R) of Michigan, the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has said he opposes the regulations on greenhouse gases and indicated he would lead efforts to revoke EPA regulations in the next Congress. The new regulations, he says, will likely lead to the shut down of coal-fired power plants.

"To protect jobs and fortify our energy security, we should be working to bring more power online, not shutting plants down," Mr. Upton said in a statement. "We are woefully unprepared to meet our nation's growing energy demands, yet this administration's 'none of the above' energy policy will do nothing but cost jobs, make energy more expensive, and increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy."

Environmentalists lauded the EPA's move. more