Renewable Energy Continues to Grow

If you work in the energy sector, the term renewable energy is probably something that you're very familiar with. According to the Federal Energy Management Program, the use of renewable energy throughout the United States continues to grow, and the growth isn't going to slow down any time soon. Not only does the use of renewable energy conserve some of the Earth's resources but also it continues to create jobs throughout the utilities industry.

Renewable energy is energy that comes from renewable sources, like sunlight, wind, rain, and geothermal heat. While the idea of using renewable resources to create energy has existed since before coal was used in the mid-nineteenth century, it hasn't always been a popular option. It wasn't until the 1970s, when environmentalists promoted the use of renewable resources to reduce the reliance on diminishing oil supplies, that the first wind turbines were built. Unfortunately, the initial cost of constructing wind turbines and solar panel farms limited adoption.

Over the past decade, the use of renewable energy has increased drastically. More solar and wind resources are being used every year, and according to the Energy Department's Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's annual energy analysis, the increase in the use of renewable resources is tied to government incentives to use renewable energy and the lowered cost of solar panels and wind turbines.

Even though government funding has helped renewable energy growth in the energy sector, private investment remains strong, especially in developing economies, and renewable energy is the fastest-growing sector in the global power market. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global power generation from renewable resources will continue to grow, exceeding that of natural gas and being twice the contribution from nuclear energy by 2016.

Renewable energy is expected to represent approximately 25 percent of all energy generation by 2018. With renewable energy growing rapidly all over the world, jobs that revolve around using renewable resources to generate energy are in demand. The utilities industry has a need for people with experience in the field, including environmental engineers, energy efficiency auditors, solar panel technicians, electricians, wind turbine technicians, and maintenance workers. The more the concept of renewable energy grows, the more jobs will become available.

As someone who works in the utilities industry the continued growth of renewable energy allows you to take your career in a whole new direction. If you're interested in transitioning from your current job in the utilities industry into a green job, you should start the education process as soon as possible. A proper education combined with your experience in the energy industry gives you numerous options for green jobs. As renewable energy continues to grow, you can build a lucrative career.

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