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Renewable Energy

​Renewable energy engineers develop and design systems to use energy from renewable resources, such as the sun, wind, and water. Renewable resources are energy sources that are naturally and continually replaced. They are alternatives to nonrenewable resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas that do not replenish themselves. 

Throughout the past 200 years, nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels have revolutionized human technological progress through their convenience and the amount of energy they produce per kilogram. Even though fossil fuels account for 79 percent of all energy resources used as of 2022 [1], they are harmful to the environment, pumping carbon dioxide into the air and contributing to global climate change. This is why renewable energy use is on the rise, especially with decreasing costs for the technology, creating opportunities for renewable energy engineers to help build the energy future. 

Renewable energy engineers design, implement, and maintain renewable energy infrastructure. In this role, you might design renewable energy solutions in new places using current technology, optimize technology to be more efficient and economical, or search for new renewable energy technologies entirely. Your main goal will be figuring out how to harness energy from renewable resources in a way that reduces cost and maximizes the energy generated.