A person who works with new types of renewable energy sources is known as an energy engineer. This includes being at the forefront of the development of new alternative fuels such as wind and solar power. These engineers collaborate with government agencies and businesses around the world to ensure that humanity’s ever-increasing energy demands are met.
Because there are a variety of concerns within the research and development of new energy sources, the typical energy engineer has a broad educational background on which to build. A mechanical engineering background will aid in the development of physical means for harnessing new technologies and converting them into a usable form of energy. Because the ultimate goal of an energy engineer is to create a new source of energy with the least possible impact on the world’s environment, some environmental training is also beneficial.
The majority of the world’s energy used to come from nonrenewable fossil fuels like oil. These types of fuels aren’t renewable, so the energy engineer’s job is to find an alternative fuel source before the world runs out of resources. He or she may also be involved in the development of technologies that reduce energy consumption.
Solar, wind, and water power are examples of renewable energy sources; the energy engineer creates methods for capturing and using this energy without causing harm to the environment. There has also been research into harnessing the power of the Earth itself; buildings can be fitted with nontraditional geothermal systems that trap and use the Earth’s natural heat. The energy engineer develops strategies to replace not only the energy that powers our homes, but also the energy that heats them, runs cars, and keeps the lights on.
The energy engineer not only discovers new sources of energy, but also discovers new ways to make that energy more efficient. Individuals can work on developing management strategies, finding better ways to transfer energy with minimal loss, and developing more efficient mechanisms for using the energy. Energy engineers develop solar cells, energy-efficient lighting, and wind turbines, as well as systems that automatically regulate a building’s heat and lighting to turn on and off when people are present in the building.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized system for assessing a building’s energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. Energy engineers designed some of the systems in these buildings, such as lighting systems and solar heating panels. Simple insulated windows that reduce heat loss to high-tech solar panels that capture the sun’s heat and convert it to energy are examples of products.