The promise of a clean, never-ending

(renewable) power and fuel supply in the

United States depends on our ability to harness energy from sources such as the wind,

sunlight, organic matter, the Earth’s internal heat, and rivers. However, making this

promise a reality requires workers dedicated

to leading this country toward a sustainable energy future. If you are considering a

career in renewable energy, this fact sheet

can start you on your way. It will provide

you with information on each of the major

renewable energy technologies, the types of

jobs you might find in each technology, and

resources to help continue your research.

Marketplace Trends 

The renewable energy industry involves

many political, economic, environmental,

and technological factors that interact with 

each other to influence marketplace

trends. It is helpful to understand some of

these factors because an increase in the

market for a certain technology can equal

an increase in job opportunities. 

There is currently a movement to restructure the power industry. Driven partially

by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the

movement intends to provide customers

with the opportunity to choose their

power provider by decreasing regulation

of and introducing competition among

utilities. Restructuring is primarily occurring on a state-by-state basis. 

Many companies that sell energy produced from renewable sources view the

move toward utility restructuring as a

great opportunity. In fact, in many states, 

restructuring has given

rise to the glimmerings

of a new industry—

green power marketing.

The concept of green

power marketing is

based on the assumption that consumers

will choose and pay

more for renewable

energy products/services that reflect their

environmental values.

Green power marketing programs put a

price on the environmental value of a product to overcome the

cost barrier that has

historically limited the

generation of renewable energy on a large

scale. 

Careers in 

CLEARINGHOUS

Renewable Energy

E

ENERGY

EFFICIENCY

 AND RENEWABLE

ENERGY

T OF ENERGY

DEPARTMEN

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This document was produced for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a DOE national laboratory. The

document was produced by the Information and Outreach Program at NREL for the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The Energy Efficiency

and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC) is operated by NCI Information Systems, Inc., for NREL / DOE. The statements contained herein are based on

information known to EREC and NREL at the time of printing. No recommendation or endorsement of any product or service is implied if mentioned by EREC.

Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 20% postconsumer waste

DOE/GO-102001-1130

FS123

January 2001

Leading the United States toward a sustainable energy future

requires workers with many different degrees and types of training.

Jim Yost Photography, NREL/PIX02021
Green marketing pilot programs show that

the demand for renewable power products

in a competitive marketplace may be quite

large. Consumer demand for green power

—along with the progress of utility

restructuring and proposed state and federal mandates/incentives for consumers

and utilities to purchase green power—

could substantially strengthen the renewable power industry. This, in turn, may

further decrease costs of renewable power

and increase the number of jobs available

in the renewable energy industry. 

In addition to domestic markets, international markets for renewable energy systems are growing. International markets

are driven by large remote needs for electricity, growing environmental concerns,

and in some cases, a limited availability of

fossil fuels. 

Job Opportunities 

There are a wide variety of professions

available in the renewable energy industry.

This fact can make it challenging to find

the right professional niche, but it also provides the opportunity for individuals with

many different types and degrees of training to get involved with renewable energy. 

Some jobs—such

as those in communications, community outreach,

sales/marketing,

and business support (e.g., corporate planning and

finance, accounting, human

resources, law, and

information technology)—can be

found in almost

every renewable

energy field. Other

jobs are specific to

individual renewable energy technologies, as shown 

in the following discussion of the five

main renewable energy power sources:

wind, solar, bioenergy, geothermal, and

hydropower. 

Wind Power

People have been using energy from the

wind for hundreds of years. Windmills

have been used for pumping water or

grinding grain. And today, the windmill’s

modern equivalent—a wind turbine—can

use the wind’s energy to generate electricity. A single, small- or intermediate-sized

wind turbine can generate enough electricity to power a house or farm, while a

number of large, utility-scale wind turbines can form wind plants or wind farms

that generate enough electricity for tens of

thousands of homes.

As the cost of generating electricity from

wind power continues to fall, many electricity providers are starting to view wind

as an attractive, renewable alternative to

fossil fuels (such as coal and natural gas),

which are not renewable. The wind industry has grown at a rate of 25 percent per

year, making wind power the fastestgrowing source of electricity-generation in

the world during the 1990s. Although

Europe has experienced the majority of

growth in the wind industry, the United

States installed 905 megawatts (MW) of

capacity in 1999—a record year for new

wind projects. The nation’s total wind capacity reached 2500 MW in December 1999

and is expected to approach 5000 MW by

the end of 2001. 

Jobs in Wind Power

The wind industry employs both professional and skilled workers in a number of

different capacities. New wind projects

require people with business, meteorological, and engineering experience to plan

and build projects. Meteorologists help

engineers identify appropriate sites with

suitable wind conditions. Engineers then

design the wind plant, working with the

utility companies and communities. Construction workers are needed to build the

wind plant. And mechanical and electrical

technicians, called “windsmiths,” are

required to operate and maintain the wind

turbines. 

2

There are a wide 

variety of professions

available in the

renewable energy

industry.

A certification test engineer measures the noise from a

wind turbine.

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX02131
3

The growing demand

for reliable electricity

internationally has

contributed to the

growth of the U.S. 

PV industry.

Both industry and research laboratories

constantly try to improve the design and

efficiency of wind turbines. These research

and development (R&D) groups generally

employ mechanical, electrical, and aeronautical engineers with advanced degrees,

as well as experienced technicians. However, others with technical backgrounds

may also find jobs. 

Solar Power

Anyone who has visited Florida in July

knows that the sun can produce heat. And

in 1839, French physicist Edmund

Bequerel discovered that sunlight could

also produce electricity (known as the photoelectric effect). Knowledge of the sun’s

ability to produce both heat and electricity

has led to the invention of numerous technologies for capturing the sun’s energy.

The most common technologies produced

and used in the United States today

include photovoltaics, concentrating solar

power (also known as solar thermal electric) systems, solar hot water systems, and

passive solar building design. 

Photovoltaics 

Photovoltaic (PV) cells, also known as

solar cells, produce electricity directly from

sunlight. When a PV cell is exposed to the

sun, the cell, which is made of semiconductor materials, absorbs a portion of the

light that strikes it. If the energy from the

absorbed light strikes electrons in the outer

shell of an atom, these electrons are freed

from their parent atoms. Free electrons can

then travel into a circuit in the form of

electricity. PV cells can be hooked together

to meet many different types of electricity

requirements, from pumping water to

operating calculators and watches, and

lighting homes and communities. 

PV has traditionally been used in locations

where it is expensive or impossible to

send electricity through power lines. An

increasing number of utility companies

are experimenting with using PV to fill

their small or more expensive power

needs. Some homeowners and commercial

building owners are integrating PV systems into their building designs to offset

utility power demand and improve power

reliability. 

The growing demand for reliable electricity internationally has contributed to the

growth of the U.S. PV industry—approximately 70 percent of PV systems manufactured in the United States are sold to other

countries. 

Concentrating Solar Power 

Although the mechanics of each method

differs, all three concentrating solar power

(CSP) technologies—parabolic troughs,

power towers, and parabolic dishes—use

mirrors to focus incoming sunlight onto a

receiver. The receiver collects the sun’s

energy in the form of heat, which can then

be used directly or converted into electricity using a generator. 

These technologies are currently in different

stages of development. Troughs have a

proven track record as a technology that

can function effectively for large-scale

power needs (such as those of a utility company) and are currently the least expensive

way to produce solar electricity. Power towers have also demonstrated an ability to

function on a large, utility scale, while parabolic dish systems, still under development,

show promise for small-scale projects. 

CSP technologies have caught the attention of some U.S. utility companies, as

well as others interested in tapping into

the projected consumer demand for green

power supplies, even though the cost of

using these technologies to generate electricity is still somewhat high. 

A technician works on a concentrating solar

power collector. 

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX02336

Scientists are needed to

research and develop renewable energy technologies.

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX09150
Solar Hot Water 

Energy from the sun can also be used to

heat water for buildings and swimming

pools. Solar water heating systems for

buildings typically include a solar collector,

in which fluid is heated by the sun, and a

storage tank, which holds the hot fluid after

it has been heated by the collector. Systems using fluids other than water require

the additional step of passing water

through a heat exchanger to heat the water.

Swimming pool systems are very simple;

they generally consist of collectors made

of black plastic or rubber through which

pool water is pumped to be heated.

Advances in solar hot water technology

for buildings have dramatically cut the

cost of solar water heaters from about $.20

per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in 1980 to $.08 to

$.10 per kWh in 2000. As a result, solar hot

water systems are

increasingly being

installed in

schools, hospitals,

prisons, and other

governmentowned facilities

across the country.

However, the

number of solar

hot water systems

purchased in the

United States is

still quite small

compared to the

number purchased

in the rest of the

world. In 1997, for

example, Americans purchased

approximately

25,000 systems. Of

the systems purchased, the majority were for heating

residential swimming pools. 

Passive Solar Building Design

Building orientation, types of construction

materials, glass selection, and architectural

features all affect the overall energy performance of a building. For a passive solar

building, designers consider these features

early in the design process along with taking advantage of solar energy to heat and

light a building. They also design the

building to be cool in summer. 

It may cost more to design a passive solar

building, but the savings achieved from

decreasing the size of the mechanical and

electrical systems to heat/cool and light

the building, as well as energy cost savings, more than make up the difference. 

Jobs in Solar Power

Growth of the solar power industry creates high-wage, skilled jobs throughout

the country for individuals with many different types of training. R&D groups at

national laboratories, universities, and private companies develop and continually

improve solar products to lower their

costs and improve their reliability. Individuals employed in solar R&D generally

have professional degrees in electrical,

mechanical, and chemical engineering;

materials science, and/or physics. Many

of the people involved with technologies

that are still under development, such as

parabolic dish systems, focus on R&D. 

As each technology progresses from the

R&D phase toward full-scale commercialization, an increasing number of both professional and skilled workers are needed

to sell, manufacture, design, install, and

maintain equipment. The PV and solar hot

water industries currently employ the

majority of these workers, including electricians, engineers, technicians, and technical managers. As utility-scale CSP

technologies become commercially viable,

the CSP industry will eventually require

an increasing number of these workers, as

well as engineers and construction workers to design and build power plants. The

passive solar industry involves many of

these professions as well, but also

employs architects and builders.

Bioenergy

The energy stored in biomass (organic matter) is called bioenergy. People have been

burning biomass, such as trees and straw,

to cook and warm themselves for thousands of years. Today we not only heat 25

million homes with wood, we also produce 10.2 billion watts of electricity (less 

4

Solar hot water systems are increasingly

being installed in

schools, hospitals,

prisons, and other

government facilities

across the country.

Some architects specialize in passive solar building

design.

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX07154
than 1 percent of

what we use as a

nation) from wood

waste and waste

from other biomass. And we

derive up to 0.4

percent of all our

transportation

fuels (about 1.5 billion gallons) from

corn, which is used

to produce

ethanol. 

While we have

always used wood

and other biomass

for heat, the production of electricity and fuels has grown

from virtually nothing 20 years ago to

what it is today, helping bioenergy

become second only to hydropower as the

largest source of renewable energy in the

world. In addition, we use biomass

instead of petroleum to produce between

11 to 15 billion pounds of consumer products, including plastics, glues, furniture,

paints, and chemicals. 

But as bioenergy technologies and

biobased products stand poised to help

achieve energy independence for our

nation, the conversion of biomass into

fuels and products still remains more difficult than the processes used for petroleum

or coal. 

Jobs in Bioenergy

Universities, national laboratories, and

industry are working together to find

solutions to the difficult problems surrounding the production and use of biomass for energy and products. These R&D

efforts require chemists, agricultural specialists, microbiologists, biochemists, and

engineers, just to name a few. 

Biofuel, biopower, and biobased product

plants are most cost-effective when

located near their source of biomass. Thus,

bioenergy industry development has a

special appeal because it creates direct and

indirect jobs in rural areas of the country,

and may prove to be a profitable complement for many existing agricultural and

forestry businesses.

Engineers and construction workers are

needed to design and build bioenergy

plants, while electrical/electronic and

mechanical technicians, engineers

(mechanical, electrical, and chemical),

mechanics, and equipment operators are

needed to run and maintain these plants.

Some may even require individuals crosstrained in areas such as engineering and

biology, or chemistry and agriculture.

Jobs in bioenergy today cut across a wide

spectrum of specialties and skills. And if

R&D and industrial efforts succeed in

making bioenergy more commercially

profitable, we may see a dramatic increase

in the number of bioenergy-related jobs.

We’ll need more farmers and foresters to

produce and harvest biomass resources,

more truckers to transport the resources to

the power and fuel plants, and more operators to run facilities.

Geothermal Energy 

Heat from the earth, called geothermal

energy, is yet another renewable energy

resource that people have used over the

years. Geothermal energy heats water seeping into underground reservoirs, which

can then be tapped for a variety of uses. 

5

If R&D and industrial

efforts succeed in

making bioenergy

more profitable, we

may see a dramatic

increase in the 

number of bioenergyrelated jobs.

Farmers and foresters grow energy crops for biofuel

and biopower production.

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX00284

A worker operates equipment at a generating

station that burns wood to produce electricity. 

David Parsons, NREL/PIX06881
Low to medium

temperature (70° to

225°F) water reservoirs can be used

directly to heat

buildings, grow

and dry crops, melt

snow on sidewalks,

and for fish farms.

This is called the

direct use of geothermal energy. The

energy produced

from high temperature reservoirs

(225° to 600°F) can

spin a turbine to

generate electricity. 

Current drilling technology limits the

development of geothermal resources to

relatively shallow, water- or steam-filled

reservoirs, most of which are found in the

western part of the United States.

Researchers are developing new technologies for capturing the heat in the deeper,

“dry” rocks, which would support drilling

almost anywhere.

Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) allow us to

take advantage of the Earth’s constant

temperature (around 55°F) just a few

yards beneath the surface to heat and cool

buildings, and to produce hot water.

GHPs transfer heat between the building

and the ground by circulating fluid

through underground pipes. Currently,

the majority of GHPs produced in the

United States are purchased domestically,

primarily in the Midwest. But as technology improvements reduce the costs of

installing GHPs, the demand for this technology will continue to grow throughout

the country. 

Jobs in Geothermal Energy 

The geothermal industry employs both

skilled workers and those with professional degrees.

Developing hot water reservoirs requires

geologists, geochemists, geophysicists,

hydrologists, reservoir engineers, mud

loggers, hydraulic engineers, and drillers

to locate, assess, and access the reservoirs. 

Environmental scientists prepare environmental impact studies, and permit and

leasing specialists obtain the land rights. 

Geothermal direct-use technologies create

jobs for heating engineers, and in the

building and agricultural industries. For

electricity production, engineers (electrical

and mechanical) and construction workers—along with electrical technicians,

electricians, electrical machinists, welders,

riggers, and mechanics—are needed to

design and construct power plants. 

Mechanical engineers, geologists, drilling

crews, and heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning contractors are needed to

manufacture and install GHPs. In addition, mechanical and electronic engineers,

geologists, chemists, and materials scientists are required for ongoing R&D. 

Hydropower

Hydropower, which uses the energy of

flowing water to produce electricity, is the

largest and least expensive source of

renewable energy produced in the United

States today. In fact, hydropower now

generates approximately 10 percent of the

electricity used in our country (wind,

solar, geothermal, and biomass combined

produce less than 1 percent). Most

hydropower projects use a dam and a

reservoir to retain water from a river.

When the stored water is released, it

passes through and rotates turbines, which

spin generators to produce electricity.

6

The geothermal

industry employs

both skilled workers

and those with 

professional degrees.

A worker monitors equipment operation at a geothermal

power plant. 

David Parsons, NREL/PIX01572

A fish farmer uses a net to catch fish, which

are raised in geothermally heated waters.

Warren Gretz, NREL/PIX05883
7

The hydropower

industry now also

employs environmental scientists to

assess environmental

impacts and address

environmental 

remediation.

Water stored in a reservoir can be accessed

quickly for use during times when the

demand for electricity is high. Other

hydropower plants, called “run of the river”

projects, do not require dams. Instead, a

portion of a river’s water is diverted into a

canal or pipe to spin turbines. 

Many large-scale dam projects have been

criticized for altering wildlife habitats,

impeding fish migration, and affecting

water quality and flow patterns. As a result

of increased environmental regulation, the

National Hydropower Association forecasts a decline in hydropower use through

2020. R&D efforts have succeeded in reducing many of these environmental impacts

through the use of fish ladders (to aid fish

migration), fish screens, new turbine

designs, and reservoir aeration. Although

funding has been limited, current research

focuses on the development of a “next

generation turbine,” which is expected to

further increase fish survival rates and

improve environmental conditions. 

Jobs in Hydropower

As with many of the other renewable

energy technologies, the design, construction, and maintenance of hydropower

plants requires electrical and mechanical

engineers, technicians, and skilled workers. If the hydropower project also

involves managing the reservoir and the

surrounding land, the developer will also

hire recreation planners, resource managers, and educators. In addition, state

and federal licensing laws now require

current or prospective hydropower plant

developers to assess the environmental

effects of their operation. Thus, the

hydropower industry now also employs

environmental scientists (biologists,

hydrologists, ecologists, and wildlife habitat specialists, for example) to assess environmental impacts and address

environmental remediation. Environmental scientists, as well as engineers, also

participate in R&D efforts through private

companies, national laboratories, and universities. 

A career in renewable energy is a valuable

way for individuals with a wide range of

skills and interests to help guide the

United States toward a secure, environmentally conscious energy future. For

more information on energy careers, specific renewable technologies, and market

forecasts, consult the resource list below. 

Resources

The following resources may provide more information

on renewable energy technologies and careers. This list

does not cover all the available resources on renewable

energy technologies and careers, nor is the mention of

any resource to be considered a recommendation or

endorsement. 

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

Clearinghouse (EREC) 

P.O. Box 3048 

Merrifield, VA 22116

Phone: 1-800-DOE-EREC (1-800-363-3732)

Fax: (703) 893-0400 

E-mail: doe.erec@nciinc.com

Web site: http://www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/

Provides free general and technical information to the public

on the many topics and technologies pertaining to energy efficiency and renewable energy. 

Organizations 

American Bioenergy Association

1001 G. Street, N.W., Suite 900 E.

Washington, D.C. 20001

Web site: http://www.biomass.org/

Promotes the economic and environmental benefits of biomass

utilization.

American Solar Energy Society (ASES)

2400 Central Avenue, Suite G-1

Boulder, CO 80301

Phone: (303) 443-3130

Fax: (303) 443-3212

E-mail: ases@ases.org

Web site: http://www.ases.org/

A solar energy information source for everyone, from homeowners to public officials. 

(Continued on page 8)
8

(Continued from page 7)

American Wind Energy Association (AWEA)

122 C. Street, N.W., Suite 380

Washington, D.C. 20001

Phone: (202) 383-2504

Fax: (202) 383-2505

E-mail: windmail@awea.org 

Web site: http://www.awea.org/

Advocates the development of wind energy. 

Energy Information Administration (EIA)

U.S. Department of Energy

ER-30

1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.

Washington, D.C. 20585

Phone: (202) 586-8800

E-mail: infctr@eia.doe.gov

Web site: http://www.eia.doe.gov

Provides energy data and analyses to assist businesses, government, and the public in understanding energy issues. 

Environmental Careers Organization

179 South Street

Boston, MA 02111

Phone: (617) 426-4375

Web site: http://www.eco.org/

Works to enhance the development of environmental careers

through internships, career advice, career products, and

research and consulting. 

Geothermal Education Office

664 Hilary Drive

Tiburon, CA 94920

Phone: 1-800-866-4436

Fax: (415) 435-7737

E-mail: geo@marin.org 

Web site: http://geothermal.marin.org/

Along with other educational resources, offers useful information on geothermal careers.

Geothermal Energy Association (GEA) 

209 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

Washington, D.C. 20003

Phone: (202) 454-5261

Fax: (202) 454-5256

E-mail: geo@geo-energy.org

Web site: http://www.geo-energy.org/

A trade association of U.S. companies who support the

expanded use of geothermal energy. 

Geothermal Resources Council (GRC)

P.O. Box 1350

2001 Second Street, Suite 5

Davis, CA 95617-1350

Phone: (530) 758-2360

Fax: (530) 758-2839

E-mail: grc@geothermal.org

Web site: http://www.geothermal.org/index.html

Serves as a focal point for the continuing professional development of its members. 

National Hydropower Association (NHA)

1 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 850

Washington, D.C. 20001

Phone: (202) 682-1700

Fax: (202) 682-9478

E-mail: info@hydro.org

Web site: http://www.hydro.org/

Seeks to secure hydropower’s place as a reliable and renewable energy resource that serves national environmental and

energy policy objectives. 

Renewable Fuels Association

1 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Suite 820

Washington, D.C. 20001 

Phone: (202) 289-3835

Fax: (202) 289-7519

E-mail: info@ethanolrfa.org 

Web site: http://www.ethanolrfa.org/

Works to expand the production and consumer use of renewable fuels.

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)

1616 H. Street, N.W., 8th floor

Washington, D.C. 20006-4999

Phone: (202) 628-7745

Fax: (202) 628-7779

Web site: http://www.seia.org/main.htm

Puts out information on solar careers approximately every

three years and sometimes posts employment opportunities on

its Web site. 

Web sites 

Energy Career Guide 

Energy Education Online 

Web site: http://www.energyed.ecw.org/career.html

Provides information on energy careers, schooling, employers,

and books.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network

(EREN)

U.S. Department of Energy 

Web site: http://www.eren.doe.gov/

Provides access to hundreds of links and thousands of documents on energy efficiency and renewable energy topics.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

U.S. Department of Labor 

Superintendent of Documents

P.O. Box 371954

Pittsburg, PA 15250-7954

(202) 512-1800

Web site: http://stats.bls.gov/ocohome.htm

Provides general information on a wide variety of careers,

including those in renewable energy. A hard copy may be

ordered by calling the phone number or writing to the address

above.

Solstice

Center for Renewable Energy and Sustainable 

Technology (CREST) 

Web site: http://solstice.crest.org/index.

Contains general renewable energy resources, including a

directory of energy-related graduate school programs.