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According to OurWorldInData, there has only been one year when renewable energy has been on the decline in the past decade. Green energy is on the increase and will need people to build and maintain its infrastructure.

But to what level can you find a place in this burgeoning opportunity?

This article will describe your options when it comes to becoming an electrician in the upcoming green economy. It will also help you understand the depth and breadth of the green economy’s growth moving forward.

What is the Green Economy?

The world is working to face issues such as climate change and fast-changing circumstances. We face a drastic loss of rainforest coverage and biodiversity, a drain on fossil fuels, and many other problems.

The green economy is one that, among other things, attempts to safeguard the natural world. It invests in the future of biodiversity and green spaces and aims to encourage the renewal of natural systems.

One of the primary tenets of the green economy is to still provide goods and services in the world. But it aims to do so in a way that grows and restores the world’s natural balances. The intent is to have a low carbon footprint, conserve resources and recycle to have a minor impact on the natural world.

This philosophy requires the public participation of both individuals and corporations. It does this based on evidence-based investigations into how we can improve the situation. This way, the institutions representing the green economy can collaborate in a way where everyone has bought into the same actions.

It is a significant global change in how we perceive such actions. The green economy intends to transform the world’s status quo to improve it for everyone. To do this, we must involve everyone, from the politicians in government to individual workers with boots on the ground.

What Do Electricians Do in the Green Economy?

As the green economy is far-reaching in its intentions. Those working in construction and electrical vocations will find themselves affected.

Here are a few examples of the possible roles an electrician will undertake after the growth of a green economy begins in earnest.

Energy-Saving Infrastructure

We have built the current electricity infrastructure of our society on devices that do not save significant amounts of electricity. Aside from a few energy-saving devices, we use power ad-hoc without thought to conservation. There would be a substantial shift towards both creating and maintaining devices to save energy in a green economy instead.

We have seen a slight shift in this direction already, using energy-saving bulbs and the miniaturization of computing. Still, there is a way to go. This means that any planned construction will need electricians to design and put in place such infrastructure.

Solar Panels

Photovoltaic cells are becoming cheaper and cheaper. Because of this, solar panels are being adopted by more people at all levels of society.

These devices will need to be installed in several homes. Eventually, a green economy will likely need to build these panels atop any new construction.

In a green economy, using the sun’s power as an ongoing energy source means these cells will need to be widely installed. This will not only need the installation of the panels themselves. It will also need the installation of battery banks to hold the collected energy for use at other times.

Finally, this energy is often passed back to the rest of the community. If this is the case, a licensed electrician will need to handle the maintenance and supervision of this.

Wind Turbines

Despite complaints about their visibility, wind turbines have been a big hit in many corners of the world. Large fields of power-producing wind turbines will need maintenance in several quarters of the country. This is if we wish to harness the world’s innate power in this way.

The mechanisms in these devices also need regular maintenance. This means there will likely continue to be a great need for electricians and mechanics moving forward.

Building Automation

Several new builds are moving forward with the idea of having an integrated automation system for their air conditioning. A system such as this will save energy by not overheating the building or losing heat when it gets too cold.

This system will need wiring, programming, and maintenance. It will also be an ongoing role for a long period of time. It is an opportunity for both men and women in construction roles related to electricity. 

It is not only the process of installing this system that will fall to electricians, though. These systems will need designing from the ground up alongside the architects of those buildings. Thus, there are roles at every stage in the building process. Some of the required skills will typically be learned on the job for trade employees and not always in the education environment.

Energy Network Management

Energy production in the world is slowly becoming more reliant on renewable resources. Because of this, such systems must receive maintenance as electricity use increases.

Or, we must create new designs for systems that can optimize the distribution of electricity to households. Finally, another option is that we could hone the methods of electricity production instead of its method of transfer.

With this done, our society will demand fewer fossil fuels. Thus, we can pass more of the legwork for electricity production on to renewable sources.

Electric Cars

Electric vehicles themselves are often built and maintained by mechanics. However, they provide other opportunities for an electrician interested in a green economy.

As the adoption of electric vehicles continues apace, the infrastructure to maintain them continues to grow. As it does so, it will need to be in place to allow these vehicles to recharge across the country. We will need these electricians to install these charging points across the country and maintain them later.

LED Illumination

LED lights are being used in several locations across the country where normal bulbs existed before. While this is not the most involved process, replacing a whole country’s lighting infrastructure takes work to do.

Upcoming Opportunities in the Green Sector

In Brazil, there has recently been a significant push for hydroelectric power generation. Similarly, there are several opportunities in California and the rest of the USA for green sector employment.

According to the IRENA, renewable energy jobs created more than 500,000 roles in 2018-2019 alone. More countries are investing in prospects such as offshore wind farms, hydroelectric dams, and solar farms. As they do so, the call for jobs will increase at a natural rate.

Iberdrola even states that roles in solar plants are some of the most in-demand jobs on the planet. These careers can grant the highest level of reimbursement available to those willing to invest in the job path.

How does the Green Economy Address Climate Change?

One of the problems of climate change is that it is already here. We already see its effects play out, such as the increase in the frequency of powerful storms and the yearly wildfires across the forests and plains of the world.

For this reason, many jobs are being created to push the green economy at an early stage and work to address climate change.

According to Job Opportunities for the Green Economy: A State-By-State Picture of Occupations that Gain from Green Investments, this includes jobs for electricians in the following sectors:

• Building Retrofitting
• Transit
• Energy-Efficient Automobiles
• Wind Power
• Solar Power
• Recycling

These are all examples of “Clean” technology. This means that when the industry can grow and thrive, the world benefits from less pollution.

Will the Green Economy Continue to Grow?

The Green Economy shows no signs of slowing down at present. According to the WWF, by the year 2030, we should be able to provide for almost one-third of all the power requirements of the entire world. If this happens, greenhouse gases will plummet by more than one quarter.

A study called the McKinsey Study proves this. It aimed to be the most comprehensive investigation of climate concerns to date. This shows that sustainable energy jobs will continue to expand for the foreseeable future.

The industry also shows that there is interest in this fact. Klein Tools’ recent study talked to several electrical engineers. They found that the interest came from the direction of electricians also, so those installing the systems have bought in. This can only mean things are good to go.

Where Should I Go to Learn More?

You should now have a much better idea of the role of electricians in the world when it comes to the green economy. We understand if you still have questions, though. Lucky for you, we have people on hand to answer any questions about how to enter the electrical industry.

If you want to know more about what such a career will entail, get in contact. We would be more than happy to help.