Renewable Energy Jobs

Renewable energy is defined as energy that is generated from sources that are of "infinite" or unlimited amount. While it's true that solar, wind, geo-thermal, biomass, hydro and tide sources are infinite, there's some controversy in considering that some other types of sources are infinite; it's the case for sources that need to be grown such as bio-fuels (corn and wood), and sources that require mining, such as nuclear energy.

That's where the notion of Clean Energy helps. The terms Renewable Energy and Clean Energy are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences between them. Clean Energy is defined as energy whose production does not generate pollution of air, water or soil. While it's true that solar, wind, hydro, geo-thermal and tide are clean, it's not true of nuclear and bio-fuels because the source needs to be processed and the generation of energy creates by-products that need to be disposed of ("dirty" spent nuclear fuel).

Our conclusion is that Renewable Energy is clean, but Clean Energy is not necessarily renewable. In another section of this series of articles, we also introduce the definition of Alternative Energy.

There's also another dimension in the classification of green jobs, and it has to do with the type or work activity. There are 4 work activities related to renewable energy that span all sub-categories of renewable energy and clean energy:

• Technology research and development jobs,
• Manufacturing jobs,
• Construction jobs, and
• On-going maintenance and operation jobs.

Every sub-category of renewable energy jobs described below includes these 4 types of work activities.

Green Jobs in renewable energy or clean energy include jobs in the following sub-categories:

• Solar Energy Jobs. The Solar Energy Jobs category is by far the fastest growing in the green energy generation segment, and include many sub-categories, and a multitude of job types. Examples of sub-categories include solar panel research and development jobs, solar panel manufacturing jobs, and roof-top solar panel installation jobs.
• Wind Energy Jobs. The Wind Energy Jobs category is one of the fastest growing in the green energy generation segment (probably the 2nd fastest growing), and include many sub-categories, and a multitude of job types. Examples of sub-categories include wind turbine blade research and development jobs, wind turbine manufacturing jobs(rotors and blades), and construction and installation jobs that involve large wind turbines for utility-scale projects.
• Geo-thermal Energy Jobs
• Biomass and biofuels Energy Jobs
• Tide and ocean-based Energy Jobs
• Nuclear Energy Jobs.

  This last category can be somehow controversial since many people do not believe that nuclear energy is a green energy, and therefore nuclear energy jobs are not green jobs. The many dangers of nuclear energy, as well as the problems facing the disposal of spent nuclear fuel make this segment of the renewable energy business a difficult one. The Green Job Bank chose to include it here for the sake of completeness, and will let the readers judge for themselves.