9781422275184

Cool Careers in Science

Wind, solar, geothermal, and more Reducing global warming Fighting pollution

Opportunities for engineers, scientists, technicians, and more

Energy Workers

ALTERNATIVE REALITY DEVELOPERS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SCIENTISTS COMPUTER GAME & APP DEVELOPERS DRIVERLESS VEHICLE DEVELOPERS DRONE PILOTS ENTERTAINMENT ENGINEERS FORENSIC SCIENTISTS PROFESSIONAL HACKERS RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKERS ROBOTICS DEVELOPERS

Cool Careers in Science

Energy Workers

ANDREW MORKES

MASON CREST PHILADELPHIA MIAMI

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free)

Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing

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HARDBACK ISBN: 978-1-4222-4301-5 SERIES ISBN: 978-1-4222-4292-6 E-BOOK ISBN: 978-1-4222-7518-4

Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Interior and cover design: Jana Rade, impact studios Interior layout: Annalisa Gumbrecht, Studio Gumbrecht Production: Michelle Luke Proofreader: Susan Uttendorfsky

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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 5: The Future of Renewable Energy and Careers . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Further Reading & Internet Resources . . 93 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Educational Video Links . . . . . . . 96 Author Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 CHAPTER 1: What Do Renewable Energy Workers Do? . . . . . . . . . . . 11 CHAPTER 2: Terms of the Trade . . . . 37 CHAPTER 3: Preparing for the Field and Making a Living . . . . . . . . . . 45 CHAPTER 4: Key Skills and Methods of Exploration . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND

latex – a milky fluid or juice which is collected from many plants because of its special rubber properties parasitic – an organism which lives either in (or on) another organism, gaining protection and nourishment while giving nothing back in return stigma – a flower pistil’s upper part which receives pollen, and where the pollen grain germinates tendrils – threadlike, leafless organs of climbing plants, often growing in spiral form, which attach to or twines around some other body, so as to support the plant vulcanization – the process of chemically treating crude rubber in order to give it highly useful properties like strength, stability, and elasticity

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Introduction

CAREERS IN SCIENCE OFFER GOOD PAY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE, AND OTHER REWARDS

Where would we be without science? Well, we’d be without computers, smartphones, and other cutting-edge technologies. Crimes would take longer to solve without modern forensic analysis techniques. We’d be stuck relying on environmentally unfriendly fossil fuels instead of using renewable energy. And life would be less fun because we wouldn’t have drones, awe-inspiring and physics-defying roller coasters, and the computer and video games that we play for hours and hours. Job markets are sometimes strong and sometimes weak, but a career in science (which, for the purposes of this series, includes the related fields of technology and engineering) is almost a sure path to a comfortable life. The following paragraphs provide more information on why a career in science is a great choice. Good pay. People in science careers earn some of the highest salaries in the work world. Median annual salaries for those in engineering careers in the United States are $79,180, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (USDL). This is much higher than the median earnings ($37,690) for all careers. Additionally, those in life, physical, and social science occupations can earn $64,510. Science professionals who become managers or who launch their own businesses can earn anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000 or more.

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Strong employment prospects. There are shortages of science workers throughout the world, according to the consulting firm ManpowerGroup. In fact, engineering workers are the third most in-demand occupational field in the world. Technicians rank fourth, and computer and information technology professionals rank sixth. There’s a shortage of software engineers in more than twenty countries, including in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and the United Kingdom, according to the recruitment firm Michael Page. Other science careers where there is a shortage of workers include electronics engineers (nineteen countries), electrical engineers (sixteen countries), data analysts (eleven countries), and hardware engineers (six countries), among other workers. The USDL predicts that employment of computer and information technology professionals in the United States will grow by 13 percent during the next decade. Career opportunities for those in life, physical, and social science occupations will grow by 10 percent. Both of these career fields are growing faster than the average for all careers. The outlook is also good for engineering professionals. Employment is expected to grow by 7 percent during the next decade. The strongest opportunities will be found in renewable energy and robotics. By 2026, the USDL predicts that there will be more than 876,000 new jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Rewarding work environment and many career options. A career in science is fulfilling because you get to use both your creative and practical sides to develop new technologies (or improve existing ones), solve problems, and make the world a better place. There’s a common misconception that science workers spend most of their time in dreary, windowless laboratories. While they do spend lots of time in the laboratory, they also spend time in the field, testing, troubleshooting, and trying out their inventions or discoveries. In the renewable energy sector, solar power and wind technicians spend much of their workday

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outdoors, installing and repairing solar panels and wind turbines, respectively. Some science professionals launch their own businesses, which can be both fun and very rewarding. Job opportunities are available throughout the United States and the world. Science professionals play such an important role in our modern world that there are jobs almost anywhere, although many positions are found in big cities. The renewable energy sector is somewhat different than many science fields in that wind turbines, solar farms, geothermal plants, and other green energy facilities are often located in rural areas. If you pursue opportunities in these fields, you should be ready to relocate, if necessary. IS A CAREER IN SCIENCE RIGHT FOR ME? Test your interest. How many of these statements do you agree with? ___ My favorite class in school is science. ___ I also enjoy computer science classes. ___ I like to learn about scientific breakthroughs. ___ I like to build and fix things. ___ I am curious about how things work. ___ I like to invent things. ___ I am creative and have a good imagination. ___ I like to build electronics and other things that require electricity. ___ I am good at math.

___ I enjoy doing science experiments. ___ I enjoy coming up with ideas on how to solve the world’s problems.

If many of the statements above describe you, then you should consider a career in the sciences. But you don’t need to select a career right now. Check out this book on careers in renewable energy and other books in the series to learn more about occupational paths in the sciences and related fields. Good luck with your career exploration!

Introduction 9

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND capacity : the maximum amount of something that can be contained or produced combustion : a chemical process in which fuel reacts rapidly with oxygen and gives off heat composite : an object that is made up of two or more materials that have different chemical or physical properties that, when combined, create a new material with different qualities drought : a prolonged period of no or little rain, which creates a shortage of water

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Chapter 1

WHAT DO RENEWABLE ENERGY WORKERS DO? WHAT IS ENERGY?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) defines energy as the “ability to do work.” What the EIA is really saying is that energy is the power to do something. You have energy in your body that allows you to do your chores (I bet you hate it when you have to use that kind of energy!), score the game-winning goal during a soccer game, or walk to your local grocery store. Energy is also used to heat our houses, fuel our cars, and power our spaceships, smartphones,

and video games, among many other uses. Energy comes in different forms, including:

• thermal (heat) • radiant (light) • kinetic (motion) • electrical • auditory (sound)

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• chemical • elastic (stored mechanical energy) • nuclear • gravitational

There are two types of energy: Kinetic (working) energy is energy that is in motion. There are five types of kinetic energy: thermal, radiant, motion, electrical, and auditory. Stored (potential) energy is energy that can be stored and used when needed. There are four types of potential energy: chemical, elastic, nuclear, and gravitational.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fifty-nine percent of teens surveyed by the National Environmental Education Foundation in 2017 felt that the environment was in bad shape, but that it could be saved. Forty-five percent believed that the health of the environment would get worse in the future. Fifty-nine percent of teens worried about the state of the environment.

NONRENEWABLE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY There are two sources of energy on earth: nonrenewable and renewable. Nonrenewable energy sources are those that cannot be replaced once they are used. Examples include fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. Fossil fuels were formed millions of years ago by natural processes in the earth.

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Emissions from plants that burn fossil fuels are very harmful to the environment.

There are also nonrenewable energy sources that are not fossil fuels. For example, uranium is a chemical element that is mined and converted to fuel that is used in nuclear power plants. Nonrenewable energy sources have been the primary sources of energy for human use since we began using natural resources to heat our homes and produce other types of energy. Renewable energy is an energy source that can be replaced once it is used. There are five main types of renewable energy: solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and bioenergy. In its most basic forms, renewable energy has been in use for thousands of years. For example, people have received light and warmth from the sun since the dawn of time. The ancient Greeks used the power of flowing water to turn

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paddle wheels to grind grain. The ancient Egyptians used wind energy to power their boats along the Nile River, and windmills were used in ancient China to pump water. Technological advances in recent years have allowed scientists and engineers to better harvest and use the power of renewable energy. Demand has also increased because scientists have determined that the burning of fossil fuels is causing global warming, air and other types of pollution, damage to plants and animals, and additional negative effects. The world is embracing the use of renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. In 2017, 11 percent of energy used in the United States came from renewable energy—up from about 4 percent in 1990. Here are some examples of how renewable energy is being used in other countries: • In Germany, 36 percent of energy comes from renewable energy, according to the Federal Network Agency. • The Climate Council reports that Costa Rica meets approximately 99 percent of its energy needs by using hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, wind, and other low-carbon sources.

• In the United Kingdom, more electricity was produced using wind and solar energy in 2017 than by nuclear power, according to government statistics. It was the first time this had ever happened.

On the other hand, not every country has embraced the use of renewable energy. The World Bank reports that the following countries get less than 6 percent of their energy from wind power, solar power, hydropower, bioenergy, and geothermal energy: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bermuda, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Russia.

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U.S. Energy Use by Source Petroleum: 37% Natural Gas: 29% Coal: 14% Renewable Energy: 11% Nuclear Electric Power: 9%

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

Wind turbines at Storm Lake, IA.

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A group of photovoltaic panels at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area at Lake Powell, UT.

TYPES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOLAR

Solar energy is energy that is produced by harvesting the heat and energy of the sun. It’s a popular source of renewable energy in the United States and in many other countries. Solar energy is popular because it is a constant, dependable source of energy. But it does have a few drawbacks. Solar energy is, of course, not available 24 hours a day (although it can be stored in batteries for use when no light is available). The amount of sunlight varies based on location, time of day and year, and weather conditions. Additionally, the amount of sun that reaches an area of the earth’s surface is small. As a result, large surface areas are needed to collect the energy of the sun and make it useful.

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