Free Sample
The Complete Guide to Becoming An Energy Engineer, Except Wind and Solar
What energy engineers (outside wind and solar) really do all day, what they earn at every level, and whether you have the temperament to stick with it
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Does a Energy Engineer, Except Wind and Solar Actually Do?
When you tell someone you're an energy engineer, the first image they usually picture is someone in a hard hat standing next to a wind turbine or holding a solar panel. But the "except wind and solar" version of this career is the one that powers the world we actually live in right now. It's the person who makes sure a natural gas plant runs efficiently, that a coal plant meets its emissions limits, that a hydroelectric dam's turbines operate safely, that a nuclear facility's cooling systems stay within safety margins, and that hospitals, factories, and university campuses don't waste the power they buy.
At its core, this job is about one thing: turning fuel, water, or heat into electricity or useful work with as little waste and as much reliability as possible. You're not inventing new energy sources. You're optimizing the ones that already exist. That means you'll spend your days dealing with thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, electrical systems, control logic, and a lot of regulatory paperwork.
Let's talk about what you'll actually do, because the job posting bullet points don't tell you much. Most energy engineers, regardless of employer, fall into one of three buckets: plant engineers who work at power generation facilities, energy efficiency engineers who work for buildings or industrial sites, and grid or systems engineers who work on the transmission and distribution network. Some people move between buckets over their career, but most