The international energy sector is encouraging different countries to use renewable energy resources for their electricity and other energy needs. We should reduce our dependence on fossil fuel which is rapidly depleting. There are other energy forms which can be source out from our environment. Aside from providing us almost unlimited resources, renewable energy is environment-friendly, posing no threat on our ecosystem.
Maybe you are thinking if different countries really answered the call of the international energy sector and other concerned organizations. Let us take a glimpse on some of the renewable energy efforts inside and outside of the United States in terms of renewable energy development. Continue reading and find out renewable energy resources utilization in and out of the country.
Renewable Energy Resources for Local Energy Supply in Georgia
The state of Georgia is considered to be rich in renewable sources, particularly in geothermal heat and hydropower energy. However, development of these resources has been neglected. After facing a serious energy crisis, due to the electricity disruptions caused by overloaded distribution system and limited generation capacity, many energy advocates started to promote the use of renewable energy resources.
To improve energy efficiency of buildings around Georgia, the local energy sector suggested maximizing the use of geothermal heat which is abundant in the state, as well as other renewable energy resources. The estimated capacity of the state’s geothermal resources amounted to 200-250 million cubic meter per year which has a temperature ranging from 50 to 100 degrees Celsius. These resources can actually help the state save an average of 1.3 to 1.5 million tons of conventional fuel per year.
Georgia is also one of the states with large hydropower resources. It is estimated to have a hydroelectric potential (which includes large hydropower plants) of 80 to 85 billion kilowatt-hour (kWh). It is enough to supply the state’s electricity needs.
Texas Renewable Energy Resources
Texas’ hydropower resources include its lakes, rivers, and oceans. The following are the outline of the hydroelectric capacity potentials from Texas’ river system.
1. Red River- installed capacity potential of 95 megawatts
2. Neches-Sabine River- installed capacity potential of 120 megawatts
3. Trinity River- installed capacity potential of 170 megawatts
4. Brazos River- installed capacity potential of 50 megawatts
5. Colorado River- installed capacity potential of 230 megawatts
6. Guadalupe River- installed capacity potential of 30 megawatts
7. Nueches-Rio Grande River- installed capacity potential of 105 megawatts
Research and development of Texas’ ocean energy which is another from of hydropower resources is still ongoing. The feasibility of the system is yet to be finalized, since the tidal range in the Gulf Coast is just 1.3 feet, considered to be too low to produce necessary electric power.
The OTEC (ocean thermal energy conversion) is also considered to be a potential energy sources. However, it is important that the electricity that will be generated through this system must be transmitted in a short distance from the system to the shore. Currently, the closest OTEC potential site in Texas has a distance of 100 miles from the offshore, making it difficult to transmit generated electricity.
Renewable Energy in Bangladesh
Renewable energy development in Bangladesh, a country in Asia, is quite good. It is situated in a location ideal for solar energy utilization. Different research and development institutes and organization starts their solar experiments in different parts of Bangladesh, which has an estimated solar radiation of 4 to 6.5 kilowatt-hours per square meter.
It has also rivers which can be good hydropower resources. An average of 1.4 trillion cubic meters of water is flowing in different rivers of the country. It has also 710 kilometer-long coastal belt along the Bay of Bengal which can be a good source of tidal, wave, or OTEC energy resources. The average tidal rise and fall in the coastal part of the country is ranging from 2 to 8 meters.
Other countries and places around the world are starting to utilize renewable energy resources. Do not be surprise if one day you will be riding on a solar-powered commercial airplane. In renewable energy, it could be possible.
Enhancement of renewable energy technologies means creation of jobs on different disciplines. It is just like when you are expanding your home-based business where you need to hire additional employees to help you supervise the operation of your growing business. Additional jobs are offered to augment the development of renewable energy-related technologies. More and more people are needed to maintain power plants running and at the same time for non-technical works such as finance and sales.
This article will discuss matters that will pertain to renewable energy recruitment for the aforementioned jobs. This will provide you background on renewable technologies and the positions needed to facilitate operation of such technologies.
Areas of Concern in Renewable Energy
There are different areas of concerns that constitute the recruitment of personnel needed for each specific job description in renewable energy. These are the following:
1. Power Generation. The development of renewable energy-related technologies needs technically-skilled workers. They will be the one to take charge of jobs in relation on generating power and converting it into other forms as well. It also includes planning and implementing related systems to achieve high energy efficiency using these technologies.
2. Research and Development (R & D). Personnel under this area will be concentrating on the research and further development of existing systems and to come up with possibly larger and more efficient versions of such existing systems.
3. Government Policy. It is important the companies engage in renewable energy industry must be informed of government policy with regards to this field as well as of international compliance such as the Kyoto Protocol. Jobs assigned in this area are tasked to make bureaucratic channels needed to give developers chance to install further renewable energy capacity.
Recruitment for Different Renewable Energy Technologies
Let us take a closer look on the recruitment following the development of several renewable energy technologies.
Wind Power Technology
First is the wind power, which uses high speed wind to run the turbines to produce electricity. Presently, most wind power plants are now encouraging larger capacity of wind turbines. Turbines rated at 5 megawatts and 7.5 megawatts are now being tested and developed.
As the wind industry grows, it needs personnel who have the capability of maintaining wind power operation. In addition, these needs are also extended to non-technical expertise such as public relations and environmental impact.
Here is the brief summary of the jobs needed for recruitment in wind energy technology:
1. Financial and Legal Matters (finance directors, senior accountants, legal and investment advisor, and others)
2. Wind Engineering (wind development managers, technical directors, project managers, resource analyst, and others)
3. Planning and Development (planning regulations, policy, and others)
4. Non-technical (sales, communication, marketing, public relations, and others)
Tidal Power Technology
Power is produced through ocean waves. There are different tidal energy conversion devices that are being developed such as the tidal barrages and hydraulic hydrofoils to extract energy. Given the resources, it is expected that later on, a new breakthrough technology will be seen in this particular sector.
The following are the summary of recruitment for tidal power technology:
1. Tidal Concepts Research (concerns with barrages, lagoons, bridges, and streams)
2. Engineering (technical skills on turbines, generators, control systems, prototype testing, computer-aided design [CAD] modeling, and others)
3. Marine System (expertise in grid connection, off-shore technologies and logistics, marine ecology, and others)
Solar Power Technology
Energy is produced from the sunlight through the use of photovoltaic (PV) systems. There are new technologies associated with solar energy such as innovation in mobile devices and communication gadgets. Several homes across the United States are now using solar applications for their electricity consumption. On the industrial aspect, there are growing number of large grid-tied solar arrays and possibly developing the world’s first giant solar tower.
The recruitment for solar power jobs are as follows:
1. Business and Financial
2. Solar Thermal (technical skills in active and passive solar heating, solar pumps, and others)
3. PV Systems (expertise in grid tied inverters, storage systems, PV systems design and installation, and others)
4. Non-technical
Grab the opportunity and take part in the development of these renewable energy technologies.
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