Energy Expert

1. What kind of training and education do you need to become an energy

expert? What kind of activities do energy experts do on a day-to-day
basis?

Energy experts are a vast group of people whose education ranges from a
high school diploma to advanced degrees such as an engineering degree. If
you want to work on the development of new technologies, then chemical,
mechanical, and electrical engineering degrees are valuable. Renewable
energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear are on the rise. However,
each energy source requires its own team of specialists. One energy expert
may be fixing a wind turbine while another one may be developing a more
efficient photovoltaic or simply act as an installer or basic assembler for
solar panels. Biofuel experts would dedicate time around building and
implementing the infrastructure for the transportation sector. Biofuel
experts also include chemists who work in a lab to produce a more efficient
and more sustainable fuel. For some energy experts, much of the time is
spent in meetings with their clients to develop a plan for cleaner and more
efficient energy according to their purposes. There are separate programs
outside of college that offer specialized certifications for renewable energy
careers.

Jobs in Green Science (AAAS)

Energy Careers and Jobs (US Dept. of Energy)
Energy Studies: Academic Requirements, Professional Outlook
(Environmental Programs)

2. What are some alternative transportation technologies under

development that reduce fossil fuel consumption? Which
options are available where you live?

Alternative transportation technologies include hydrogen fuel

cell vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEV), and biofuel
vehicles. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are powered by the most
abundant element on our planet. The only waste product that
they produce is water vapor. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles do not
require charging, are noiseless, safe, and can run at any time of
day. Refueling a fuel cell vehicle is like how gasoline vehicles are
refueled. Battery electric vehicles derive their energy from the
grid. These vehicles must be plugged into a charging station in
the city or can be charged at your house. The carbon footprint
of battery electric vehicles is dependent on the electricity
generation mix of the grid. Electricity generation mixes
consisting of renewable energy sources enables battery electric
vehicles to be much better for the environment. However,
electricity generation mixes such as West Virginia’s, where over
90% of it comes from coal power, more efficient gasoline
 powered vehicles (like hybrid vehicles) are better for the
environment. Plug-in hybrid vehicles are another option,
however, a study I conducted last year determined that BEVs or
traditional HEVs are better options depending on the electricity
generation mix of the grid. Currently, the only states where
HEVs (gasoline vehicles with an automatically recharging
battery) are better for the environment (less GHG emissions)
than BEVs are West Virginia, Hawaii, and Wyoming. There are
not many alternative transportation technologies where I live
since I live in a very rural area. However, there are BEV charging
stations in a couple places in town.

Alternative Fuels Data Center (US Dept. of Energy)

Advanced Vehicles and Fuels Basics (NREL)
Hybrid Cars Cribsheet (Seed Magazine)
Fill 'er Up - A Grist Special Series on Biofuels (grist.org)
Hydrogen Fuel Cells (NOVA)
Alternative Energy Resources by State (US Dept. of Energy)
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE, NC State University)

3. What are some of the alternative energy technologies being developed to reduce fossil fuel
consumption in producing electricity? Which options are available where you live?

There are many alternative energy technologies being developed to reduce fossil fuel
consumption and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These include solar,
wind, hydropower, nuclear, biomass, and geothermal energy. However, biomass can be tricky
because some biomass plants resorted to cutting down live trees to meet quotas instead of
being limited to waste material. Solar energy uses the energy from the sun by using solar
panels. Hydropower uses the energy from flowing water, and some dams have been
constructed for it and it also comes from turbines in the ocean. Wind energy uses the energy
from the wind with the use of turbines. Nuclear energy comes from the energy produced
from nuclear fission. Geothermal energy uses energy stored in the ground, and geothermal
wells can be used to heat and cool homes. The electricity generation mix of NC consists of
31.82% nuclear, 5.54% solar, 4.71% hydropower, 1.92% biomass, and 0.40% wind.
Geothermal energy does not make up any portion of the grid, however, the wells can be
installed in individual buildings like we saw at the NC botanical garden. Personally, we use
solar panels to power our internet relays. Solar panels can be installed on the rooftops of
buildings as well.

Responses to Climate Change (KSM)

Learning About Renewable Energy (NREL)
Green Power Locator (US EPA)
Alternative Energy Resources by State (US Dept. of Energy)
Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE, NC State University)

4. Choose two alternative energy sources and list the benefits and drawbacks for each.
General information about energy:
Energy Facts (US Dept. of Energy)
 The Energy Story (CA Energy Commission)
Energy Sources (US Dept. of Energy)

Wind:

Benefits:
 Renewable, unlimited energy source.
 No air pollutant (GHG) emissions.
 Water is not used for cooling.
 Wind turbines can be installed on existing farmland.
 Once the turbines have been installed, the maintenance costs associated with the turbines are
extremely low.
Drawbacks:
 Rotors on the turbines can kill birds and bats.
 Noise pollution.
 Not visually appealing/can clutter up a landscape.
 Some wind turbines may use rare earth metals. Mining operations pertaining to rare earth metals have
negative effects on the environment. Mining rare earth metals involves opening huge open pits that
inevitably end up releasing contaminates (such as rare earth metals, radionuclides, dust, and metal)
into the surrounding environment. Mining also disrupts ecosystems. Refining rare earth metals
releases metal byproducts into the environment’s air, ground, and water. It is basically impossible to
remove these contaminates. Disposal of waste from the mining is another issue since it pollutes water
resources as well.
 It is weather dependent, so there are swings and shortages in the energy supply.
 High initial cost to construct turbines and wind facilities.
 Wind farms require even more land than solar farms. These large-scale wind farms can warm up the
earth similar to the urban heat island effect.
Wind Power Technologies (US Dept. of Energy)
Wind With Miller (Windpower.org)
How Wind Energy Works (UCS)

Solar:

Benefits:
 Solar panels on top of buildings have minimal effects on the environment.
 Solar energy does not produce any air pollutants (such as carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides,
and particulate matter). Although there are emissions associated with its manufacturing process, they
are negligible when compared to other energy sources that we use.
 Although there are places where there is more available sunlight, the availability for the
implementation of solar energy is much more widespread than other renewable sources such as
hydropower or geothermal power plants.
 It is a renewable, sustainable, inexhaustible resource.
 Reduces water consumption and withdrawal.
 Able to be used off the grid since solar energy can be generated wherever the panels are installed.
  It is still being rapidly improved, so it is also becoming less expensive.
 Solar panels require extremely low maintenance.
 There are a wide variety of solar energy applications such as powering lights, cars, devices, and can be
used to heat buildings.
 10 times higher average power density (energy produced/land used) than wind power.

Drawbacks:
 Solar energy depends on the weather (storms and clouds can block the sun from the receiver). However,
batteries can be used with solar energy systems so that electricity can be made available even when the
solar panels are not receiving much energy. Additionally, the amount of sunlight arriving at the surface of
the earth is also dependent on the time of year and day as well as the location.
 A large surface area is needed to capture a useful amount of energy. This may have some impacts on the
local environment since solar plants need to have a large amount of space. Land must be dedicated for
solar use and nothing else (no agriculture allowed). Additionally, there may not be enough space in some
areas, so solar energy may not be as efficient or practical in those areas.
 Currently, most solar panels are between 15% and 20% efficient. The theoretical maximum for solar
energy systems that do not track the sun is only 55%.
 Toxic and hazardous metals and compounds are used in the manufacturing process. Much of the
hazardous materials are not properly disposed of either. Rare earth metals are also mined for solar
panels. This process was described in the wind section.
 It has a high initial cost and energy storage is also expensive.

Solar Powering America Home (US Dept. of Energy)

Solar Basics (CA Energy Commission)
How Solar Energy Works (UCS)
Ocean:
Water Energy (US Dept. of Energy)
Ocean Energy (CA Energy Commission)

Hydroelectric:
Water Power Program (US Dept. of Energy)
How Hydrokinetic Energy Works (UCS)

Geothermal:
Geothermal Technologies (US Dept. of Energy)
What is Geothermal? (geothermal.org)
How Geothermal Energy Works (UCS)

Nuclear:
Nuclear Power Cribsheet (Seed Magazine)
Nuclear Energy Overview (CA Energy Commission)
Why Nuclear Energy? (Nuclear Energy Institute)
Nuclear Power Education (nuclearinfo.net)

Biomass:
Bioenergy Technologies (US Dept. of Energy)