Environmental Engineering Wants Feedback on the Renewable Energy Industry

A young man from Peru writes:

Hi, I am 21 years old and I study environmental engineering.  I have been thinking what to do after I finish, and I came to the conclusion that I want to specialize in renewable energy.  As this is an important decision, I would like your opinion about it, and any advice you can give me (including good reads, websites, etc.). I already downloaded the free e-book on renewables; thanks for it.

You’re quite welcome; thanks for writing.  First let me say that there’s plenty more to read on the 2GreenEnergy website: lots of free reports, 3600+ blog posts, a couple of dozen archived webinars, a few (I’m told) “cool” infographics on the basics of energy, 200+ videos, and lots of other good things that you may find valuable.  Some of my stuff, I’m happy to say, is sometimes used in college courses on environmental science, as it stimulates discussion into the many inter-related arenas: economics, sociology, physics, chemistry, biology, philosophy, political science, business, law, etc. I also have two more recent books on renewable energy for sale on Amazon.com. 

Insofar as you asked for my opinion, I believe that the renewable energy industry is one of few disciplines in which making money and serving humankind co-exist.  The process by which we replace fossil fuels with clean energy, while, admittedly, will unfold over a period of decades, will create an enormous number of new jobs, and drive economic growth that will come to dominate the 21st Century. You need to realize, of course, that this is the viewpoint of only one guy, but it’s backed up by many years of interviews with subject-matter experts from a variety of different disciplines.

In any case, best of luck to you; you have a fabulous career — and life — ahead of you.