Employment in the Clean Energy Sector

A note from a reader:

I wonder if I might ask your advice quickly on a matter. I am a young man who has recently developed an interest in the renewable energy sector, and sustainability generally. Could you recommend some reading material that gives a good introduction to the industry and how it all fits together financially from a potential employee’s point of view?  I have gathered some good material on the major issues, points of debate and themes in RE but have not been able to find so much on the different companies operating within the sector, what kind of jobs are available and how these companies go about making money.

My response:

I’d really love to help you, but I don’t think I have anything specific to offer. I’m sure you know that there are websites that specialize in this type of thing, e.g., SustainableBusiness.com, run by Rona Fried, a personal friend, and a terrific person.

But to put it in a few words, right now, the fossil fuel industries have a significant cost advantage over clean energy, due in part to 80 years of subsidies and their own internal efforts to secure their monopolies.  Together, these actions have built them into superpowers that sport the most forceful lobby in the known universe. Over the past few decades, mankind has started to realize that there are huge externalities to this energy policy (crushing debt, endless wars, terrorism, lung disease, long-term ecological damage, etc.). But now it may be too late; the industry is so strong that it can simply refuse to internalize these costs to society, while it makes hundred of billions of dollars of annual profits, and actively grinds its competition into the pavement.

So where does this leave us vis-à-vis the career aspirations of bright young people like you? I’m sorry to say that I simply don’t have an answer.

I would say this: if we still have a civilization here in 50 years, renewable energy will have won the day. Its backers will have made a fortune, and the people who helped make it happen will have done very nicely (while having led purposeful lives of decency, integrity, and personal fulfillment). The handwriting in favor of renewables is on the wall.  While we’re running out of oil, we receive 6000 times more energy every day from the sun than all seven billion of us consume, and several technologies are closing in on bringing the costs down to a point at which “clean” and “dirty” energy will be at the same price fairly soon. Only a lunatic will opt to burn hydrocarbons or split atoms when the cost of clean and safe energy is at parity.

But what’s the picture for the next decade? It’s anyone’s guess. In the absence of some leadership from government, it looks unlikely. And how probable is honest, visionary government? I’m not bullish, to say the very least.

I don’t mean to make this sound so flippant, or so final. I’m sure there’s a way forward somewhere, but I just can’t see it at this point.  Best of luck to you, and please stay in touch.