What are green technologies?

Renewable energy comes from the sun, wind, water, biomass, wave power, and earth.  In fact, except for geothermal energy, all renewable energy derives from the sun.  The sunlight can be harvested directly using solar panels; its heat can be used to warm homes and produce domestic hot water.  Uneven heating of the earth causes wind that can power wind turbines or make waves which can generate electricity.  Rainfall and climate can produce biomass or hydroelectric generation with surplus water runoff.  All of these forms of renewable energy can be used instead of fossil-based power to meet our energy needs.

Alternative energy is just another form of energy produced by unconventional means.  Electric-powered vehicles, fuel cells, liquefied natural gas for transportation fuel, and methane gas harvesting from landfills are just a few.

Career pathways for renewable & alternative energy are very diverse.  Whether we are installing solar panels, pool heaters, or domestic hot water heaters, wind turbines, operating a methane recovery center, developing electric vehicles, researching biofuels, or developing new forms of energy to power our lives, there are also a lot of support careers that are needed in addition.  We need electricians to install electrical equipment, plumbers for water heating, carpenters for building more efficient homes, transportation managers to move equipment to development sites, engineers to integrate renewable energy into the conventional energy grid, scientists, technicians and managers to manage projects, etc.  The new technology and the needs to make it work are an entirely new industry.

Lake Land offers TEC 057, Introduction to Renewable Energy, TEC 058, Alternative Energy, and TEC 066, Resource Sustainability.  These courses are the foundation to many pathways found in the renewable energy economy.