Career in clean energy for sustainability

Ranjan K Baruah *

We have heard about renewable and non renewable energy. We have studied in our textbooks about the same . Renewable energy is in focus as countries around the world are trying to reduce carbon emissions as it's affecting our planet. From wind turbines to solar panels and tidal barrages to biofuels, clean and renewable energy sources are increasingly familiar to all of us.

We should be aware that coal, oil, and gas (fossil fuels) are responsible for nearly 90% of global carbon dioxide emissions. Scientists emphasize the need to cut emissions by almost half by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Fossil fuels still dominate global energy production, but renewable sources of energy, such as wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal, now power about 29% of electricity worldwide.

For populations without clean energy access, the lack of reliable power hinders education, healthcare, and economic opportunities, and many of these developing regions still rely heavily on polluting fossil fuels for their daily life, perpetuating poverty. If current trends continue, by 2030 one in four people will still use unsafe, unhealthy and inefficient cooking systems, such as burning wood or dung.

The International Day of Clean Energy on 26 January was declared by the General Assembly (resolution A/77/327) as a call to raise awareness and mobilize action for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy for the benefit of people and the planet and this year is the beginning of the celebration.

26 January is also the founding date of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a global intergovernmental agency established in 2009 to support countries in their energy transitions, serve as a platform for international cooperation, and provide data and analyses on clean energy technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment.

UN-Energy seeks to support countries in achieving SDG7 by enhancing coordination and collaboration among more than thirty UN system entities and partners that work on various aspects of energy.

The science is clear: to limit climate change, we need to end our reliance on fossil fuels and invest in alternative sources of energy that are clean, accessible, cheaper, healthier, affordable, sustainable, and reliable.

Renewable energy sources are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the earth are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air. This brings the opportunity for young people to choose clean energy as their career choice.

Renewable energy which is clean energy also creates new jobs. In India, there are a number of Renewable Energy courses offered by government and private institutions. Private university education is significantly more expensive than public university education. One of the easy ways is to join engineering courses and later do specializations related to clean or renewable energy as there are many specialized courses for engineers and science graduates.

TERI School of Advanced Studies offers different courses including M.Tech (Renewable Energy Engineering and Management) and M.Sc. (Energy Studies and Management). There are engineering colleges and other colleges which offer courses related to renewable energy.

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India has Skill development programme which includes Suryamitra (Solar PV technician); Varunmitra (Solar Water Pumping Technician); Vayumitra (Wind Energy Technician); Jal Urja Mitra (small Hydro Power Plant Technician).

There are different online courses related to renewable energy, renewable energy and green building entrepreneurship, solar energy basics , wind energy , etc provided by different institutions. There are more and more jobs in this sector which means technical as well non technical persons may also get associated with the industry dealing with clean and renewable or new energy.