Biomass Plant Technicians
Overview
Introduction
Biomass is renewable energy that is created from organic matter or from animal wastes and fats. A major benefit of biomass is that it does not depend on extracting materials that are in limited supplies and cannot be renewed, such as oil, natural gas, and coal. Biomass plant technicians control and monitor biomass-fueled equipment and systems. They inspect biomass power plants and operating equipment and record and report their findings. They read meters, instruments, and gauges, and use analytical and scientific software to conduct...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The average base salary for biomass plant technicians was $54,907 in 2023, according to Comparably.com. The lowest-paid technicians earned $27,401.
The average annual salary for plant and system operators-not otherwise classified was $56,940 in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $36,120 and the highest 10 percent earned $85,950 or more.
...Work Environment
Biomass plant technicians work in biomass plants. They work closely with others and are usually supervised by engineers or plant managers. They generally work a 40-hour week on weekdays. They spend time monitoring and operating biomass equipment and reading meters, instruments, and gauges. They also read blueprints and work on computers, creating reports and writing and sending e-mails. They we...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Information Network predicts that employment for biomass plant technicians will decline by 2 percent through 2032 as a result of increasing automation of plant operations and competition from other clean energy producers. Nevertheless, interest in researching and developing renewable energy sources such as biomass will continue. Renewable portfolio sta...