Wind Energy Industry Workers
Overview
Introduction
Wind energy industry workers perform a wide range of duties, from designing, building, repairing, and maintaining wind turbines and wind farms, to assessing and purchasing land for wind farms, protecting wildlife (especially birds) from the potentially harmful effects of wind turbines, and providing support services to scientific and technical workers. Approximately 120,000 people are employed in the wind energy industry, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
The Association of Energy Engineers conducted a survey of its members in 2019. Salaries ranged from $25,000 or less to $200,000 or more. Approximately 25.6 percent of respondents earned between $75,000 and $100,000, while 31.0 percent had salaries between $100,000 and $150,000.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports that wind turbine service technicians earned median annual salaries ...
Work Environment
Work environments in the wind industry vary by career. For example, engineers travel frequently to inspect turbine installations or wind turbine manufacturing processes. They often travel overseas because many of the biggest turbine manufacturers are located abroad. They also spend time working indoors in offices and laboratories.
Environmental scientists often travel to proposed and exi...
Outlook
The wind industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the renewable-energy industry. This growth can be attributed primarily to lower production costs. Better technology and equipment have lowered the cost of wind-generated electricity by about 80 percent in the past 20 years; this almost matches the cost of electricity generated by conventional sources such as coal or nuclear power.
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