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Careers With Green Certification

Can you imagine yourself working in an exciting new industry that's pushing environmental boundaries? If you get trained and qualified in green engineering you can do just that! Certifications can take less time than you might think - within the next twelve months your job could be helping to offset the effects of global warming. The world can't continue to consume oil and gas at current levels. Householders in the developed world know changes will have to come soon.

Western leaders are keen to encourage citizens to strive for greener alternatives to the more traditional methods. People in Britain can often get substantial government subsidies to cover such things as wall or loft insulation and solar generated hot water. Moves such as these mean the demand for appropriately certified fitters and installers continues to increase. So if you're thinking about training to become a plumber or an electrician, why not gear your skill-set towards green energy?

If you've been in the industry for a while, check out the new courses and certifications in green engineering.

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'Green' Energy Solutions

Naturally renewable resources are being converted into usable energy because of developments in 'green' technology. Sunlight, wind, the tides and geothermal heat are all naturally replenishable, and thereby 'Green'. Windmills and waterwheels have been around for a long time, but modern technology can now take advantage of solar power and geo-thermal energy to power homes and businesses. Trades people with green credentials can capitalise on this.

Solar Systems

Free energy from the sun can be absorbed by solar heating equipment and converted into domestic warm water. As the technology has been available for a while, we now have a large number of systems to choose from. Working alongside regular water heaters, these systems can supply the majority of hot water that will be needed by a family during the warmer months of the year. The average domestic solar heating system should reduce CO2 emissions by 0.4 - 0.75 tonnes per annum. There are various configurations for solar hot water systems, with either flat panel or evacuated tube collection systems. As might be expected, a south-facing roof is the ideal location for these collectors.

Another means of harnessing solar energy is through the use of photovoltaic cells which can convert sunlight into electricity. Again, PV panels are designed to be attached to a roof or wall that is preferably south facing. As sunlight shines onto the panels an electric field is created that goes to an inverter inside the roof. The 'green electricity' that is created is then connected to the consumer unit within the property. Householders can expect a photovoltaic system to provide around 40 per cent of their annual electricity, and so reduce both their bills and carbon footprint significantly. They also automatically sell electricity back to the National Grid if their system produces more than they use. In April 2010 Government legislation in the UK increased the amount energy companies have to pay to buy back electricity, making the initial investment more attractive. Clearly the latitude of the property will impact how much energy is generated. So will the direction the panels are facing, the overall size of the PV array and any obstructions which block the light.

Naturally Stored Heat

Geothermal heat is the term used for the ground source heat that is stored naturally under the ground. If land is plentiful the surface ground collector method is used to get the heat out. If it isn't, the borehole collector method is used. Either method requires burying a few hundred metres of plastic piping filled with an eco-friendly liquid.

The circulating solution collects the natural heat and takes it to the heat pump. The heat pump can then provide heating for houses by warming the water in radiators and underfloor heating systems. Although heat pumps use electricity, they can still be considered 'green' because they produce four to five times more electricity than they consume.

Developing All The time

When you train to work in the green installations industry, you'll pick up a variety of worthwhile skills. You can expect to study and qualify in certain essential electrical and plumbing skills, and gain newer certifications that cover green energy. You should acquire the right skills and accreditations to able to work with solar thermal and solar PV systems, and geothermal heat pumps. Green engineering training courses are developing all the time, as this exciting technology progresses. You might be offered optional tutorials, for instance on rainwater harvesting to recycle water.

Security For The Future

An Energy Performance Certificate is now a legal requirement for all houses being sold in the UK - allowing buyers the chance to determine a property's typical fuel consumption, and gain advice on how it could do better. Many assessments show huge savings could be made over a period of time if improved systems were installed.

Plus there are financial incentives in the UK for homeowners to upgrade their energy efficiency, providing systems are fitted by installers with appropriate certifications. In real terms though, that's only the beginning. Within the next six years, all new homes must generate at least 15 percent of their energy from renewable sources to be legally compliant. It will soon be socially, ethically and financially unacceptable to ignore renewable energy - and those with the right skills will find themselves in great demand.