Build A Career With Green Engineer Courses

Would you enjoy helping others to save money and look after the environment? Qualifying as an installer with 'green' certifications will allow you to do that. Whether you want to work in the UK or overseas, you could be installing equipment that saves CO2 consumption and cuts energy bills within months of starting a course.

Gas and oil consumption can't go on as it is. Carbon emissions will have to be reduced. Governments are actively encouraging consumers to be more energy efficient and look towards alternative renewable sources of power. Those who replace old and poorly performing boilers in the UK can claim subsidies from the government. So domestic engineers with the correct skill-sets can find themselves in high demand.

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.

Maximising Our Natural Resources

When we talk about green energy, we mean any functional source of power that has been created from a natural resource. So we can use sunshine, rain, wind and the tides to generate more power for ourselves.

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. People with the right skill-sets are becoming increasingly in demand to implement these.

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Energy From The Sun

Domestic hot water pipes can be connected to solar water heaters to provide free heat to the system. The current range of solar heating systems includes several that are sophisticated and state of the art. They are used in conjunction with conventional boilers or heating systems, and can provide most of the hot water for a UK family throughout the summer months. The average domestic solar heating system should reduce CO2 emissions by 0.4 - 0.75 tonnes per annum. We can choose either flat or tubular collection systems. As might be expected, a south-facing roof is the ideal location for these collectors.

Photovoltaic cells or panels also absorb the sun's energy, but this time electricity is produced. Once again, the panels should be fitted to a south facing roof or wall, along with an inverter in the loft to convert the DC electric current to AC.

The 'green electricity' that is created is then connected to the consumer unit within the property. Solar electricity is renewable energy that doesn't release any carbon dioxide or other harmful pollutants. Home owners will reduce their bills and their carbon footprint. Anyone with a system that produces more electricity than the household consumes can automatically sell their excess to the national grid. 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. Planning permission isn't usually needed to install PV cells, although listed buildings and houses in conservation areas should check with their local authorities.

Geo-Thermal Energy

Solar energy is naturally stored in the ground - in the UK the ground source heat is constantly around 12 degrees centigrade. 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. It absorbs the warmth as it circulates around the piping, and delivers it's heat to the connecting pump. Homes with underfloor heating will notice the biggest benefits that heat pumps can bring. Householders will experience lower fuel bills if they install a ground source heat pump. Also, if they're replacing an oil boiler, they could produce 540kg of CO2 less a year.

Training For A 'Green' Career

As you go through a study programme, your knowledge of replenishable energy sources and new technology will grow. You can expect to study and qualify in certain essential electrical and plumbing skills, and gain newer certifications that cover green energy. Make sure you come out with a good knowledge of ground and air source heat pumps, and domestic solar technology. That's where a lot of your future work is likely to be.

Courses in domestic green skills and qualifications are developing fast, to keep up with the increased demand caused by government incentives. Additional options on certain courses could cover biomass, or grey and rainwater harvesting.

Security For The Future

Each time a domestic UK property changes hands, the new householders must be shown an Energy Performance Certificate. This illustrates how energy efficient the house is, and how it could be improved. Often more modern or alternative equipment can lower running costs significantly.

The government is offering householders substantial grants to cover certain installation costs where work is undertaken by appropriately qualified Green Engineers. That's merely the beginning though. In ten years' time the British government aims to be on target for 15 percent of the nation's energy coming from renewables. Issues concerning climate change and rocketing fuel costs mean that green renewable energy is emerging as an excellent business for anyone with the right skills.