Whether lighting a room or keeping an automobile moving, the energy industry powers almost every aspect of modern living. With vast supplies of natural resources and ever-improving technologies, the United States is a global leader in the production of energy.
Careers in this industry relate to extracting or harnessing power from a variety of sources, refining it and distributing it, and ensuring it’s safe to use by consumers.
Energy comes from a variety of sources; non-renewable sources include oil and natural gas, nuclear, and coal. Oil and natural gas account for nearly 60% of current energy production. The exploration and extraction of shale and deep-water resources has led to growth in this field with many jobs in western states or off-shore areas.
Renewable energy sources are growing in importance; they include solar, wind, hydroelectric, and biomass. As demand for energy continuously increases, experts predict that more of the industry will shift to “green” energy in the coming decades, and technology advances will make renewables more cost effective.
Quick facts to know:
- Jobs in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction account for more than 600,000 energy-related jobs, while the utilities side of the industry accounts for over 500,000 jobs.
- Renewable energy is estimated to grow to as much as 80% of total energy production by 2050.
- Job openings for solar photovoltaic installers and wind turbine service technicians are expected to double in the next decade.
- The safe distribution of electricity is another vital aspect of the energy industry. Jobs as power distributors and dispatchers or electrical power-line installers and repairers are essential to powering cities, commercial buildings, and homes. Power-line installers are projected to grow by over ten thousand jobs in the next several years.
- While public utilities employ thousands of energy workers, private companies employ the vast majority throughout the country. Jobs in the energy industry help to literally keep the lights on for U.S. businesses and families.