Advice provided by: Claire Moloney, LEED Green Associate, Cornell University

Share

According to Treehugger, the Harrison Resource Corporation are planning to build a microgrid in Colorado that is meant to power a data center. A microgrid can operate independently of the main electric grid, which improves reliability.

This microgrid, called the Niobrara Data Center Energy Park, will be fueled by on-site solar energy generation and off-site wind and geothermal energy.

As evidenced by the Harrison Resource Corporation's microgrid, businesses and industries are increasingly turning to sources for alternative and renewable energy production as a way to cut energy costs, improve grid reliability, and increase sustainability.

A new report says industrial distributed generation (IDG) will play an integral role in these trends in the years ahead, a reality that may create new renewable energy jobs for qualified professionals.

What is Industrial Distributed Generation?

IDG allows industrial users to sever their reliance on outside power sources and instead depend on their own power generation for energy. Generally, any type of energy generated on-site - including those from wind or solar energy, for example - can be considered IDG.

Distributed Generation of Power Expected to Grow

In a recent report, Pike Research estimated IDG usage to increase by 46 percent over the next five years. That would push U.S. IDG capacity as high as 133 gigawatts (GW) by 2016, from 91 GW this year, according to the report.

Certification for Green Jobs in Renewable Energy

The increased prevalence of IDG may encourage businesses to turn to more widely used renewable energy technologies. That may open the door for new wind or solar energy jobs, for example, since these systems may be more cost-effective than other solutions and can complement existing energy generation measures.

Certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) can provide individuals applying for wind and solar energy jobs the opportunity to demonstrate their competence at installing small wind, photovoltaic or solar thermal energy systems.

Combined Heat and Power: Green Jobs in CHP

Combined heat and power (CHP) is another popular form of IDG, and one that would create 1 million new energy jobs if the country were to generate 20 percent of its energy from this technology by 2030, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy.

However at this time, most job training for CHP installers and operators is provided by individual energy providers, and no national accreditation exists.

Related Advice:

• Green Jobs: North American Wind Power to Double by 2017



• Renewable Energy Installations to Double By 2030: Implications for Green Jobs



• Renewable Energy Certification Helps Professionals to Land Green Jobs