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Biomass Plant Technicians


Overview

Biomass Plant Technicians

Introduction

Biomass is renewable energy that is created from organic matter or from animal wastes and fats. A major benefit of biomass is that it does not depend on extracting materials that are in limited supplies and cannot be renewed, such as oil, natural gas, coal, or nuclear energy. Biomass plant technicians control and monitor biomass-fueled equipment and systems. They inspect biomass power plants and operating equipment and record and report their findings. They read meters, instruments, and gauges, and use analytical and scientific soft...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$79,610

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Associate's Degree


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Experience

One year work experience
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Skills

Computer
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Personality Traits

Conventional
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Earnings

The average base salary for biomass plant technicians was $91,902 as of October 2019, according to SalaryExpert.com. Entry-level technicians started at about $64,791 per year, and senior-level technicians averaged $113,969 annually.

The average annual salary for power plant operators was $79,610 in May 2018, according to the Department of Labor. The lowest 10 percent earned $45,590 and t...

Work Environment

Biomass plant technicians work in biomass plants. They work closely with others and are usually supervised by a biologist. They generally work a 40-hour week on weekdays. They spend time monitoring and operating biomass equipment and reading meters, instruments, and gauges. They also read blueprints, and work on computers, creating reports and sending e-mails. They wear protective clothing and ...

Outlook

The biomass plant technician field is still new and emerging. The Occupational Information Network predicts that employment for biomass plant technicians will show little or no change by 2028.

Nevertheless, interest in researching and developing renewable energy sources such as biomass will continue. The research group IBISWorld reported that the biomass industry grew about 0.8 annually ...