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Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers


Overview

Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers

Introduction

The power of water—in rivers, streams, lakes, and ocean tides—is used to generate electricity. This type of electricity is known as hydropower electricity. Hydropower and marine energy industry workers perform a wide range of duties, from designing, constructing, and maintaining hydropower projects and plants, to assessing and remediating the environmental impact of these projects, to providing support services (human resources, clerical, information management, etc.) to science and technology workers. According to the National Hydr...

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$75,000

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Employment Prospects

Fair

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Minimum Education Level

Associate's Degree
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Experience

Internship


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Skills

Business Management
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Personality Traits

Organized
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Earnings

The Association of Energy Engineers conducted a survey of its members (which include engineers, executives, educators, and others in the energy field) in 2017. It found that nearly 68 percent of its members earned between $75,001 and $150,000. Salaries ranged from $25,000 to $300,000 or more.  

The U.S. Department of Labor does not provide salary information for hydropower and marine ene...

Work Environment

Work environments vary depending on the worker’s job title. For example, hydropower engineers may perform a significant amount of their work outdoors. Recreation managers may often find themselves developing outdoor walking paths and trails near hydroelectric projects to ensure that vegetation and wildlife are protected. All workers who work outdoors must deal with occasionally demanding weathe...

Outlook

Hydropower is an important renewable energy resource because of its abundance and ability to produce electricity inexpensively without harmful emissions. Employment in the hydropower industry will grow if the U.S. government establishes a renewable electricity standard, a regulation that requires the production of more energy from renewable energy resources such as hydropower and solar and wind...