Wind Power Future?

[examorph]

I am currently studying engineering at a college level and am thinking of moving into renewable energy at a degree level in the future.

I am here because I have read a lot on this forum and realised many people on this forum have very good knowledge about renewable energy, I just wanted to see your opinions on what you think he future is like for renewable energy (concentrating more on wind power) and am I making the right decision going into this sort of engineering?

I am planning on doing a foundation degree in renewables and then moving it on to a honours in mechanical engineering, after this I plan on taking it further to a masters degree level and am confused if I am doing the correct thing.

Obviously you havent got a crystal ball infront of you and cant read the future and tell me what will happen (although I have seen some replies on here which make me think you are so clever you could probably do such a thing ) what is your opinions on this?

 

Thanks

 

Also, I concentrate on wind power because I am from the UK and have heard there will be a lot of imporvment on wind power in the UK.

[CaptainPanic]

Yes, there is a bright future for wind power.

Yes, mechanical engineering is the right study for wind power, although aerospace engineering is useful too (aerodynamics, you know).

Both are pretty awesome studies that allow you to do a lot more than just design wind turbines - in case you change your mind during your study. And the job market (in general) is good too, for both types of study..

 

Not sure how useful a general study regarding renewables is though. What do you learn in such a study?

[examorph]

Thanks for the reply.

I am just confused on what to do in the future, I was thinking about sub sea engineering and then started looking into renewables and it looked interesting, I am researching it at the moment and thouhgt what better place to ask than on here...

I wanted to get into something that is in developement and from what I have read I have seen that renewable energy is a type of engineering that is being developed, for example, finding ways of geting maximum power from the turbine blades, again I have just read about this and have very little experience and knowledge so please correct me if I am wrong.

Like I said above I am not sure what would be the best option for me, either start of with a degree in sub sea, renewables or just go straight into mechanical engineering, the renewable energy course covers the following:

 

- Geothermal Energy

- Forces and Motion

- Interfacing Devices

- CAD/CAM

- Project Management

- Process Control

- Science & Mathematics

- Maintenance Techniques

- Engineering Design

- Quality Systems

- Health and Safety

- Personal and Professional Development

- Work Based/Work Related Project

 

 

There is still over a year until I start on the course I chose but I would rather do all my research now and start learning about it before so I know exactly what I am geting into.

 

Thanks

 

EDIT: the college I am at offers a 2 years foundation degree and then a 1 year top up on either mechanical or electrical honours degree (I prefer mechanical) and then I would like to progress to a higher level degree (masters) which will also probably be in mechanical engineering or a degree more concentrated on the field I am studying (in this case, renewables, but I am not sure if this type of degree even exists).

EDIT: Since I am asking about all this, I have been told that a foundation degree is only really just the basics of what I would have allready probably learnt in my college course, I got told if you do very well in college (get distinctions throughout the full course) you can skip the foundation degree and go straight into honours, is this true?

Edited April 4, 2012 by examorph

[CaptainPanic]

My personal opinion (note: this is really an opinion, not a fact):

 

Go straight into Mechanical engineering. It's a well-known degree, and many employers will understand what it means that you can do.

A mechanical engineering degree will typically cover quite a few topics of that list you showed already... and you will be qualified for a huge amount of jobs.

 

And once you graduate, and you get a job, your new employer is likely to send you straight back to school, to learn the details of that particular industry (expenses paid by the company). Or, you just learn on the job.

So, if you work for a geothermal company, you will enter such a company as an all-round mechanical engineer (junior), and you will learn the details of geothermal engineering on the job. Sounds weird perhaps, but it's very normal.

 

So, in summary, if you get a job in a company that works on renewables, you will probably get your "renewables course" anyway... but instead of paying for it yourself, the company will pay you to learn.

[examorph]

That was actualy my initial plan, I wanted to go straight into mechanical engineering and go from there but from researching I found many people saying that times are hard now and finding a job with mechanical engineering is hard, also said that specialising on something would give you a better chance of geting a job in the future.

This may all be incorrect, I am not sure it is just what I read over researching over the internet and talking to people I know who have seen this happen to others.

Also, do you know about skipping the foundation degree if you do well at college? I am just wondering because that is what I heard, been told that if you do very well in college you do not need to do a foundation degree and can go straight into honours I think. Also how long does a honours degree usually take to complete?

 

Thanks

 

 

[CaptainPanic]

I found many people saying that times are hard now and finding a job with mechanical engineering is hard, also said that specialising on something would give you a better chance of geting a job in the future.

 

True. More experience is always better. And if you pay for your own education, more experience is also very expensive.

 

I am not familiar with the UK education system, so I can't answer your more detailed questions.

[examorph]

Do you think sub sea will have better job oppertunities compared to the renewables?

I ask because these two are the two I am confused about.

Thanks

[CaptainPanic]

What is "sub sea"?

Is that something like nautical engineering / marine engineering? (which is a sub-section of mechanical engineering)?

[examorph]

It's a type of engineering that covers things like oil & gas and off-shore, things like ROV's, so yes, I think it is the same as marine engineering, the degree covers the following:

 

- Subsea Industry & Engineering Systems

- Pipeline Fundamentals & Umbilicals

- Riser & Topside Interfaces

- CAD/CAM

- Project Management

- Subsea Control Systems

- Science & Mathematics

- Maintenance Techniques

- Engineering Design

- Quality Systems

- Health and Safety

- Personal and Professional Development

- Work Based/Work Related Project

 

I have heard that subsea engineers are in demand because of the prices of oil rising and companies needing more efficient tools and equipment to extract oil, I am not sure if this type of engineering will still be good in the future, from what I have read it sounds like it will be but I am not sure, out of all the engineering courses I find this the most interesting but I am not sure if I will be able to get a job after I finish my studies.

[CaptainPanic]

Well, I would guess that both the off shore / marine industry and the renewable industry are going to grow. And when it comes to off-shore wind energy, they have a big overlap.

 

I would guess that any engineering study will start with the same maths/physics background in your 1st year. Then you will specialize. But the sub sea study sounds an awful lot like a wet version of normal mechanical engineering. So, since they seem so much alike, I cannot advise you. Also, I don't think you can go really wrong.

 

My only piece of advice: start broad, and specialize later. But that's an opinion, which you can choose to ignore if you like.