Energy Means Adventure in 10 pictures

1. Solar Energy: a Myriad of Professions

Across the globe, millions of companies – ranging from large industrial firms to small artisanal businesses - produce, assemble, install, and maintain photovoltaic panels, whether in vast solar farms or on rooftops and terraces of private homes. There were 7.2 million direct and indirect jobs in the sector worldwide in 2023, with double-digit annual growth rates. Solar energy professions are extremely diverse.

A Job with More Than Its Share of Foul Weather

2. Work on Electrical Networks in Extreme Conditions

Working on large electrical networks requires a high level of technical expertise and sophisticated equipment (cranes, helicopters, etc.), particularly in mountainous or hard-to-reach areas. Although necessary at all times, this work becomes urgent and dangerous during storms or natural disasters such as earthquakes.

Maintenance Operations at 100+ Meter Heights

3. Interventions at Heights of Over 100 Meters

Wind turbine maintenance is now a well-established technique. Technicians cling to the blades or rotor at heights of up to 150 meters for the largest turbines. wind turbine maintenance presents the additional challenge of caused by winds and salt-laden sea spray.

Operators on tour at the battery storage site of the “La Perrière” multi-energy park in Sainte-Suzanne, Reunion Island.

4. Energy Storage: a Sector With a Bright Future

The growing integration of “intermittent” renewable energies such as solar and wind requires new ways of storing . High-power batteries can be installed to store some of the electricity generated when the wind is strong or the sun is shining and release it later when consumer demand is high. Storage is therefore essential for stabilizing the grid by ensuring a regular and controlled supply of electricity.

5. Marine Energy on The Rise

Underwater operations are becoming increasingly common, with offshore wind power, underwater pipe laying, and now the continued growth of marine energy. The force of tides, waves, currents, temperature differences between different depths, and osmotic energy are all highly specialized areas of research. They have already given rise to a variety of technical professions. Discover careers in marine energy.

Nuclear workers at work in their protective suits

6. Working in a Nuclear Power Plant

This image is actually misleading! Nuclear workers only wear such suits during very specific operations in the reactor building of power plants. Elsewhere, they wear only light coveralls without helmets, which they leave at their workstations... Here, they are reloading in the core of the Angra II reactor, 124 miles south of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

TotalEnergies - Jet-A1 or SAF fuel supply at Bordeaux airport in France

7. Biofuels for Air Transport

Reducing aviation's is essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Significant progress has already been made by reducing aircraft weight and improving engine efficiency. The latest generation of aircraft consumes 70% less fuel than those of the 1960s. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will enable us to go even further. These -based fuels will ultimately reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 80% over the entire life cycle.

8. AI and Digital Technology are Transforming The Energy Sector

Digital technology has been established in the energy sector for years. Data collected by sensors is stored and analyzed. It alerts maintenance teams, who can then intervene remotely. Robotics has become commonplace in all modern factories. Artificial intelligence will increase the power of big data tenfold. While it consumes a large amount of energy, it will improve the sector's . There is a real demand for scientific data experts.

Emissions analysis conducted using a drone on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility in Brazil

9. Drones in The Service of Climate Action

Drones are increasingly being used in the energy sector. They are useful for inspecting installations in hard-to-reach places, such as the top of a tower in a refinery, the wall of a hydroelectric dam, an offshore wind turbine, or fields. When equipped with sensors, they can even measure methane or CO₂ emissions at certain altitudes. “Civil drone pilot” is becoming a profession in its own right.

10 Taking Action to Save Energy: a Whole Profession in Itself

Everyone, at their own level, can turn off the lights when they leave a room, reduce the heating to 68°F, wash dishes or laundry at a lower temperature, or ride their bike for short distances. New professions have emerged: the “energy manager” who hunts down waste in school or factory facilities, the “energy efficiency engineer” who helps architects design new buildings, and the “home automation specialist” who fits out apartments.