Occupation Summary

Wind Energy Engineers

O*NET 17-2199.10

Description:

Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems and prepare and develop site specifications.

Annual Wages:
$119,500.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 14.66%.
Education Level:
Bachelor's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
STEM

  1. Write reports to document wind farm collector system test results.
  2. Oversee the work activities of wind farm consultants or subcontractors.
  3. Recommend process or infrastructure changes to improve wind turbine performance, reduce operational costs, or comply with regulations.
  4. Investigate experimental wind turbines or wind turbine technologies for properties such as aerodynamics, production, noise, and load.
  5. Test wind turbine equipment to determine effects of stress or fatigue.
  6. Test wind turbine components, using mechanical or electronic testing equipment.
  7. Provide engineering technical support to designers of prototype wind turbines.
  8. Perform root cause analysis on wind turbine tower component failures.
  9. Monitor wind farm construction to ensure compliance with regulatory standards or environmental requirements.
  10. Direct balance of plant (BOP) construction, generator installation, testing, commissioning, or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) to ensure compliance with specifications.
  11. Develop specifications for wind technology components, such as gearboxes, blades, generators, frequency converters, or pad transformers.
  12. Develop active control algorithms, electronics, software, electromechanical, or electrohydraulic systems for wind turbines.
  13. Create or maintain wind farm layouts, schematics, or other visual documentation for wind farms.
  14. Create models to optimize the layout of wind farm access roads, crane pads, crane paths, collection systems, substations, switchyards, or transmission lines.
  15. Design underground or overhead wind farm collector systems.
  16. Analyze operation of wind farms or wind farm components to determine reliability, performance, and compliance with specifications.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Wind Energy Engineers employed Annual Growth Rate
Architectural, engineering, and related services 12.2 0.47
Scientific research and development services 6 0.67
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing 4.7 0.49
Employment services 4.2 0.27
Computer systems design and related services 3.3 1.32
Electronic instrument manufacturing 3.2 0.18
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 2.3 1.24
Semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing 2.1 1.09


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $57.45
2024 National average hourly wage $58.52
2022 National employment 170,300
2022 Texas employment 9,767
Texas projected employment by 2032 11,199
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 735




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
96.20%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
88.00%
Design
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
87.40%
Physics
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
84.20%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
82.80%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
80.20%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
71.20%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
67.40%
Building and Construction
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
66.20%
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
66.00%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
80.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
75.00%
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
70.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
70.00%
Systems Analysis
Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
67.60%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
67.60%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
67.60%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
67.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
67.60%
Operations Analysis
Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
65.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
77.60%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
75.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
75.00%
Mathematical Reasoning
The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
75.00%
Number Facility
The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
70.00%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
67.60%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
67.60%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
67.60%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
67.60%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
65.00%


  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Processing Information
    -- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Working Conditions
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.



Tools

Anemometers: Recording anemometers; Propeller anemometers; Cup anemometers;

Barometers: Barometric pressure sensors;

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Digital camcorders or video cameras: Digital video cameras;

Digital cameras: Digital still cameras;

Global positioning system GPS receiver: Handheld global positioning system GPS units;

Mainframe computers: Mainframe computers;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

Portable data input terminals: Dataloggers;

Radarbased surveillance systems: Light detection and ranging LIDAR systems;

Soil core sampling apparatus: Soil samplers;

Solar radiation surface observing apparatus: Pyranometers;

Temperature transmitters: Electronic temperature sensors;

Weather stations: Portable meteorological stations;

Wind surface observing apparatus: Sonic detection and ranging SODAR equipment; Wind vanes;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: ANSYS simulation software; Computational fluid dynamics CFD software; DIgSILENT PowerFactory; EMD International WindPRO; GE Energy Positive Sequence Load Flow Software PSLF; Manitoba HVDC Research Centre PSCAD; Mathsoft Mathcad; Power system modeling software; PowerWorld Corporation PowerWorld Simulator; ReSoft WindFarm; Risoe National Laboratory Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program WAsP; Schneider Electric Direct Coordination; Siemens PSS Product Suite; SKM Systems Analysis Power Tools; The MathWorks MATLAB; WindSim;

Business intelligence and data analysis software: Tableau;

Computer aided design CAD software: PTC Creo Parametric; Dassault Systemes SolidWorks; Autodesk AutoCAD; Bentley MicroStation;

Data base management system software: Microsoft SQL Server;

Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL; Amazon Web Services AWS software; Microsoft Access;

Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic; Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition VBScript; Microsoft .NET Framework; Formula translation/translator FORTRAN; Apache Ant; National Instruments LabVIEW; Software development tools; Microsoft Visual Studio;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Enterprise resource planning ERP software;

File versioning software: Apache Subversion SVN; Git;

Geographic information system: Google Earth Pro; ESRI ArcGIS software; ESRI ArcGIS Spatial Analyst; ESRI ArcInfo; Geographic information system GIS software;

Industrial control software: Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software; Wonderware software;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Map creation software: Global Mapper Software Global Mapper;

Object or component oriented development software: Microsoft Visual Basic.NET; Microsoft Visual C# .NET; C#; C++; Oracle Java; Python;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: UNIX; Linux;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio;

Program testing software: JUnit;

Project management software: Microsoft Project; Oracle Primavera Systems;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Video conferencing software: Web conferencing software;

Word processing software: Word processing software; Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Wind Energy Engineers include:
  • 17-2011.00 Aerospace Engineers
  • 17-2141.02 Automotive Engineers
  • 17-2051.00 Civil Engineers
  • 17-2071.00 Electrical Engineers
  • 17-2199.03 Energy Engineers, Except Wind and Solar
  • 17-2141.00 Mechanical Engineers
  • 17-2199.05 Mechatronics Engineers
  • 17-2199.11 Solar Energy Systems Engineers
  • 17-2051.02 Water/Wastewater Engineers
  • 11-9199.10 Wind Energy Development Managers


No sources of additional information found.

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.