Board the energy management train

With the global climate summit in Copenhagen and those participating in it committing to the cause, future professionals can take the hint. ‘Climate change awaits solutions and implementers to measure and curb the mindless energy consumption.’ Thus, in demand are energy managers who will not only track and save energy, but also help slay its planet-unfriendly by-products like greenhouse gas emissions. The revolution to build and hire an energy workforce has already started, with companies and institutes worldwide developing courses in energy management and auditing.  

Heavy as it may sound, energy management is nothing but the proficient and best possible use of energy by an organisation. So, the job here is to manage energy. An energy manager needs to develop a policy on the company’s energy management action plan. “Components of the job profile are energy, project, personnel and financial managements. Beyond the company’s walls, a professional needs to prepare the information on the energy consumed and action taken on the recommendation of the accredited energy auditor to be submitted to the designated agency,” says Neeraj Dhingra, project engineer, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). 

Since an energy manager needs to have the technical know-how, there is a scope for engineers. Engineering graduates, especially those in Mechanical Engineering, may specialise in energy management and join the energy sector. A bit different from energy management, energy auditing involves a systematic study of major energy-consuming sections at a company to identify its efficient use at each step, pin-point the wastage, and suggest possible energy-saving ways. 

To become a certified energy manager and auditor, aspirants need to appear for the national-level certification examination by BEE. This certification is also important if one wants to become an accredited energy auditor. Besides engineers, one sees postgraduates in science also appearing for the National Certification Examination for Energy Managers and Energy Auditors.

Promising a steady growth path, the emolument of an energy manager in India may begin from Rs 4 lakh for a graduate to Rs 10 lakh for an MBA in energy management. The package rises further if one joins a company in the developed market. After a few years experience, energy professionals may go for sector specialisations like renewable energy, carbon financing/credits and energy trading. 

So, why not board the energy train right away!