Hello class,
My name is Liston and like many of you, I’m an ESP student. This will be my sixth semester at World Campus, and while I still have about a year to go, I’ve been steadily making progress. I am originally from northern Virginia (the D.C. suburbs) and I’m currently serving active duty U.S. Coast Guard and stationed in Chicago. I am still in the process of figuring out what career I will pursue. As I’ve taken courses in the ESP program I know I want to work in the renewable energy field. I am just not sure exactly what form that will take. Will it be working on energy policy, energy finance, sales, consulting, etc? I hope this course will help me better understand sustainability entrepreneurship and the types of careers available.
I have never started a business. In fact, aside from a few summer jobs in high school, most of my adult working life has been spent in the military and not in private business. I have been trying to learn more about solar energy and ways to make it more practical and profitable to increase solar energy use. Companies like SolarCity, which pays all upfront installation costs, are coming up with unique ways to increase their business and I’d like to learn more about how they are accomplishing it.
First, I would like to thank you for your service to our country. It is sincerely appreciated. With regard to a career in the renewable energy field, while most of the emphasis is on wind and solar, I hope you will also consider hydropower. I have spent nearly 30 years in the hydropower industry (including government affairs which deals with energy policy) and it has been fascinating and rewarding.