Today, November 23rd, the day of the Electrical Engineer is celebrated, a professional responsible for planning, building and maintaining systems capable of generating, transmitting and distributing electrical energy.
The choice of date is a reference to the founding, in 1913, of the Instituto Eletrotécnico de Itajubá, one of the largest Engineering schools in Brazil.
Currently, according to data from CONFEA (Federal Council of Engineering and Agronomy), there are 116.185 ed electrical engineers in Brazil.
Importance of the electrical engineer
Last week, we concluded the COP26, highlighting the need to reduce global temperatures by 1,5 °C and fossil fuels.
For Mauro da Rosa Sirtoli, renewable energy market manager at Weidmueller, the conversion capacity of renewables has become one of the main topics of study in academia.
“The electrical engineer amplifies his role in society as a generator of solutions and becomes essential in global transformation and survival. Never, in recent years, has the training of new professionals in the area been as essential as it is today. Being an electrical engineer today means ensuring a green future on our planet”, he highlighted.
According to Professor Marcelo Villalva, a specialist in photovoltaic systems, the electrical engineer is the transformative professional of the 21st century. “Perhaps this career has never been so valued. With the growing search for new energy sources and the new wave of EVs (electric vehicles), the electrical engineering professional finds space in many areas, from energy generation and transmission to the development and manufacturing of motors and electronic converters. ”, he highlighted.
“I receive requests almost weekly for recommendations for professionals to work in the area of solar energy. Demands arise from companies from all segments: manufacturers, distributors, integrators”, emphasized Villalva.
In his view, a specialty to be highlighted in electrical engineering, with almost infinite room for growth, is power electronics. “Such professionals have the mission of deg and developing electronic systems for DC-AC, DC-DC or AC-DC conversion, for example, to perform all imaginable functions”.
According to the expert, among the responsibilities are: integration of alternative sources of electricity (solar, wind) and storage (batteries and hydrogen), stability control in energy transmission and distribution systems, high voltage transmission and traction for EVs. "These are just some examples. The complete list of power electronics applications is endless.”
“Electric vehicles have a high level of electronic content on board, from control systems to traction systems. Cars are no longer mechanical systems and are becoming mostly electronic with the help of power electronics,” she concluded.
Solar sector attracts interest from engineers
Among the different areas of activity for electrical engineers is the photovoltaic market, which is gaining more and more fans. Engineer Isabelly Maria Bezerra is a designer and has been working in the sector for three years. “This is a segment that grows every day, and as an engineer I entered the area because it was a subject that I always liked, renewable energy, and because I saw a promising career path.”
“We need to ensure that the qualifications of professionals in the sector also increase. Like any other area of electrical engineering, it is still dominated by men, but I am very happy to find more and more colleagues in the profession,” he commented.
Photovoltaic market potential
For Sirtoli, the solar sector moves from a phase where it needed incentives to operate and enters a stage of natural evolution, with a decrease in the cost of materials and an increase in the production chain. “Even with the current high demand, the explored consumption capacity in Brazil is still less than 1%, highlighting the size of the market ahead. The Brazilian water crisis generates yet another growth and importance factor for solar,” he reported.
According to the executive, Brazil is one of the countries with the greatest potential for installing centralized generation plants due to the characteristics of irradiance and physical space. "Today the know-how generated already serves as a reference for countries abroad, which was proven with the size of the Intersolar and the presence of the public from abroad. The tendency is for the photovoltaic segment to be one of the main generators of employment and income for the coming years”, he concluded.
Draw in honor of Electrical Engineer's Day
O Canal Solar prepared a draw to celebrate Electrical Engineer's Day. Participants will compete for a Weidmueller toolkit and a training course Fundamentals ou PVSyst (winner's choice).
Only 1 winner will be drawn and will win both prizes. The draw is only valid for electrical engineers and lasts until November 30th, at 12pm. To participate, fill out the form by clicking here.
