Emmanuel Salako #TeamRenewables

For over 40 years, RES has been an industry leader in renewable energy. With an employee base of over 2,000 individuals spanning ten countries, the majority of our employees work on project sites. RES is lucky to have acquired such dedicated and talented team members.

In this #TeamRenewables, we spoke with Emmanuel Salako about his time with RES and current duties as a Field Engineer at Panorama Wind in Grover, Colorado.

About Emmanuel

Emmanuel grew up in Lagos, Nigeria where he enjoyed traveling and experiencing different cultures around the world. Following in his older sister's footsteps, he moved to the United States in 2015 to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute?in Troy, NY. After graduating in 2020, Emmanuel took a job in preconstruction supporting design engineers and procurement and estimating departments. This valuable experience allowed him to better understand the behind-the-scenes work that takes place before crews get onsite.

Shortly after starting my career in renewables, I moved to the field, working as the Civil and Structural Field Engineer for two solar projects in Louisiana.

After only a couple of years in the renewables industry, Emmanuel joined RES in September 2021. His dedication to safety and collaborative spirit quickly made him a valued team member and an essential part of the RES community. He currently holds his EIT (Engineer in Training) certification and is working towards his P.E. license and earning an engineering stamp.

Day in the Life

Emmanuel is currently stationed at Panorama Wind working on substation construction. His primary responsibilities include document control, record keeping, conducting quality inspections and generating reports. Though his main focus is verifying projects are being built to drawing and engineering specifications, he also communicates technical setbacks that arise with licensed engineers and provides effective solutions while tracking project progress.

Every morning begins with a safety meeting where the team identifies hazards on-site and brainstorms ways to avoid or mitigate any dangers. Each day presents its own unique challenges. There's no such thing as a typical day, however, most days end with a production and alignment meeting where the team reviews deadlines and punch list items, possible roadblocks and how they can be overcome.

I haven't had many days that are the same since starting at RES, I think it's one of the perks of the job.

The team is currently in the final stages of construction for the substation at Panorama Wind and following the project's completion, Emmanuel will transition to our Traverse project in Weatherford, Oklahoma. He looks forward to becoming more familiar with the T-Line and Collection disciplines of the project.

A Collaborative Culture

Emmanuel takes pride in the standard of excellence and spirit of collaboration RES cultivates. Each day is a learning experience. Working in a dynamic environment where experienced professionals build up one another only leads to greater success for all. Safety is the number one priority at RES and we each have a responsibility in sending everyone HOME SAFE EVERY DAY. The safety record at Panorama is a shining example of this.

Since day one, everyone has been welcoming, not only in the field but several members of the executive staff and the project management team reached out to make me feel part of the RES family.

Every day he and his team help one another by sharing knowledge and ideas to find ways to improve and work towards providing low-cost carbon free energy. Emmanuel mentions that very little compares to the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that comes with seeing the rewards of his efforts in real-time.

The Future of Renewables

It's hard not to be excited about the growth and innovation sweeping the industry. Technological advances in renewables have come a long way in such a short time and there's more growth to come. Seeing the evolution of equipment and techniques implemented in practice is thrilling.

The whole industry is booming and I'm part of a team at the forefront of great things, it's very humbling and exciting, to say the least.