Geographers Make a Difference in Solar

As geographers in?renewable energy, every map we make can literally help save the?world; each?megawatt of clean power we site?is a step forward in the fight against climate change.??In light of National Geography Awareness week, I want to celebrate the impact?of geographic problem solving in?solar?and?shine a light on the?brilliant opportunities this industry holds for?my fellow geographers and GIS practitioners.??

Like many of my peers, I entered the field of geography wanting to make a difference.??I intended to work as a?hazards?geographer,?helping protect people from catastrophes?like Hurricane Katrina.?After?my master’s?program, I completed an emergency management internship and realized it wasn’t?right for me.???

Searching for a better fit, I?applied for positions in?renewable?energy.?Although it was not where I thought I would have landed, it aligned well with my personal goal of leveraging my education to?have?a positive impact?on the world.?Thirteen years later, I’m working as a senior development/GIS manager at?Lightsource?bp, where I lead a team of GIS professionals supporting the company’s ambitious goals to develop 25GW of solar energy by 2025.?

?I found that my?background in hazards?and GIS?has?lent itself well to?working in renewables.?The intersection between?natural hazard exposure research,?site optimization that mitigates natural hazard risk?and collaboration with?multiple partners to?reach a final design that can?obtain insurance coverage?is how it’s all come together for me.???

Being able to leverage such a powerful problem-solving tool daily to make an impact is rewarding technically, but the impact we are making is even more?fulfilling.??Knowing that I’ve sited?~2.5GW of clean power infrastructure so far in my career,?abating?millions of tons of atmospheric carbon?emissions,?helps me sleep at night.??While the?volume?of?megawatts?is what helps me sleep at night,?it’s the daily work that?results in?resilient?and sustainable?solar projects?that gets me out of bed in the morning.??

I want every professional geographer, whether they’re just starting out or a seasoned specialist, to love their job as much as I do.??I also want our industry to build as much wind and solar as possible.?So?I encourage?every GIS?professional?who wants to make a difference?to?consider a?career in solar?and?explore?their?very real?potential to make a tangible contribution to?decarbonization.??