Solar Energy Technology/Technician

Renewable energy accounted for 12.2 % of total primary energy consumption and 14.94 % of the domestically produced electricity in the United States in 2016. Hydroelectric power is currently the largest producer of renewable electricity in the country, generating around 6.5% of the nation's total electricity in 2016 as well as 45.71% of the total renewable electricity generation. The United States is the fourth largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world after China, Canada and Brazil.

The next largest share of renewable power was provided by wind power at 5.55% of total power production, amounting to 226.5 terawatt-hours during 2016. By January 2017, the United States nameplate generating capacity for wind power was 82,183 megawatts (MW). Texas remained firmly established as the leader in wind power deployment, followed by Iowa and Oklahoma as of year end 2016.

Solar power provides a growing share of electricity in the country, with over 50 GW of installed capacity generating about 1.3% of the country's total electricity supply in 2017, up from 0.9% the previous year. As of 2016, more than 260,000 people worked in the solar industry and 43 states deployed net metering, where energy utilities bought back excess power generated by solar arrays. Large photovoltaic power plants in the United States include Solar Star (579 MW), near Rosamond, California, the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, a 550 MW solar power plant in Riverside County, California and the Topaz Solar Farm, a 550 MW photovoltaic power plant, in San Luis Obispo County, California. Since the United States pioneered solar thermal power technology in the 1980s with Solar One, several more such power stations have been built. The largest of these solar thermal power stations are the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility (392 MW), southwest of Las Vegas, and the SEGS group of plants in the Mojave Desert, with a total generating capacity of 354 MW.

Other renewable energy sources include geothermal, with The Geysers in Northern California the largest geothermal complex in the world.

The development of renewable energy and energy efficiency marked "a new era of energy exploration" in the United States, according to the former President Barack Obama. In a joint address to the Congress on February 24, 2009, President Obama called for doubling renewable energy within the following three years. Renewable energy reached a major milestone in the first quarter of 2011, when it contributed 11.7 % of total national energy production (2.245 quadrillion BTU of energy), surpassing energy production from nuclear power (2.125 quadrillion BTU) for the first time since 1997. In his 2012 State of the Union address, President Barack Obama restated his commitment to renewable energy and mentioned the long-standing Interior Department commitment to permit 10,000 MW of renewable energy projects on public land in 2012.

* Description and images provided by Wikipedia under CC-BY-SA 3.0 license .

Matching Solar Energy Technology/Technician Colleges

Ecotech Institute

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Private for profit; $13,140 average out-state tuition; $13,140 average in-state tuition

Owens Community College

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Public; $8,544 average out-state tuition; $4,272 average in-state tuition

Pennsylvania College of Technology

Four or more years; Public; $22,680 average out-state tuition; $15,120 average in-state tuition

Texas State Technical College

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Public; $11,369 average out-state tuition; $6,950 average in-state tuition

Arizona State University Campus Immersion

Four or more years; Public; $28,800 average out-state tuition; $10,710 average in-state tuition

Clovis Community College

At least 2 but less than 4 years; Public; $2,664 average out-state tuition; $1,296 average in-state tuition

Delaware Technical Community College-Terry

Four or more years; Public; $11,438 average out-state tuition; $4,575 average in-state tuition

Scholarships for Solar Energy Technology/Technician Majors

Bullet name award deadline Link
 

For Women in Science Fellowship Program

L'Oreal USA - Scholarships

$60,000 February 14, 2025 See Details

Description

The For Women in Science Fellowship Program is available to female scientists who have completed their PhD and have started in their postdoctoral research position by the application deadline. You must be a U.S. citizen/permanent resident to be eligible for this fellowship. This award benefits research in a STEM field.

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For Women in Science Fellowship Program

L'Oreal USA - Scholarships

award

$60,000

deadline

February 14, 2025
See Details

Description

The For Women in Science Fellowship Program is available to female scientists who have completed their PhD and have started in their postdoctoral research position by the application deadline. You must be a U.S. citizen/permanent resident to be eligible for this fellowship. This award benefits research in a STEM field.

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Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Up to $30,000 Varies See Details

Description

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship is available to military veterans and their dependents who are pursuing studies in STEM fields. You must be a recipient of the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship to be eligible for this award, which acts as an extension to expiring benefits of those programs.

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Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

award

Up to $30,000

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship is available to military veterans and their dependents who are pursuing studies in STEM fields. You must be a recipient of the Post-9/11 GI Bill or Fry Scholarship to be eligible for this award, which acts as an extension to expiring benefits of those programs.

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Entegris Foundation Engineering Scholarship

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

$25,000 March 01, 2025 See Details

Description

The Entegris Foundation Engineering Scholarship is available to sophomore-level undergraduate students at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs who are majoring in Engineering. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for this award. Preference will be given to applicants with financial need.

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Entegris Foundation Engineering Scholarship

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

award

$25,000

deadline

March 01, 2025
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Description

The Entegris Foundation Engineering Scholarship is available to sophomore-level undergraduate students at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs who are majoring in Engineering. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for this award. Preference will be given to applicants with financial need.

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Judy and Eliot Steinberg Scholarship

Morris Educational Foundation (MEF)

Up to $25,000 March 27, 2025 See Details

Description

The Judy and Eliot Steinberg Scholarship is available to Morristown High School seniors who intend to intend to continue their education at a New Jersey public college with a goal towards a career in STEM, business, education, or medicine. You must demonstrate financial need, scholastic achievement, and a willingness to help others in the...

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Judy and Eliot Steinberg Scholarship

Morris Educational Foundation (MEF)

award

Up to $25,000

deadline

March 27, 2025
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Description

The Judy and Eliot Steinberg Scholarship is available to Morristown High School seniors who intend to intend to continue their education at a New Jersey public college with a goal towards a career in STEM, business, education, or medicine. You must demonstrate financial need, scholastic achievement, and a willingness to help others in the...

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Emmy Noether Award

Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation

Up to $75,000 March 31, 2025 See Details

Description

The Emmy Noether Award is available to female high school seniors who reside or attend school in Louisiana or Mississippi. You must be planning to pursue a research based graduate degree and career in a STEM field and have a minimum ACT score of 28 to be eligible for this award.

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Emmy Noether Award

Joe W. and Dorothy Dorsett Brown Foundation

award

Up to $75,000

deadline

March 31, 2025
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Description

The Emmy Noether Award is available to female high school seniors who reside or attend school in Louisiana or Mississippi. You must be planning to pursue a research based graduate degree and career in a STEM field and have a minimum ACT score of 28 to be eligible for this award.

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Engineering Honors Scholarship - Greenville University

Greenville University

$20,500 Varies See Details

Description

The Engineering Honors Scholarship is available to incoming freshmen at Greenville University who are majoring in engineering. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and minimum ACT score of 29 to be eligible for this award. Additionally, you must live on-campus.

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Engineering Honors Scholarship - Greenville University

Greenville University

award

$20,500

deadline

Varies
See Details

Description

The Engineering Honors Scholarship is available to incoming freshmen at Greenville University who are majoring in engineering. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.75 and minimum ACT score of 29 to be eligible for this award. Additionally, you must live on-campus.

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Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship-PAID

University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)

$20,000 May 01, 2025 See Details

Description

The Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship is available to graduate students at the University of California-Los Angeles who are majoring in a STEM field, medicine, dentistry, or public health. Applicants must have participated and completed the Big Bang Theory undergraduate scholars program and received their qualifying degree from UCLA within...

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Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship-PAID

University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)

award

$20,000

deadline

May 01, 2025
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Description

The Big Bang Theory Graduate Fellowship is available to graduate students at the University of California-Los Angeles who are majoring in a STEM field, medicine, dentistry, or public health. Applicants must have participated and completed the Big Bang Theory undergraduate scholars program and received their qualifying degree from UCLA within...

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UCF Astronaut Scholarship

University of Central Florida

Up to $15,000 February 23, 2025 See Details

Description

The UCF Astronaut Scholarship is available to full-time junior and senior-level undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida who are majoring in Natural or Applied Science, Engineering, Technology, or Mathematics. You must have conducted a considerable amount of research in your field and be nominated by a faculty member to be...

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UCF Astronaut Scholarship

University of Central Florida

award

Up to $15,000

deadline

February 23, 2025
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Description

The UCF Astronaut Scholarship is available to full-time junior and senior-level undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida who are majoring in Natural or Applied Science, Engineering, Technology, or Mathematics. You must have conducted a considerable amount of research in your field and be nominated by a faculty member to be...

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Strong AI Program

University of Central Florida

Up to $20,000 February 23, 2025 See Details

Description

The Strong AI Program is available to undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida who are pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, computer vision, computer engineering, mathematics, statistics, or data analytics. To be considered for this award, you must have a minimum GPA of 2.0, be a U.S....

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Strong AI Program

University of Central Florida

award

Up to $20,000

deadline

February 23, 2025
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Description

The Strong AI Program is available to undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida who are pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, computer vision, computer engineering, mathematics, statistics, or data analytics. To be considered for this award, you must have a minimum GPA of 2.0, be a U.S....

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ASHRAE Presidents Scholarship

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and AC Engineers (ASHRAE)

$12,500 May 01, 2025 See Details

Description

The ASHRAE Presidents Scholarship is available to undergraduate students who are enrolled in an ABET-accredited program leading to a Bachelor of Science Engineering Science degree and have completed at least 25 credit hours. Your course of study must be related to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration and a minimum 3.0 GPA is...

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ASHRAE Presidents Scholarship

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and AC Engineers (ASHRAE)

award

$12,500

deadline

May 01, 2025
See Details

Description

The ASHRAE Presidents Scholarship is available to undergraduate students who are enrolled in an ABET-accredited program leading to a Bachelor of Science Engineering Science degree and have completed at least 25 credit hours. Your course of study must be related to heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration and a minimum 3.0 GPA is...

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