Whether it is the sight of a new wind-farm on the horizon or a rash of solar panels appearing on nearby roofs, you cannot get away from renewable energy these days. Of course, it makes absolute sense to reduce your own energy bills and to help cut carbon emissions by going green and the UK government is offering a wealth of subsidies, grants and advice to encourage it.

If you are thinking of having solar panels or a ground source heat pump installed at your home, you may have already thought about whether you could tackle the work yourself. In that case, you might be interested to know that there are renewable energy courses available to teach you everything you need to know.

Has it also occurred to you that this might be a great opportunity to start a new career installing these systems? The demand for qualified installation engineers is high and likely to remain so for many years to come as households and businesses invests in new technology.

Some of the most popular subjects are covered by solar PV courses, so if you are really serious about learning to fit solar panels yourself, you should see what is available locally and whether they can fit you in. Alternatively, you might consider learning about air source heat pumps, wind turbines and rainwater harvesting.

All of these are fascinating subjects and can be a lucrative source of work too if you obtain official qualifications through the many renewable energy courses being run across the UK.