Electrical engineer day: technology and sustainability in the daily life of the profession

In modern society, the profession of electrical engineer is one of the most relevant. It is through it that it is possible to design, build and maintain electrical systems in operation, supplying the population's properties, boosting industry and revolutionizing the technological sector. 

In this sense, it is also due to the importance of the profession that it is celebrated, this Thursday (23), Electrical Engineer's Day throughout Brazil – a date reserved exclusively to honor those who, in an often invisible way, build and sustain the electrical networks that illuminate the lives of Brazilians.

A date was created in 2009 and makes reference to inauguration of the Itajubá Electrotechnical and Mechanical Institute, in 1913. The institution was a pioneer in the training of mechanical and electrical engineers in Brazil. Although it is most celebrated in Brazil, the date also gains recognition in many other countries, serving as a reminder of the indispensability of these professionals.

Future of the profession

When we look at the innovations brought by the profession, we are naturally led to think about the future of the category, since constant technological changes propose challenges and opportunities for electrical engineers.

At the heart of these trends are innovations and increasingly indispensable issues, such as the need for new engineering projects to increasingly adapt to the growth of renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, which today already represent almost 30% of the country's operational energy capacity, according to data from ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency).

For this reason, the Engineers of today and tomorrow will be tasked with finding innovative solutions to reduce energy consumption and minimize environmental impact, as assessed by Bernardo Marangon, director of Exata Energia and specialists in distributed and centralized generation projects. 

“For the future, the new engineers and I include myself in this group. We have the opportunity and duty to make Brazil a reference in renewable energy and this time the duty is on a global scale, as electricity has the potential to also clean the energy matrix. Congratulations to all my colleagues and I hope we have the strength to face this great challenge and be able to contribute to the sustainability and continuity of our planet”, he said. 

Geraldo Silveira, electrical engineer and professor at Canal Solar, highlights that theJust like other engineering areas, the electrical engineer is extremely important in taking care of the entire electrical part of the system and projects. “We need energy, equipment and technology. So, electrical engineering is closely linked to the current world, the modern world,” he commented.  

The professional also highlights that in the future, more and more engineers will seek training and new opportunities to work. “Technology is changing at a very fast speed. So, the adaptation time is getting shorter and shorter and we need to always be studying and staying up to date,” he commented.