Abstract
Engineering practitioners and critics of technology alike frequently claim that core values informing the structure and operation of the engineering profession in the U.S., such as mathematical problem-solving and analytic reasoning, are in conflict with values of social justice. However, there is hardly any documented evidence to measure the presence and practice of social justice in Renewable Energy Engineering (REE), a burgeoning field, whose development is essential to building a sustainable future. This chapter presents information regarding the identification of key engineering skills presently required in the U.S. REE context, drawing on 30 open-ended, semi structured, interviews conducted with educators and professionals who are involved with solar or wind energy engineering. This chapter aims to explore questions of why, how, by whom, and for whom assumptions about the attributes of solar and wind energy engineers are built into the engineering curriculum. Specifically, it invites reflection on the design of teaching strategies and technical methodologies used to integrate these attributes within engineering education and practice. Having outlined the social justice challenges of REE, I argue for the importance of a procedural justice framework for REE projects.