Navy Submarine Officer to Renewable Energy Developer—Shane Roche’s Story
Guided by both a physics degree and a commitment to his country, Shane Roche has gone from navigating underwater depths to overseeing clean energy projects that power communities. With an undergraduate degree in physics from The George Washington University, Shane began his career as a submarine officer, serving in the Navy for five years.
During his time in the Navy, Shane received Nuclear Engineering training as a submarine officer. “All U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers are nuclear powered. So part of my job was being responsible and operating a nuclear reactor in a submarine,” Shane explains.
As his military service came to an end, Shane found a new calling in clean energy at Vestas — the world's largest wind turbine manufacturer with more than 177 GW of wind turbines installed in 88 countries and has contributed to a more sustainable energy system.
“A job description for Vestas came across my desk, and I thought, ‘Oh, this brings me back to the Pacific Northwest, pays within the range I’m looking for, and is in energy,’” he explains. “I honestly didn’t know much about the clean energy industry beyond wind and solar being on the rise, but I’ve learned a lot since then.”
Now working as a renewable energy developer, Shane oversees wind projects from conception to completion, focusing on supporting communities with minimal impact on the environment. “It’s honestly a lot of fun,” he says about the work. “There’s still a lot of growth and momentum in the industry, and I genuinely enjoy what I’m doing and the people I’m working with on these projects.”
Shane is a Project Development Manager at Vestas. “We need more people doing this work. There’s more to be done than we have people to do it right now. There’s a lot of will behind it, so it’s not like going into an industry that’s dying,” he says.
Whether working with nuclear power on a submarine or wind energy from a turbine, Shane’s dedication to serving his country remains constant. “Each energy source has its pros and cons, but at the end of the day, it’s all about meeting our energy needs and helping the United States become energy independent. This independence strengthens us as a global power,” he says.
The wind projects Shane oversees aim to revitalize communities without depleting finite resources. Wind farms don’t just generate power—they create jobs and preserve the land. “I love what I do and I’m excited to see the growth of the renewable energy community in the next 10 years,” Shane says.
