Instructor: Constantinos Papademas
Instructor #: 14
Total Cost: $700.00

This 40 hour course will take you from "Sunshine Basics" all the way to designing and installing grid and off-grid PV systems. The course will also cover safety practices for installers, various mounting systems for PV arrays and how they affect roofs, and the requirements of the National Electical Code (NEC) for PV systems.

Solar Certification Course includes:

• Photovoltaic Textbook
• Dinner/Dessert
• C.E.U.'s: 40 (40 hours)

Class 1: Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems

• Renewable energy overview
• About energy efficiency
• Solar energy codes and standards
• Green legislation
• Green programs
  

Class 6: National Electrical Code

• PV Systems Article 690
• Build a working 1KW PV system
• Permits and inspections
• Building codes and regulations
  

Class 2: Sunshine Basics - Solar Radiation

• Path of sun, finding solar noon
• NREL databases for estimating
• System performance
• Best location for PV
• Collector angles
• Shading issues
• What is full sun?
  

Class 7: Mechanical Integration

• Mechanical consideration for mounting PV
• Wind loading calculation
• Evaluating integrity of roof
• Mounting of PV panels on roof racks

Class 3: Basic Electrical Concepts

• Current, voltage, power, energy
• Basic understanding of PV system parts
• System components and configuration
• Features, controller types, set points and applications
  

Class 8: Utility Interconnection Requirements

• How to obtain an inter-tie agreement with the local utility
• Off-grid system considerations
• Battery bank sizing

Class 4: Simple Experiments and Demos on Using your Meter

• Series, parallel wiring
• Using the solar pathfinder
• Electrical safety & OSHA
• Working on roofs and ladder safety
  

Class 9: Commissioning, Maintenance

• Troubleshooting PV systems
• Measuring voltage and current
• Looking for problems
• Checking performance

Class 5: Design of PV Systems

• System sizing-methodologies and calculations
• Choosing modules and inverters
• System performance estimating
  

Class 10: Econonic Analysis

• Incentives
• Cost Analysis
• Rebates
• Managing solar
• Overcoming objections