Alumni Highlight: SEI provides experience to take your career to the next level

Have you thought about your New Year’s resolution yet? 2018 is the perfect time to grow your solar career. Solar Energy International (SEI)’s Solar Professionals Certificate Program (SPCP) is the industry’s most rigorous training program to prepare professionals for the highly technical clean energy workforce.

SEI offers six different SPCP tracks for students to pursue certifications in technical areas such as Residential and Commercial Photovoltaic Systems, Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems, Solar Business and Technical Sales, International and Developing World Applications, Renewable Energy Applications, and the Solar Professionals Trainer Certificate.

SEI Alumni Joan Schmith completed the Business and Technical Sales SPCP track in 2017, and found that the experience was just what she needed to secure her current role as Branch Operations Coordinator for SunRun in Massachusetts.

“Turning sunshine into power is not just beautiful and quiet, but environmentally the way of the future.  I wanted to contribute to the growth of the industry,” Joan explained.

Her journey started as many do, with the search for trainings in solar that would fit with her already busy lifestyle. “I searched online for education in solar energy, found SEI and took the introductory course,” Joan explained. “The course was very informative, easy to use and confirmed for me that I wanted a career in solar energy.”

While completing the Solar Business and Technical Sales track, Joan joined SEI at our campus in Paonia for solar energy training in PV201L: Solar Training- Solar Electric Lab Week (Grid-Direct). The experience Joan received in SEI classes gave her the skills and expertise she needed to pass the NABCEP PV Associate Exam, for which SEI is a certified provider, which qualified her for her new position.   

“SEI allowed me to learn about solar energy on my schedule,” Joan said.

Moving forward, Joan hopes to develop her solar career even further by “gaining additional responsibility in operations and installation management.” SEI offers classes that appeal to all skill levels, from people looking to get into the solar industry, to continuing education.

It’s the perfect time to kickstart your career in solar! Learn about SEI’s solar energy training, and sign up for an online class that fits your schedule today, the next class session starts January 8!

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New job opportunities are opened for Solar Energy International (SEI) solar training program graduates

“Never stop fighting for your dreams, renewable energy is a great passion, and opportunities are given, there are companies that offer internships, you just have to go out there and look for them,” recommends with conviction Javier Pacheco, graduated from the SEI Solar Professional Certificate Program to all those who are embarking on a new solar career.

And Javier is speaking from experience. When he arrived at our PV Training Facility in Paonia, CO met our instructor Paul Ruiz, with whom he maintained contact after completing the program. Like all our instructors Paul works actively in the industry, and when the opportunity of a work internship was opened in the company for which he works, he called Javier, who accepted it gratefully.

Javier traveled three weeks to North Carolina where he installed 4 residential grid connected solar systems with Paul and his team.

“It was my first time doing an installation outside the SEI practices. The most difficult part was working with height, but the people with whom I work gave me security, I also had a harness and all the security equipment. They helped me a lot, and the door remained open for me to install other types of systems again with them,” Javier tells us.

And that was not all. Javier also had the opportunity to practice with a battery based solar system. After returning home from Paonia in California, a neighbor found out that he had graduated as a solar technician from Solar Energy International, and called him to check on her non working solar system.

Although at first Javier was afraid of the challenge of repairing the system all by himself, he told us that with all the knowledge he acquired with SEI solar training program, and with the help provided by SEI’s instructors Paul Ruiz and Pablo Hernández, and from other SEI students with experience in the solar industry, he was able to repair the system.

“Having the solar system repaired, my neighbor’s electrical bill went from $250 to $61. She was delighted and for me it was a great relief. After I saw that I was able to do it with all the knowledge I had obtained in the SEI courses, It motivated me to continue growing my career” – Javier shares very happy.

Before coming to Solar Energy International Javier did not have any experience working with solar energy, and today with new opportunities that open up, Javier wants to take all this knowledge to Mexico helping to develop the industry in his home country. And it encourages all Latin Americans to obtain world class training with SEI to collaborate with a healthy growth of the industry on the region.

For us it was a great joy talking with Javier, and learning that he continues to spread SEI’s vision of a world powered by renewable energy after graduating.

If you are interested in starting a career with SEI, sign up for our next cycle of classes starting January 8, check out our training calendar!

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SEI textbook sales spike in December, find out why

Have you ever wondered what Solar Energy International (SEI) is up to when summer class sessions end for the winter? Besides our ongoing schedule of online solar energy training classes, you might be surprised to learn that December is the busiest time of year for textbook sales!

Developed and written by SEI, Solar Electric Handbook: Photovoltaic Fundamentals and Applications and Fotovoltaica: Manual de Diseño e Instalación, are used in SEI’s curriculum, and by training providers throughout the world.

According to SEI’s Student Services Team, which works tirelessly to register students for classes, 87 institutions use SEI’s training materials, primarily the Solar Electric Handbook, as a text in their training courses. More specifically, the textbook is used in 29 states across the U.S., two U.S. territories (Puerto Rico and Guam), and three non-U.S. countries: Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.

According to Courtney Shaffer of the SEI Student Services Team, most institutions using the textbook are technical schools or community colleges that offer associate degree programs in solar photovoltaics or renewable energy.  Some are even four-year institutions, however many bachelor’s level programs that include a focus on solar tend to delve less into the details of system design and installation, as they have more of a theoretical (less hands-on) approach.

When institutions make book orders for classes, Courtney explained that typically the bookstore manager or textbook purchasing department contacts the Student Services Team with details of the order such as the address or number of copies.  Educational institutions qualify for a bulk order discount.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) cites SEI’s textbook as the primary resource for preparation for the PV Associate and PV Installation Professional exams. SEI is the exclusive source for the Solar Electric Handbook, so it cannot be purchased through any other venue.

Why the popularity this time of year? The Student Services Team typically sees and influx of orders before an upcoming season of classes, in this case, students are already preparing for spring solar trainings. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) cites SEI’s textbook as the primary resource for preparation for the PV Associate and PV Installation Professional exams. SEI is the exclusive source for the Solar Electric Handbook, so it cannot be purchased through any other venue.

The Solar Electric Handbook: Photovoltaic Fundamentals and Applications, is your one-stop-shop for solar and renewable energy basics. This textbook covers topics such as: an overview of photovoltaics and the solar industry, basics of electricity, modules, wiring in series and parallel, meters, solar site analysis, grid-direct system sizing, grounding, wiring, overcurrent protection, best practices for safe installation/commission, battery-based systems, solar business and finance, and more! SEI is currently offering an exclusive sale on both the Solar Electric Handbook and Fotovoltaica now through the end of December, get yours today!

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SEI’s PV101 and PV203 courses in perfect alignment with NABCEP’s updated 2018 PV Associate Program, now available in 97 countries worldwide

With a new session of solar training classes about to start online on January 8, it’s the perfect time to keep everyone up-to-date on the work being done by the Solar Energy International (SEI) Curriculum Team to ensure students are constantly getting industry-leading solar training.

In October 2017, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) announced that for the first time, the Photovoltaic (PV) Associate Exam would be administered outside of North America. Previously only available in the United States and Canada, the test would now be available at 370 test sites in 97 countries across the world.

“SEI recognizes and greatly respects the work that NABCEP does in ensuring quality credentialing and certification programs for solar professionals. SEI has students from all over the world, so we are especially excited that the PV Associate Program is now available internationally,” Director of Curriculum & Instruction Sarah Wilder said.

During the same month, NABCEP also announced modifications to the PV Associate Job Task Analysis (JTA) for the first time since August 2016.  The JTA is a comprehensive report of industry jobs and tasks that may be available to those who are eligible for the PV Associate Exam. The new 2018 PV Associate domains are:

• PV Application (15%)
• Sales and Economics (13%)
• Design (25%)
• Installation (29%)
• Operations and Maintenance (18%)

Following this announcement, SEI’s PV Curriculum Development team took a deep dive into NABCEP’s new JTA to determine if SEI’s recommended training path, PV101 –> PV203,  covered the updated JTA and exam content. At SEI we’ve always believed that our extensive curriculum goes way beyond the test, but we wanted to be sure!

And, good news! After adding some new sales, system design, and O&M resources to the PV101 course and completing an overhaul of our PV203 course based on changes in the energy storage market, SEI is proud to announce that our recommended training pathway is in perfect alignment with the new PV Associate Program. PV Associate exams covering the updated JTA will begin in 2018, and will be now offered at over 370 testing sites in 97 countries!

Sarah explained: “Here at SEI, we are dedicated to comprehensive technical trainings that will not only prepare students to pass NABCEP exams, but do so with ease and a fundamental understanding of PV systems- from sales to system design, installation, and maintenance. Together with NABCEP, SEI is working to ensure an entire world of highly qualified renewable energy practitioners!”

PVOL101: Solar Training- Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct) Online focuses on grid-­direct PV systems, the largest and fastest growing segment of the PV industry, but also covers material critical to understanding all types of PV systems. Topics include fundamentals in addition to site analysis, system sizing, array configuration, and performance estimation; electrical design characteristics such as wiring, overcurrent protection, and grounding; a detailed look at module and inverter specifications and characteristics; mounting methods for various roof structures and ground­-mounts; and an introduction to safely and effectively commissioning grid-­direct PV systems. This class starts January 8, and registration is still open!

PVOL203: Solar Training- PV System Fundamentals (Battery-Based) Online focuses on the fundamentals of battery-based PV. Components such as batteries, charge controllers, and battery­-based inverters are covered in detail, along with safety and maintenance considerations unique to battery­-based systems. Sign up to take this online class on January 8!

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An SEI Alum’s take on green jobs: Why Mark donated stock

Mark left his expiate job in Belgium and returned to the U.S. in pursuit of living his passion through a green job.  From Belgium to Carbondale, Colorado in 2002 he studied solar PV, solar hot water, wind, and natural building at Solar Energy International (SEI).

Fast forward to today, Mark’s passion led him to an unsuspecting place: working for a pharmaceutical company.  In his packaging role, Mark focuses on how to reduce packaging, utilize recycled materials, and eliminate waste from production to sale.  For example, he introduced corn-based insulation to ship refrigerated products, replacing the Styrofoam that was previously used!

Since his time as an SEI student, Mark has felt connected to SEI and our mission (a world powered by renewable energy!).  He has appreciated stock from his old job, and has thought about donating stock for a long time.  He said, “You hear about it all the time.  A friend explained how easy it was and that sparked my interest.  It’s cost free without a processing fee.”

As Mark dug deeper, he learned that if he sold his stock conventionally he would have to pay Capital Gains tax.  However, if he gave it away, he wouldn’t have to pay Capital Gains tax, and he would receive a deduction for the full amount of the gift.  “It’s a tax friendly way to give more to nonprofits,” Mark shared.

So how did the Kuhl family donate stock?  Mark completed a simple form for transferring stocks to charitable organizations through his brokerage firm.  All that was need for the form was the name of the organization (Solar Energy International) and his brokerage account number.   It was conducted like a wire transfer:  the brokerage firm transferred the stock from Mark’s account to SEI’s account.  No mail, no checks, you can do it all online.

You can gift your stock for good this season.  If you’re interested in donating stock, please contact our Development Director, Marla Korpar at marla@solarenergy.org or (970) 527-5041.

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Just in time for the holidays, pick up a discounted copy of SEI’s Solar Electric Handbook and Fotovoltaica!

Solar Energy International (SEI) is offering an exclusive discount on our textbooks, the Solar Electric Handbook: Photovoltaic Fundamentals and Applications and Fotovoltaica: Manual de Diseño e Instalación, for the month of December.  This holiday season, give the gift of solar energy knowledge to the budding solar professional in your life with this limited-time offer! Normally $129 for the Solar Electric Handbook, we are offering $20 off, and $10 off Fotovoltaica, which is normally $45.  Visit our online shop to order. 

Solar Electric Handbook: The Solar Electric Handbook: Photovoltaic Fundamentals and Applications, is your one-stop-shop for solar and renewable energy basics. This textbook covers topics such as: an overview of photovoltaics and the solar industry, basics of electricity, modules, wiring in series and parallel, meters, solar site analysis, grid-direct system sizing, grounding, wiring, overcurrent protection, best practices for safe installation/commission, battery-based systems, solar business and finance, and more!

Fotovoltaica: Desde el 2003, SEI ha publicado libros de texto liderando en la industria y elevando los estándares de calidad de programa de capacitación en Energías Renovables en EEUU y en el mundo entero. Nuestro Manual de Diseño e Instalación de Sistemas Fotovoltaicos, disponible en español, incluye tanto temas básicos como altamente técnicos. Esto lo hace útil para todas las personas involucradas en este mercado, desde principiantes hasta profesionales.

El libro contiene una panorámica de la electricidad fotovoltaica así como una descripción detallada de los componentes de los sistemas FV. Este también incluye capítulos dedimensionamiento de dichos sistemas FV, análisis de sitio, detalles de mantenimiento y de solución de problemas, así como datos de irradiación solar de lugares alrededor del mundo.

Make sure to get a copy before this deal expires! And if you really want to support the aspiring solar professional in your life, our PVOL101: SOLAR ELECTRIC DESIGN AND INSTALLATION online class starts January 8, and registration is still open. FVOL101: DISEÑO E INSTALACIÓN DE SISTEMAS FOTOVOLTAICOS CONECTADOS A LA RED begins on February 26. 

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SEI’s Solar in Schools grows with the help of Jared Polis Foundation Grant

As cities across the country pledge their commitment to go 100% renewable, a challenge is presented to rural communities, like Delta County, who have been historically coal-producing, to transition into adopting energy practices of the future with limited resources compared to bigger cities. Since 2015, SEI has recognized this struggle, and as a result sought out a means of economic development for its surrounding community involving a rapidly-evolving industry that happens to be our expertise: solar.

This is how the SEI high school (Solar for Schools High School Solar Career and Technical Pathway) program was born. SEI AmeriCorps VISTAs took our industry-leading solar energy training curriculum, PV101-Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct), and adapted it to create a trade training program for local high school students in Delta County.   

Bringing internationally-renowned solar training to students in rural high schools was widely successful on multiple fronts: it provided a pathway to careers in the U.S.’s fastest-growing industry to students whose families and communities had been affected by the coal mine closures, it garnered community support for solar and awareness of renewable energy, and it piqued interest in STEM-related fields for participating students.

AmeriCorps VISTAs who oversee the SIS high school program took this success to the next level. Our latest project is an extension of our Solar in Schools high school program. In partnership with our rural electric cooperative, Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), and the Montrose and Delta County School Districts, we are installing 10kW of solar PV systems on six local high schools during 2018. Our objective is to include 200 high school students in the installation of these solar arrays at their high schools and have over 200 students a year learn about solar in their science or math classrooms. DMEA pledged $150,000 of their unused capital credits to fund this endeavor.

We are so excited to announce that now, with the help of a grant awarded to SEI by the Jared Polis Foundation, we can take our high school solar training to the next level. SEI AmeriCorps VISTA Beata Ramza, who is currently overseeing the program, explained that the hope is to host a 4-day teacher training using SEI instructors, and a future partnership with the Knowles Teacher Initiative, to host a solar and engineering training for area high school teachers, who will then start to incorporate solar, and the presence of installed panels on schools, into their lessons.  

“Our hope is that the systems will offer not just energy, but also educational opportunity,” SEI AmeriCorps VISTA Beata Ramza explained.

AmeriCorps VISTAs and the SIS program further support our belief that as the country, and the world, transitions to renewable energy, rural America has the potential lead the way. Interested in being a part of the movement? SEI is hiring a new VISTA!  

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Colorado Gives Day: Help us give back to our home state!

An International Renewable Energy Leader, and the Rural Valley it Calls Home

Solar Energy International (SEI) believes in a world powered by renewable energy, so it is only fitting that our mission begins at our homebase in Delta County, and in the surrounding communities in Colorado. Students who have visited SEI’s campus in Paonia know how special it is: the snow-capped mountains, the patchwork of orchards across the valley, and the resilient and kind-hearted community that works to sustain the success of the region. SEI is proud to support local solar initiatives that encourage economic development in the valley that we call home.

Energy Producing Communities in Transition

In the past few years, two of three major coal mines in Delta County have shut down and the surrounding community has suffered from nearly a thousand lost jobs. In the wake of the coal mine closures, SEI sought out a solution to aid in economic revitalization for the Valley, and the Solarize: Economic Revitalization Through Solar Program was born.  Solarize is an outreach model that includes a driving organization, partnered solar installers, and a streamlined process for community members to go solar with a tiered rebate system as an incentive. Combined with a 13-week outreach period, the model aims to inspire people to go solar together.

The project started in the North Fork Valley in 2015, and as a result of community interest in solar, expanded to include all of Delta County in 2016.  The final campaign, Solarize Delta County Farms, fell in line with the County’s adoption of C-PACE (Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing, and in addition to the typical Solarize model,  it focused on bringing resources to farms and rural businesses on energy efficiency and renewable energy financing opportunities. Over the past three years SEI has reached over 1,200 people in the County through educational outreach on solar, and as a result of all three campaigns, there have been nearly 60 new solar installs equaling over 400kW, nine new jobs, and over $1.5 million invested by community members in solar energy in Delta County!

Our local initiatives also lead us into regional high school classrooms with the creation of the high school (Solar for Schools High School Solar Career and Technical Pathway) program. Through this program, we can offer SEI’s industry-leading technical training in solar to local students, providing a pathway to one of the fastest growing industries in America.

Our latest project is an extension of our Solar in Schools high school program. In partnership with our rural electric cooperative, Delta-Montrose Electric Association, and the Montrose and Delta County School Districts, we are installing 10kW of solar PV systems on six local high schools during the spring of 2018. Our objective is to include 200 high school students in the installation of these solar arrays at their high schools and have over 200 students a year learn about solar in their science or math classrooms. Additionally, a teacher training is in the works to help teachers include more hands on solar engineering projects in their curriculum specifically math and science classes. These systems will lower energy costs for schools, introduce students to the fastest growing industry in America, and start conversations about energy diversification in the community. We are not only creating a marketplace for solar in Rural America, but we are also working to educate and train the future leaders of a world powered by renewable energy.

Propelling Rural Solar Initiatives Forward
SEI now plans to take these Delta County initiatives and offer them throughout Colorado in a new program, Solar Forward. Through the program, SEI will work as a local solar development adviser, working within communities to host Solarize, SIS and even C-PACE outreach programs.

Communities Need You: Colorado Gives Day

These initiatives demonstrate that as the country, and the world transitions to adopting more renewable energy practices, rural America doesn’t have to be left in the dust, it can lead the way, and Delta County has been an example. SEI hopes to continue fostering the growth of local solar markets in rural Colorado, and we need your help to support these programs.

Now YOU can help SEI help rural communities in Colorado. This year Colorado Gives Day is Tuesday, December 5, and features a $1 million Incentive Fund. Every nonprofit receiving a donation on Colorado Gives Day will receive a portion of the fund, increasing the value of every dollar donated. Colorado Gives Day has grown to be the state’s largest one-day online giving event, raising more than $200 million since it began in 2010. All proceeds will go to SEI’s Colorado initiatives: Solar in Schools and Solar Forward. This is an opportunity to double your impact by making your gift on December 5 on the Colorado Gives Website!

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The season of giving: Donations benefit SEI’s scholarship program

Around this time last year, Solar Energy International (SEI) alum, Brittany Heller, sat down and made a list of goals for the upcoming year, one of them being to further her solar education through solar PV training, specifically in battery-based technology.  

Soon after Brittany met SEI Marketing and Communications Manager, Mary Marshall, and SEI Development Director, Marla Korpar, at a 200-kW installation in Norwood, Colorado with GRID Alternatives. Brittany was working as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the time with GRID, and Marla and Mary were VISTAs at SEI. After expressing her interest in SEI’s battery training, the SEI VISTAs encouraged Brittany to apply for the Heather Andrews Scholarship, and join them in Paonia that spring for SEI’s PV301L: Solar Electric Lab Week-Battery-Based.

“At that point I really wanted to take a class, and Marla and Mary really encouraged me to do it,” Brittany explained. “I was so stoked that SEI put a focus on women in solar, with women making up only 28% of the solar industry, it was amazing learning that they had that opportunity.”

In 2012, SEI established the Heather Andrews Scholarship Fund to support women’s solar training. Heather was a SEI alumna and solar champion who passed away Feb. 8, 2012 after complications from brain surgery. This scholarship supports female SEI students pursuing hands-on training at SEI’s Paonia PV Lab in Colorado. It also supports female SEI students with partial tuition scholarships for SEI online training.

“Receiving the Heather Andrews scholarship gave me a huge boost of confidence and opened up opportunities. It was so amazing to get to spend a week in Paonia, learning about battery-based systems from inspiring teachers working in all facets of the industry,” Brittany said.

Brittany went on to finish her AmeriCorps year at GRID with new battery technology knowledge in tow, and she taught two classes on living off-the-grid at the Sonic Boom and Arise music festivals.

“I feel so incredibly thankful for the SEI scholarship program. I wouldn’t have been able to take the courses I’ve taken at SEI had there not been scholarship opportunities. I feel supported knowing that SEI and the Heather Andrews Fund are purposefully funding women in solar’s education,” Brittany said.

The Heather Andrews Scholarship Fund for women, along with SEI’s Walt Ratterman Scholarship for developing countries, the Johnny Weiss scholarship Fund, and the Veterans and Active Duty Military program continue to give opportunities for students to develop their solar careers through the generosity of our SEI network.  You, too, can help support solar training access for everyone!

How to help? November 28 is Giving Tuesday, #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses, and communities in all 50 states and in countries around the world. Millions of people have come together to support and champion the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live.

Support solar education by donating on Giving Tuesdya to SEI’s scholarship funds.  Brittany explained: “My educational experiences at SEI have given me the technical foundations necessary to push forward in my career.” Help others do the same today! DONATE.

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Four SEI instructors team up to form nonprofit Remote Energy

Solar Energy International (SEI) is excited to announce the formation of Remote Energy, a new 501(c)3 for-impact organization. Remote Energy was started by four SEI instructors: Carol Weis, Brad Burkhartzmeyer, Chris Brooks and Jason Lerner – with one of their board members being SEI’s former international director, Laurie Stone.

Recently SEI hired Remote Energy to teach and provide a customized, battery-based PV class for the Rural Renewable Alliance (RREAL) to train Liberian technicians as part of RREAL’s Skip the Grid program. Remote Energy used their extensive international experience and curriculum development skills to adapt SEI’s proven PV training curriculum to address the specific needs and market of the attendees. Remote Energy and SEI hope to continue this partnership to reach even more technician’s and trainers worldwide in 2018.

Mary Marshall, SEI’s Marketing and Communications Manager, speaks with Carol Weis about the formation of Remote Energy:

Mary: What is Remote Energy and why did you form it?

Carol: Remote Energy’s core goal is to provide customized solar electric technical and training expertise to technicians, organizations, businesses or agencies that implement international development projects. We specialize in train-the-trainer’s courses to build local capacity in country and aide technical schools to start their own solar training program within existing departments.

Our group saw a need for high-quality customized trainings for international and lower-income populations.   We like to partner with organizations looking to use renewable energy to address issues related to jobs, health, clean water, education, gender equality, and alleviating poverty.

The Remote Energy core team has worked together for years on individual projects – doing international trainings and curriculum development – but before we all were operating our own companies. It became clear that we had a shared common vision – so it made sense to join efforts. We knew that we could take on more projects and reach a larger audience by starting an organization together.

Mary: Who is involved in Remote Energy and what parts of the world have they taught in?

Carol:  Our team together has conducted training activities and projects in more than 25 countries. We all have similar backgrounds as licensed electricians, solar installers, and working as solar trainers both nationally and internationally.

For me, I have traveled a lot to Haiti since 2009 teaching installers, training hospital technician’s in solar system maintenance, and building local capacity.  Most recently, Brad and I worked for the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) to help them develop a 40-week national training program for their new National Solar Training Center, run in partnership with Haiti Tec, a local technical college in Port-au-Prince.  Our curriculum is now taught in Creole by local trainers.  I have also taught in Africa and Asia.

Chris and Brad speak Spanish, and have conducted trainings in Central and South America as well as Africa and Asia. They have developed and implemented PV capacity building programs and water pumping projects in developing communities worldwide.   When they are not traveling, they work together for a solar installation company, Sun’s Eye Solar, in Tacoma, WA.

Jason is a licensed electrician an electrical contractor in WA, and has been installing off-grid systems in the San Juan Islands for 20 years. He started teaching for SEI in the Costa Rica and Guemes Island classes. It was really his initiative which pulled us all together to start working as a team.

It is exciting for me to have the opportunity to work with such a strong, qualified group that has a mission of bringing high-level education to countries with scarce economic resources. Our combined experiences position us to work on a variety of projects, from disaster relief efforts to creating top notch training centers.

Mary: How do you see your partnership with SEI developing?

Carol:  The Remote Energy team will continue our strong partnership with SEI by providing instructors for the Spanish and English PV programs.  We will also collaborate with SEI to bring technical PV training to populations that are generally underserved by capacity building programs, like the program we did with SEI and RREAL this past October.

Mary: What type of projects is Remote Energy excited about?

Carol: What I like doing the most is training trainers and helping those instructors set up solar programs within their existing communities and programs. There are technical colleges all over the world that could easily add solar to their existing electrical degree program to build up their local workforce -they don’t need to re-invent the wheel.  There is a tangible excitement in the classroom when teaching in emerging economies as they explore the impact solar technology and education can make. It is also extremely important that women are at these technical trainings as well – and thus I am looking forward to teaching more women-only classes internationally as well.

Our team also has the expertise and desire to partner with organizations to bring energy access to impoverished areas focusing on clean water, health and education. An example of this is doing PV training within the health sector by working with hospitals who are adding solar electric systems.  We have taught hands-on classes to designers and installers to assure that systems are built robust and to standards, as well as having taught specific trainings for on-site technicians who needed to maintain large inverter/battery systems to make sure systems last a long time. Good technicians are just as important as doctors in providing reliable health care – as they keep the lights and lab equipment energized. This type of training is crucial.

Our expertise can also aid in disaster relief efforts.  For example, this fall Chris Brooks is using his water pumping experience to help install solar inverter systems on existing AC water pumps to get clean water to Puerto Ricans after Hurricane Maria damaged electrical lines.  We would like to get more funding to do more of this type of work.

To find out more about Remote Energy and their projects, connect with Carol at carol@remoteenergy.org or visit Remote Energy’s website at remoteenergy.org.

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Rural Renewable Energy Alliance and SEI partner to teach a Liberian technician training

The following is a guest blog post submission from Carol Weis, former SEI staff member and co-founder of Remote Energy, who recently completed a training with the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance.

In October 2017, Solar Energy International (SEI) taught a 2-week intensive battery-based class, partnering with Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) at their facility in northern Minnesota for technicians from Africa. This training was part of RREAL and the Northeast MN Synod Women of the ELCA’s Skip the Grid effort to bring solar electricity to hospitals in West Africa, and followed a large PV diesel hybrid installation at Phebe hospital in northern Liberia. Several of the hospital technicians were invited to attend this course, and were joined by students from Zambia and Nigeria. SEI hired me, co-founder of Remote Energy and former SEI staff member, to customize the curriculum for the students and to be the PV technical trainer for the class which was supported by Outback Power.

The Dynamic 5

The “Dynamic 5” – or D5 as the five students called themselves – came to the class with the desire to bring solar back to their communities, which largely lack electricity. Because this was a small group of five students with a shared common vision, I  was able to set up the class in a way that allowed the students to actively participate and use their new growing vocabulary of solar terminology each day to teach each other.

Each day the students came to class with a new solar application in mind, as they learned about what is technically possible.

Muzalema, a Mandela Washington Fellow, came to the course with the single focus of learning how to design an off-grid freezer so she could freeze fish for the aquaculture women’s center that she had helped start in Zambia. The women in this group are taught about aquaculture, given fingerlings to raise, and then the cooperative buys the fish back once raised to boost enterprise and food in the community.

Once in class, other ideas started percolating, and she saw another application for DC solar lighting for the maternal health clinics she works with which do not have electricity. Another organization she is active in, Safe Motherhood Alliance, provides maternal kits already that women have to purchase before giving birth which include sterile bedding, a sterile razor – and a candle to see if at night. Off-grid solar lighting would eliminate the need for candles and provide better lighting for the delivery room.

Muzalema was concerned though, that if the local fish center and the clinic were the only buildings in town with solar electricity, that many of the community members would try to bring their phones there to charge resulting in the failure of the batteries. Her classmates agreed, and had already experienced similar problems in their communities, so the class decided to design a solar phone charging station as a class exercise which would charge phones from the sun instead of the more common petroleum charging stations.

Bobo and Jojo are both technicians at Phebe hospital, and had participated in the earlier RREAL installation. They are also part of a team of technicians that installs Outback Power systems on smaller clinics. Because they needed specific equipment training, Outback generously donated funds, and their product technical curriculum, to the project, which allowed the purchase of live equipment, and the ability to trace wires, commission, and learn programming on a system.

Wole, from Nigeria, was the human calculator for the group – trained as a nuclear engineer – he would do all calculations in his head. By mid-week had declared he wanted to make a career move to solar and saw many applications back in his country of origin. Dikar, originally from Liberia, was the glue for the class with his extremely funny demeanor and ability to make us all double over laughing. Still just saying his name brings a smile to my face.

Final Projects

Because this was a small class – on the final day, the students were required to give a presentation to the RREAL staff and their classmates on a project of their choice that they wanted to install in their country. They were asked to make it as realistic as possible and to demonstration as much of their new found solar knowledge as possible.

Wole, from Nigeria, chose to demonstrate the solar charging station. He discussed the benefits of using solar in this application versus the more common method of using petroleum generators. He walked through his design parameters and explained his choices, he drew out a full schematic – adding future expansion needs and some creative theft protection ideas as well.

Bobo and Muzalema role played a scenario of making a presentation to a UN commission of Health Ministers, proposing the idea of adding 20 new Outback Power systems to maternal health clinics. They used the live system in class to talk about how the system would work, and to explain the components function.

Dikar and Jojo role played the scenario of giving a presentation to elders in their village proposing a small DC lighting system for a school in their village so that students they knew could study at night. Their business name was D & J Solar – and I suspect that this business will become a reality soon.

RREAL and the Lutheran Women

The Lutheran Women of Backus, MN generously provided housing for the participants and lunches each day at the class. My compliments go to BJ and Jason at RREAL, who are a model organization reaching many people with energy assistance. Their Skip the Grid efforts are now focused on a second project for Curran Hospital in Liberian, and the two trainees will be part of the installation crew again next year.

Carol Weis can be reached at carol@remoteenergy.org, or see the website at remoteenergy.org.

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SEI Curriculum Development team updates PV203 Battery-Based Fundamentals course to reflect fast-growing energy storage market

As the solar market continues to thrive both in the U.S. and on a global scale, the spotlight has increasingly been on energy storage. Whether it’s the attention from Tesla’s promise to build the world’s largest lithium ion battery in Southern Australia that made industry and mainstream news headlines alike, or the recent conversation on how storage can impact the grid in the wake of natural disasters, there’s no denying that batteries have become a renewable energy hot topic.

At Solar Energy International (SEI), it is an ongoing priority to keep our solar energy training aligned with the trends of the ever-changing solar industry. This is why we are so excited to announce that after months of extensive research, technical brainstorming and collaboration, the SEI Curriculum Development Team is ready to reveal a comprehensive update to our PV203 Battery-Based Fundamentals course. The updates were made to reflect changes in available technologies and code requirements in the fast-growing energy storage market.  

“SEI’s curriculum development team undertook the PV203 course update to ensure that our students are confident and well-educated on the latest technologies as they explore these new opportunities,” SEI’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Sarah Wilder, explained.

Highlights of curriculum updates include:

• Battery bank sizing examples for lithium chemistries, including upfront and lifetime cost calculators for different battery chemistries
• A new “modes of operation” lesson discusses new options for energy storage systems such load-shifting and peak load/demand shaving
• New equipment on the market such as the Tesla Powerwall and Enphase’s AC battery
• 2017 NEC language and requirements for energy storage systems

“At SEI we know that the energy grid of the future will look very different from the energy grid of the past. All across the world, storm-related power outages continue to dominate news headlines while at the same time, new energy storage solutions are becoming cheaper, safer, and more readily available for both small and large-scale systems,” Sarah explained.

Stay up-to-date with the most important industry topics and start your battery training with SEI. The next online session of PV203: Solar Training- PV Fundamentals (Battery-Based)  starts January 8th, hunker down for the winter and learn about energy storage!

 

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Help support a solar-powered radio station in Tanzania

In 1997, Lukas Kariongi was an eager young Maasai from East Africa who traveled to Solar Energy International (SEI), for solar energy training. At SEI, he began his life-changing training to be a solar technician as a tuition-funded scholarship student.

When Lukas first began his SEI journey back when the campus was based in Carbondale, Colorado, he linked up with SEI co-founder, Johnny Weiss. Aligning with SEI’s mission of a world powered by renewable energy, Johnny works as a consultant on initiatives with NGOs in the developing world, as well as Native American Projects in the United States.

Now, for nearly 20 years, Lukas has been working to fulfill his goal of solarizing his home village of Terat, Tanzania. As district-wide progressive village leader, he recently started and is the managing director of Rural Community Support Organization (RUCOSUO), a community-based NGO focused on solar development.

Working with Johnny in Tanzania, Lukas’ solar accomplishments to date include: Starting a training school for Maasai youth that features hands-on practical solar training and computer skills, working with local entrepreneurs selling/installing pico solar and home PV systems, and Lukas and RUCOSUO are developing a plan to revitalize a dysfunctional generator powered mini-grid, to turn it into a model solar battery-based microgrid.

On top of all of these accomplishments, Lukas and Johnny are excited to announce their latest initiative, The Maasai Village Solar Radio Project, with the goal to solar power a newly established and much-needed radio station in Tanzania. Solarizing the radio station will be a major step toward promoting solar power to all the villages throughout the Simanjiro District. Additionally, ongoing and future solar applications for the region include: solarizing maternal health dispensaries, health clinics, solar home systems, primary schools, and solar water pumping systems.

The program needs your help to get off the ground, and at this point, the program is taking donations from now until December 18, with exclusive SEI-themed giveaways including gear and classes, available if you donate now. Donate today on the program’s crowdfunding page and learn more about Maasai and updates on the program’s blog.

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SEI’s local solar initiative, Solarize, concludes with over 400kW of solar installed in Delta County

Solar Energy International’s (SEI) Solarize Delta County Farms has officially come to a close, and the cumulative success of all three Solarize campaigns can finally be revealed. The final results are: nearly 60 new solar installs equaling over 400kW, nine new jobs, and over $1.5 million invested by community members in solar energy in Delta County!

Solarize is an outreach model that includes a driving organization, partnered solar installers, and a streamlined process for community members to go solar with a tiered rebate system as an incentive. Combined with a 13-week outreach period, the model aims to inspire people to go solar together.

SEI has been working on local economic development through solar initiatives in its rural homebase, Delta County, since 2015. In the past three years, two of three major coal mines have closed in the region, and the community has suffered at least 1,000 job losses. SEI sought out a solution to diversity the local tax base in the absence of coal, and ‘Solarize,’ economic diversification through kickstarting a solar market efforts were born.  

The project started in the North Fork Valley in 2015, and as a result of community interest in solar, expanded to include all of Delta County in 2016.  The final campaign, Solarize Delta County Farms, fell in line with the County’s adoption of C-PACE (Commercial-Property Assessed Clean Energy) financing, and in addition to the typical Solarize model,  it focused on bringing resources to farms and rural businesses on energy efficiency and renewable energy financing opportunities.

Solarize Delta County Farms held 20 educational events with various speakers that included: Delta Montrose Electric Association, the C-PACE Director, The Colorado Department of Agriculture, The Colorado Office of Energy, local banks, local farms with solar, and partnered installers, Empowered Energy Systems, Sunsense Solar, and Black Canyon Resources. Solarize was also featured in 15 community summer festivals and business events to spread the word about the program. Many of the events incorporated opportunities to learn about government programs such as C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) and REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) that help farms and businesses fund energy efficiency upgrades on their property, including solar installation.

Over the past three years SEI has reached over 1,200 people in the County, spreading solar education through these Solarize campaigns. With the help of partnered installers SEI has streamlined the process of installing solar for residents of Delta County. Brad Burritt and Danielle Carre’ from Empowered Energy Systems said the following about Solarize:

“It was an honor for our team to work with SEI and DCED on the Solarize Campaigns.  We provided to Delta County home and business owners state-of-the-art PV systems that will produce very low-carbon, low priced, and reliable energy for decades to come.  And, Solarize helped grow our company and our team, adding a number of new well-paying jobs to our local economy.”

Although the sun has set on Solarize, SEI hopes to continue fostering the growth of local solar markets in rural Colorado. To learn more about the Solar Forward program, SEI’s Solarize spinoff that aims to catalyze Solarize programs throughout Colorado, contact Local Solar Development Director, Mary Marshall at mary@solarenergy.org.

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NABCEP now available worldwide!

Attention international alumni! SEI is excited to announce that NABCEP certification just got more accessible. On October 17, The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners announced that for the first time NABCEP’s Photovoltaic (PV) Associate exam will be administered outside of North America. According to a press release on NABCEP’s website, the international exam will be the same one that is offered in North America, in a computerized format, and in English only.

NABCEP’s executive director, Shawn O’Brien, also released the following statement in the press release: “Candidates for NABCEP’s PV Associate exam live all over the globe, but until now they had to travel to either the U.S. or Canada to take the exam,” he said. “International administrations of NABCEP’s PV Associate exam will be offered at any of the international test sites of our testing vendor, Castle Worldwide, Inc.”

According to NABCEP, the PV Associate exam will be available in over 370 cities in 97 countries across the globe, including China, India, Australia, Germany, and Kenya. There will be an additional $75 fee for international students, which is a standard of Castle Worldwide, Inc. exams.

As an international solar energy training organization with student alumni in 145 countries, Solar Energy International (SEI) is excited to share this news with our worldwide network. The following is a statement from SEI’s Kristopher Sutton, Director of Business Development – Middle East and Africa.

“The ability to offer NABCEP’s PVA exam internationally is a huge development for SEI,” Kris said.  “Our Middle East program is rapidly growing in tandem with the markets in the region. Utilities and governments in the MENA region are working to develop standards that ensure safe, quality PV installations and for many years our students have been hearing about NABCEP and asking about access to their exams. Now, by offering the exam internationally we have an option to better serve our students and support the development of strong solar market around the world.”

Are you interested in NABCEP certification or sitting for the NABCEP exam? Solar energy training at SEI is a great place to start! Get started in the solar industry today with our free course RE100: Introduction to Renewable Energy or our course on the basics of solar PV training, PVOL101: Solar Training-Solar Electric Design and Installation.

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Invest in a future powered by renewable energy with the Clean Energy Credit Union

Have you ever wondered how you can support the clean energy movement? Clean Energy Credit Union presents a new, exciting opportunity to join the fight against climate change, protect the environment, and invest in sustainable practices.

Clean Energy Credit Union is a member-owned, member-governed financial institution with a unique twist: it is focused exclusively on loans that help people fund clean energy projects such as solar electric systems, electric vehicles, home energy efficiency retrofits, electric-assist bicycles, and more.

A group of clean energy enthusiasts came together to develop the Clean Energy Credit Union. According to Amanda Bybee, one of the primary organizers, the official process to form the lending institution started back in 2014.

“The motivation was to create a financing mechanism for homeowners that felt more transparent, that had competitive terms, and that would harness the power of the world at large to support clean energy in an innovative way,” Amanda explained.

Clean Energy Credit Union is one of just 17 new federal charters that has been approved since 2017, and the first one based in Colorado in over 30 years. However, anyone in the U.S. with a membership to the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) can join and make use of the financial services.

“We will operate entirely online, so that the operational overhead of Clean Energy Credit Union is really lean, and then we can put that back into low interest rates on our loans,” Amanda explained. Clean Energy Credit Union is federally insured, which presents a low-risk investment opportunity for members.

Individuals interested in supporting this unique, grassroots movement to make clean energy investments more accessible can participate in two ways:

1. Donate online today to the crowdfunding campaign. A donation of $40 includes a one-year membership to ASES, a requirement for joining Clean Energy Credit Union.
2. Become a member by the end of the year, when it opens for business, with a savings account or a CD.

“Our hope that this becomes a mechanism to accelerate the adoption of clean energy and enable everyone to participate in the clean energy movement. We believe that the interest is out there for people to put their money in places that are meaningful,” Amanda explained, “It’s just about getting the word out to them.”

You, too, can spread the word about this innovative investment opportunity by sharing the website and crowdfunding page with your friends, family, and network today.

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SEI is Hiring! Join SEI as a PV Team Curriculum Developer – Apply Today!

Vision of Curriculum and Instruction Department

SEI’s mission is to provide industry-leading technical training and expertise in renewable energy to empower people, communities, and businesses worldwide. Since 1991, SEI has provided training for all levels of professionals within the solar electric industry; whether a person is new to the industry or wants to expand their skills—from grid-tied to battery-based to O&M, from residential to utility-scale to microgrids. The Curriculum and Instruction Department is responsible for ensuring that our online, in-person, hands-on, and contract trainings are industry- leading and delivered to SEI’s standards in the appropriate language.

Job Description: Successful candidates for our PV Curriculum Developer position will: combine PV technical knowledge with the ability to effectively communicate these concepts to various audiences; enthusiastically participate and communicate in a team-environment while being self-directed; engage in evolving SEI’s educational models; meet deadlines; and continuously strive to meet SEI’s standard of quality and professionalism with our instruction.

Curriculum Development

Technical editing and developing of SEI’s PV curriculum, including PowerPoints, exercises, quizzes, and videos for online and in-person trainings, including:

• Updating course curriculum, structure, and format
• Ensuring online and in-person curriculum are cohesive
• Soliciting, tracking, and implementing instructor feedback
• Participating in the development of new PV courses and SEI textbooks o Developing conference and contract curriculum

Instructor

Instruct PV courses in-person and online, as needed

PV Team Member

• Attend weekly PV Team meetings, participate on subcommittees, and engage in SEI staff meetings
• Represent SEI at industry conferences
• Participate in SEI’s annual PV instructor training
• Assist registration staff with student placement and general technical questions from thepublic

Preferred Qualifications

Minimum of 3 years of experience installing and designing PV systems and a strong technical understanding of best practices, industry standards, and the National Electrical Code

• Minimum of 2 years of experience creating curriculum and/or instruction
• NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installation Professional
• IREC Certified preferred
• Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills
• Strong preference for bilingual, Spanish/English languages
• Ability to work and communicate well in a team environment, under tight deadlines, andto adapt to new situations
• Experience and expertise using MS PowerPoint and MS Office, Adobe Illustrator, CAD,and other industry-specific software
• Ability to work self-directed in an online, virtual environment and with a remote team
• Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers via email and Skype
• Requires occasional travel to SEI, conferences, and other SEI trainings

Salary and benefits

This position is full-time (40 hours), based remotely but will involve a few weeks a year at SEI’s home office and lab facility in Colorado. Salary starting at $24/hour. Additional benefits include health insurance, paid time-off, and a retirement package.

To Apply

Applications due October 30, 2017. Ideal start date is November 27, 2017. To apply, please submit your resume, including industry-specific training, cover letter, and three references in one combined PDF to jobs@solarenergy.org

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SEI’s Solar energy training impacts projects around the world

Lessons learned at Solar Energy International (SEI) can be life-changing for students who take our solar energy training both online and in-person at our campus in Paonia, Colorado. In the case of SEI alum, Estevan Figueroa, the impact of SEI classes will spread across the world as he takes what he learned in PV301L: Solar Electric Lab Week (Battery-Based) to Uganda.

Estevan traveled to SEI’s campus in Paonia, Colorado in October for solar energy training in battery-based Photovoltaics (PV). Estevan works with a non-profit, Africa Development Promise, which, “moves women farmers from food for subsistence to food for business using the cooperative model of enterprise. To promote economic empowerment, [they] have adopted a multi-faceted approach to address the concerns of women farmers.  Chief among them is access to sustainable and affordable water and electricity.”

Formerly involved in the oil and gas industry, Estevan accrued years of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) training. He got his start in non-profits around 8 years ago as an event coordinator. It was a combination of his OSHA training, non-profit experience and interest in solar that poised him to join the Africa Development Promise team in their mission to install ‘solar kiosks’ in addition to other initiatives in the Wakiso District in Uganda.

In January, Estevan will travel to Uganda for two years to act as a project coordinator and safety inspector for Africa Development Promise. Estevan is currently interning with Utah-based Beautifi Solar, an installation company donating equipment and overseeing the initial design of PV that will go on the ‘solar kiosks.’

According to Estevan, kiosks will be “education stations” for the community. Basic structures in the region have already been build at cooperatives established by Africa Development Promise. At each cooperative there is a greenhouse with a DC (direct-current) water pumping application. The kiosks will add a power station for people to charge their house batteries, used for emergencies, that typically take a costly commute of 12-20 miles to charge. Kiosks will include wifi and a hub for renting tools. There will be a designated person renting out the tools, trained in OSHA standards by Estevan, who will be able to provide guidance. “The next step is teaching about how to maintain the PV systems next year or the year after that,” Estevan said.

Additionally, Estevan shared one more aspect of the solar kiosks, “One of the other things that I think is really cool about these systems is not only will we have the tools and the training and the means of powering the batteries,” Estevan said, “but I love an ice, cold beverage. Something that’s so minute for us here, but in the villages where we will be working, some of the people have never had the opportunity to have a cold beverage. So we’re going to have a fridge there when you come to charge your battery or rent some tools, or if you’re just using the internet for a while, you can get one free beverage.”

Aligning with Africa Development Promise’s mission, the kiosks as a source of wifi, will also give the opportunity for the village to market and sell their agricultural products with the help of the internet.

When Estevan leaves at the beginning of January for Uganda, with the structures already in place, he will be able to start installing and commissioning systems immediately. Estevan credits SEI with the achievement of solar knowledge which he will bring on his journey.

“All of the instructors have great passion, great energy and great real world examples of how it’s applicable and I had a blast,” Estevan said. “ This has been amazing, it’s been a lot, a lot of fun.”

To learn more about renewable energy applications for the developing world, check out SEI’s RDOL101: Appropriate Technology for the Developing World.

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SEI represented at South Carolina’s largest install to date

On October 4, Solar Energy International (SEI) was represented at the grand opening of the largest solar array in Upstate South Carolina. The 1 MW solar array, which went live earlier this year, was launched by Glen Raven Fabrics LLC, in partnership with Hannah Solar, a full-service solar integrator based in Atlanta, Georgia, with offices in South Carolina.

The install, which is located on the company’s Anderson campus, is the most recent of two large scale solar installs, according to an article from the Greenville Business Magazine, putting Glen Raven Fabrics LLC on the forefront of the movement toward renewables in the textile industry.

Raven’s president and CEO, Lieb Oehmig told Greenville Business Magazine, “We have culturally always had a great interest and responsibility to make sure we are looking at environmentally sound and sustainable practices,” Oehmig said. He added that this $2 million system will pay for itself in energy savings in just four years, and there is also potential to add on to the system in the neighboring property, also owned by the company.

SEI’s Student Services and Solar Professionals Certificate Program Advisor, Breccia Cressman, attended the event. Also represented were executive team members from Duke Energy, local politicians, and employees from both Glen Raven Fabrics, and Hannah Solar. Alongside SEI at the “solar village” tent were Gerhardt Electric Bikes, TEVA EV Association, and Elon University with a solar generator.

“The installation was inspiring and indicative of the growth and excitement about solar technology in the SouthEast region,” Breccia said.  “SEI connected with professor Robert Charest of Elon University who also had a demonstration table, members of the Anderson County Economic Development Offices who were interested in bringing more solar training to the region, and Hannah Solar.”

Pictured in this article is the ELF Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle, one of the first mass-marketed exclusively solar vehicles. According to Breccia, SEI had the chance to reconnect with old friends and SEI Alumni Jack Martin, professor at Appalachian State, and Derek Robinson of Glen Raven, who were demonstrating the ELF Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle and several solar bicycles for attendees.

“It was amazing representing SEI at such a historic and inspiring event,” Breccia said. “As both a local to this region and a member of the solar industry, it’s great to see local and regional businesses setting an example and moving to adopt more sustainable practices like solar, as well as the support and representation from Duke Energy.”

The ELF is an EV powered with a 100-watt solar panel

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