More than Energy Savings: Why Your School Should Go Solar

Written by Stefan Johnson, SEI AmeriCorps VISTA

In Western Colorado, where Solar Energy International (SEI) is headquartered, we’ve been applying our industry-leading technical training to the education of the next generation. Most of the 65,000 individuals who have received our training have been adults,  but we’re increasing our impact with younger demographics by partnering with high schools.

SEI launched the High School Solar Career and Technical Pathway program in Delta County during a period of economic distress following the closure of two local coal-mines. Since the program’s launch in 2015, we’ve given hands-on education and training to over 90 students at two high schools. The high school offering is based off of PV101: Solar Training – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct), SEI’s most popular course for individuals looking to enter the solar energy field. Students who complete the course are eligible to receive the same industry-recognized Record of Completion as adults. Many of these high school students have gone on to study STEM in higher education or pursue jobs and internships in the solar and electric trades. At Paonia High School, students even had the opportunity to help install a 10 kW system at their school in the May of 2018.

Now, thanks to an innovative partnership with our local utility, Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA), we have big goals for expanding the program in 2019. DMEA is using their unclaimed capital credits to finance the installation of nearly 50 kWs of solar spread across five high schools to take place this coming spring. After learning about solar PV systems via SEI’s curriculum, students will once again be encouraged to apply their knowledge and participate in the installations of the systems.

Around the country, more and more schools are installing solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on their campuses and rooftops. According to a recent report, there were 5,489 K-12 schools that had gone solar in the United States at the end of 2017, and that number has surely grown as we enter 2019. It wasn’t so long ago that one frequently heard complaints about the cost of environmentalism, but now, thanks to economies of scale and technology improvements, schools going solar are actually SAVING money. Beyond the pure financial and environmental benefits, however, there are many other advantages for schools to go solar. Solar PV systems can offer teachers and students an invaluable educational tool and hands-on resource for learning about math, physics, engineering, technology, and environmental sciences.

The Brighter Future; A Study on Solar in U.S. Schools report was jointly published by the Solar Energy Industries Association, The Solar Foundation, and Generation 180  in November, 2017 and found that the number of schools going solar was increasingly rapidly. According to the report, the total energy capacity for solar on K-12 schools nearly doubled from 490 Megawatts (MWs) in 2014 to 980 MWs in 2017.  That is now is enough to to power more than 190,000 homes! The total number of schools with solar increased from 3,752 in 2014 to nearly 5,500 in 2017.

Savings are one strong incentive for schools to add solar to their buildings and campuses. The falling cost of solar PV means that going solar is increasingly viable from a financial perspective, and schools can now even see big on their energy bills. In the sunny Southwest, two high schools in Rio Rancho, NM realized over $700,000 in savings since they installed solar in 2013. Solar is even penciling out in colder, cloudier states; a 2017 project in New York is expected to save Warwick School District $250,000 annually, while another school in Illinois is expected to save more than $10 million over the lifetime of their solar project. These energy savings translate to a big environmental impact. The Brighter Future report estimated solar schools are offsetting one million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, or the equivalent emissions of over 200,000 cars! Regardless of the region, solar has the potential bring significant economic and environmental benefits to schools and their students

Schools are also increasingly taking advantage of the unique educational opportunity offered by onsite PV systems. Integrating solar energy into educational curriculum can help students develop valuable skills whether they pursue higher education or look to immediately enter the workforce. In a world that is increasingly automated and globally competitive, the solar industry is one of the most robust and fastest growing in the nation. There are already over 250,000 solar jobs in the country, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects Solar photovoltaic installer as the fastest growing occupation from 2016 through 2026.

All across the United States, schools are getting creative with how they add solar energy onto their building and into their classrooms. In Bozeman, Montana, Claire Vases used her independent study project to advocate for solar and spearheaded a campaign that raised over $100,000 to fund solar at Sacajawea Middle School. At Antelope Valley Union School District in California, students’ performance in science and math improved dramatically after incorporating real-time energy data and solar energy concepts from the school’s PV system into their lesson plans.  

Interested in learning more about SEI’s High School Solar Career and Technical Pathway program? Contact Americorps VISTA and Project Coordinator Stefan Johnson at stefan@solarenergy.org OR (717)-712-3742.

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Congratulations from SEI: Solar Access Team wins first place for innovative community solar business model

Solar Energy International wants to acknowledge and congratulate the Access Solar team for taking first place in the business model pitch competition, and second place in the business plan presentation competition, that represented the culmination of their work in Colorado State University’s Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise (GSSE) MBA program. The team is made up of four incredibly talented and driven women: Addison Arnold, Luciana Figliolo, Melody Redburn, and Aurora Sepp-Peterson. SEI was fortunate to be chosen by the team in April to act as an advisor in their development of a business model that aims to connect community solar project developers to customers.

As part of the research and development phase, SEI gave the GSSE team a scholarship to take the online PV101 class, and SEI hosted the students when they visited the Paonia campus in July for a week of in-person collaboration. SEI AmeriCorps VISTA Shane Sobotka led the team during the week of research, brainstorming, and meetings. The team visited the CSU Agricultural Research Station in Hotchkiss to discuss a potential utility-scale solar project with the station’s directors, met with board members and executives of Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) and other local utilities at DMEA’s Annual Meeting, toured a local development using the latest in sustainable building technology (including a 40kW community solar carport array), discussed used and recycled solar module markets with an SEI engineering partner, and learned about the future of community energy markets and blockchain with Nest Labs/Google and Drift Marketplace. The team even joined Paonia’s local ultimate frisbee group for a pickup game during their visit.

The team’s final business model focused on identifying, qualifying, and bringing together individuals that want access to solar power but are locked out of the current market because they don’t own their roofs. Access Solar bundles these customers as counterparties to power purchase agreements with solar project developers in compatible energy markets. All four women plan to continue working in the solar industry, and Solar Energy International is grateful for such educated allies in our mission to create a world powered by renewable energy, and it seems that the CSU judges agree!

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A letter of gratitude and warm wishes for the holiday season from SEI Executive Director Kathy Swartz

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Happy Solstice!

Winter has officially arrived in Colorado. While there are just a few patches of snow throughout our PV training campus in Paonia, the mountains are already deep in snow. There’s a cautious optimism that the snowpack will continue throughout the winter, which in spring and summer, provides water for drinking, irrigation for local farms, and outdoor adventures.

We often get asked the question, “So what do you do in the winter? Does SEI just shut down?” December is our busiest planning month of the year. As an organization, we just finalized our Strategic Plan and our 2019 budget, to be approved by our Board of Directors in January. Our Curriculum team is busy developing new training, including the next iteration of PV-specific OSHA training; new multimode and microgrid curriculum; and translating our PV202: Advanced PV System Design and the NEC into Spanish! Our Program Hispano and Middle East and Africa teams are busily mapping out the many trainings we’ll be offering in these regions. Our Student Services and Marketing teams are brainstorming new ways to improve the student experience.  Our Development team just wrapped up the annual end-of-year appeal. (Check your mailboxes!)

I’m so incredibly grateful for our board, staff, and instructors (we now number about 100!) who have made 2018 so successful. We’ve exceeded over 65,000 alumni who have taken training with us! We opened two international campuses (Oman and Costa Rica) to expand access to our training, launched the first PV-specific OSHA training (delivered for free to over 3000 of you), are helping to spread solar throughout rural Colorado through Solar Forward, launched a $2million capital campaign, and ensured that no person who wanted training was denied.

SEI’s success is a symptom of a much greater movement that’s happening across the world, and what is happening in Colorado demonstrates this.  Colorado has been the epicenter of a pivotal shift in the energy industry. From a groundbreaking announcement of the state’s largest utility moving to zero carbon emissions by 2050 followed by a municipal utility making a similar pledge, to a rural electric cooperative in the West asking state regulators to weigh in on a fair exit fee from their coal-heavy electricity supplier, the powerful moves made this week toward a future powered by renewable energy have the potential to reverberate impact across the country and the world.

SEI’s vision is complexly simple. We envision a world powered by renewable energy. As an organization we realize that it doesn’t matter to us why people come to us for training. Whether it’s a career change, to start a business, to combat global warming, to be self-reliant or to be on the cusp of a new technology. Renewable energy is neither Republican or Democrat or Tea Party or Green Party, though it may be played as such. For us, the ultimate end goal is a world powered by renewable energy.

And to reach this vision, SEI’s mission is to provide industry-leading technical training in renewable energy to empower people, communities and businesses worldwide. To reach our vision, we have to have systems that are properly sold, designed, installed, and maintained to avoid repeating the lessons of previous decades. In this rapidly evolving industry, it’s our mission to provide people with the training that they need, no matter what size or type of system they specialize in. This training, as our alumni know first-hand, is empowering. Whether you become a more knowledgeable homeowner or start a new career, develop or grow a business, or work with a community in the developing world- SEI’s training is designed to serve you.

As this year quickly comes to a close, on behalf of all of us at Solar Energy International, we wish you a Happy 2019. May your year be sunny, your systems trouble-free, and your work fulfilling. Thank you for being an alumni and friend of SEI.

 

Sincerely,

Kathryn Swartz

Executive Director

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Colorado: The epicenter of a pivotal renewable energy shift

Colorado has been the epicenter of a pivotal shift in the energy industry this past week. From a groundbreaking announcement of the state’s largest utility moving to zero carbon emissions by 2050 followed by a municipal utility making a similar pledge, to a rural electric cooperative in the West asking state regulators to weigh in on a fair exit fee from their coal-heavy electricity supplier, the powerful moves made this week toward a future powered by renewable energy have the potential to reverberate impact across the country.

Last week, Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) “to exercise its statutory authority over Tri-State Generation & Transmission as a public utility and adjudicate a just, reasonable and nondiscriminatory exit charge.” Tri-State, which primarily supplies electricity from fossil fuels, limits all of its members to 5% renewable energy, while at the same time their electricity costs have increased by 56% since 2005.

If the PUC rules in DMEA’s favor, it could potentially cause an exodus of other electric co-ops to follow in DMEA’s footsteps, or force Tri-State to significantly raise the cap on renewables. Either way, this is a win for renewables.

We can look across the country to Georgia for an example of why this decision could be so impactful. Just last week, a partnership opportunity model emerged between consumer-owned coops and corporate renewable energy procurers when Georgia’s Walton Electric Membership Corporation revealed contract details for three solar projects that will supply a Facebook data center in the state. The projects will add up to 202.5 megawatts in total capacity.

In this case, Facebook chose a coop over a larger investor-owned utility (IOU).  A Facebook spokesman told Greentech Media the move was in part due to a commitment “to the communities that host us, and part of that is working to bring additional investment to these communities, including new renewable energy resources.”

The news in Colorado and Georgia jointly reveals that renewable energy is emerging as primarily an issue of economic development as opposed to simply combating climate change. As an industry-leading training organization, SEI recognizes the potential of job opportunities created by projects such as these, and we are so excited for the increased support and access to renewable energy.

There’s a movement happening and it’s swelling from the ground level. DMEA is making this move because we, their members, voted in favor of them moving forward with a new vision, and their Board, which is composed of everyday citizens from Delta and Montrose Counties, is bold enough to see this fight through until the end.

We are excited for this win-win scenario for renewable energy, and are looking forward to powering forward into the future as a leading training provider in solar energy, empowering the growing workforce as the industry continues to thrive.

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SEI selected as the Leading Training Organization at Solar Power Mexico 2019

Solar Energy International (SEI) will be offering a total of 11 solar energy workshops during Solar Power Mexico 2019. The event will take place at the Citibanamex Center, Mexico City, Mexico from March,19-21.

Solar Power Mexico is organized by three of the leading trade show companies in the world: Deutsche Messe, SNEC PV Power Expo, and Solar Power International (SPI) have joined forces to help develop the Mexican solar energy market. 

Three world-renowned trade show organizers – each with a global reach – are throwing in their weight to make Solar Power Mexico 2019 a success. Their tremendous foothold at their home bases in Germany, China, U.S. and Mexico combined with their extensive international networks will help you connect with a highly qualified audience of solar industry professionals, facilitators and investors.

This is the first exhibition and congress specialized in the energy and solar technology segment, a business with growth rates of over 25% and an expected investment of over USD $100 billion in renewable energy by 2031.

The event will feature a seminar programme and exhibition at Centro Citibanamex. Stay tuned for more information about SEI special discount and registrations!

 

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SEI selected as the Leading Training Organization at Solar Power Mexico 2019

Solar Energy International (SEI) will be offering a total of 11 solar energy workshops during Solar Power Mexico 2019. The event will take place at the Citibanamex Center, Mexico City, Mexico from March,19-21.

Solar Power Mexico is organized by three of the leading trade show companies in the world: Deutsche Messe, SNEC PV Power Expo, and Solar Power International (SPI) have joined forces to help develop the Mexican solar energy market.

SEI has partnered with Solar Power International since 2012 to offer world class solar training at its yearly events. SPI was designed to serve and advance the solar energy industry by bringing together people, products, and professional development opportunities to drive the solar industry, and has become the perfect ally to help spread SEI’s mission to empower people, business and communities worldwide with solar education.

“SEI’s Programa Hispano has been growing rapidly since 2013, reaching over 9.000 spanish speaking alumni. Solar Power Mexico is the perfect opportunity to bring SEI’s leading training curriculum closer to Mexico and Latin America” SEI’s Latam Business Development Director said.

As the Mexican market is booming, supported by aggressive renewable energy policies and low solar prices, Solar Power Mexico will help visitors navigate the market opportunities, and SEI will help the industry grow strong and healthy with qualified solar education.

Using SEI registration code visitors receive a 15% off the full conference ticket. Request your coupon at programahispano@solarenergy.org

Registrations will start December 2, for the 3 paid trainings:

1. Point of Interconnection – Tuesday March 19, 9am – 12pm
2. PV Installation Best Practices – Wednesday March 20, 9am – 12pm
3. Ground Faults (GF) Troubleshooting and GF Protection Retrofit – Thursday March 21, 9am – 12pm

See below the free on-the-floor workshops that will be offered (final list, dates and times will be confirmed closer to the event)

1. PV System Types and Components
2. Site Analysis and the Solar Resource
3. System Sizing – How Many Watts?
4. Verifying PV System Performance
5. Array-to-Inverter Configuration
6. IV Curves Demystified
7. PV Systems Maintenance Tools and Techniques
8. OCPDs and Disconnects: which, where, and why

Learn more about SEI training opportunities at https://www.solarenergy.org/training-schedule/

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SEI accepted to participate in the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program, provides financial assistance to military spouses

Solar Energy International (SEI) loves training active duty military and Veterans and now we can offer training funding for spouses too! We are excited to have been accepted to participate in the The My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship Program. MyCAA is a workforce development program (sponsored by The Department of Defense) and provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who are pursuing a license, certificate, or associates degree in a portable career field and occupation. Eligible students can use their funding to pursue SEI’s  Residential and Commercial PV Systems Certificate, Solar Business and Technical Sales Certificate, Battery – Based PV Systems Certificate, or the NABCEP PV Associate Prep Package. Funding can be used to attend in-person or online courses at SEI. Contact Monique Turek, monique@solarenergy.org, for more information.

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[PHOTOS] SEI kicks off first hands-on training in Muscat, Oman!

Greetings from Muscat, Oman! It’s week three of classes and the first week ever of PVOL201L: Solar Electric Lab week (Grid-Direct). Our inaugural hands-on training experience in the Middle East kicks off with 16 students from installation companies, academia and more! Shout out to all of the work from our partners at Shams Global Solutions who were integral in making this training happen. We’re so excited to offer this first-of-its-kind hands-on training opportunity in the Middle East!

 

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Alumni Highlight: SEI Alum Edwin Bifelt founds solar company, celebrates major installation and local job creation

Solar energy training can have a life-changing impact on your career path. Solar Energy International (SEI) Alum Edwin Bifelt first took SEI training online in November of 2017. Not even a full year later, he founded a solar company and just celebrated completing the first phase of a 120 kW solar PV ground mount array project on October 26th in Hughes, Alaska.

Edwin explained that his journey with solar began one night in September 2017. He thought, “Wouldn’t it be awesome to get into solar?” And a late night of researching solar and photovoltaics training led him to SEI’s online campus, and the plethora of training opportunities we offer from grid-tied basics, to battery-based design, installation and maintenance.

Edwin formed Alaska Native Renewable Industries, LLC (ANR INDUSTRIES) in December 2017 and the company is now a licensed General Contractor focusing on LED lighting retrofits, solar PV and construction. “Through the certificate programs I was able to progress from a novice level to close to a professional level in under a year,” Edwin explained.

Edwin, who lives and works in rural Alaska, explained that being able to take SEI classes online was total game-changer for job training. “For me taking the majority of my classes online was my only option. So it was great that SEI classes are primarily online and at your own pace. The classes were very informative and thorough – which is necessary because solar PV is such a technical field.”

ANR Industries is now excited to announce the completion of phase one of the Hughs, Alaska Install. According to Edwin, the massive project involved driving 180 helical piles to a depth of 8 feet (much of it through frozen permafrost), installing 6 rows of metal racking with total lengths of 100+ feet each and installing 360 solar panels (60 per row). The project is one of the largest solar PV installations in Alaska – and may be the largest installed in rural Alaska to-date. Funding for the project came from the U.S. Department of Energy with matching funding from the Hughes Village Council.

The project also utilized 91% of locally hired team members. Although the system will not be commissioned until summer 2019 (when Lithium-ion batteries, inverters, utility interconnections and fencing will be installed) – this is a huge step forward in reducing diesel fuel usage at the Hughes Power Plant and ultimately reducing electricity costs for the entire community.

Edwin’s story is an inspiration: from deciding to pursue solar training, to leading one of the largest installations in rural Alaska to-date. SEI training can be the first step in your life-changing journey. Check out SEI’s Solar Professional Certificate Program to learn about the industry’s most rigorous training path into the solar industry.

SEI’s next online class session starts on January 14. Enroll today!

SEI Alum Edwin Bifelt, founder of Alaska Native Renewable Industries (ANR INDUSTRIES), onsite at major installation.

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Thanks to SEI AmeriCorps VISTAs, Delta County becomes second smallest County in the U.S. to receive prestigious solar-friendly designation

Solar Energy International (SEI)’s AmeriCorps VISTAs helped pave the way for Delta County, Colorado to receive a Gold designation from the national SolSmart program for making it faster, easier, and more affordable for homes and businesses to go solar. The initial Bronze designation in 2017, also a VISTA-led effort, recognized Delta County for taking measurable steps to encourage solar energy growth and remove obstacles to solar development. The prestigious Gold designation recognizes further efforts and milestones, including completion of a solar project within the County using the State’s commercial property-assessed clean energy (C-PACE) financing tool and a permitting and inspection training for local municipalities held by Delta County and SEI.

SEI is located in Delta County, and SEI AmeriCorps VISTAs have been working since 2015 on economic revitalization through solar efforts, including launching Solarize programs, creating a Solar in Schools High School Program, and championing the passage of C-PACE in the County.

The designation was announced in Paonia, Colorado at the Engage Energy Conference, and in Delta at the Forum for Coal-Reliant Communities put on by the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO). SEI then led a tour for the forum participants at the Paonia campus, where officials and representatives from local governments were able to discuss options for encouraging economic development through solar market growth in their communities.

More than 200 cities, counties, and small towns have achieved SolSmart designation since the program launched in 2016, but Delta County’s designation is especially impressive in that it is the second smallest County in the U.S. to receive the recognition. The actions taken by Delta County, its local installers, and its municipalities will help encourage more solar business in the area, driving economic development and creating local jobs.

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Solar Energy International (SEI) attends 11th annual Southern Colorado Construction Career Days

This past month Solar Energy International (SEI) was invited to attend the 11^th annual Southern Colorado Construction Career Days in Colorado Springs.  The mission of Construction Career Days is “To provide a venue for young people to explore the variety of career opportunities available in the construction industry upon graduation from high school. To host a day of hands-on experiences, to enable them to interface with expert contractors throughout the region. We encourage volunteers from all the trades in the construction industry to be enthusiastic and provide job specific training to the young people attending the workshop.”

Student Services Advisor Kevin Sova spent the day talking to students about careers in the solar industry, the latest solar technology, training opportunities with SEI, and provided a solar water pumping and shade analysis demo.  This year’s Career Day was attended by over 600 local 11^th and 12^thgraders and was a HUGE success with perfect weather to show how solar works!

Are you interested in joining the clean energy workforce? Check out our training schedule, our online campus kicks off our next session of classes on November 6!

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Climate-related catastrophe is omnipresent, take action NOW with Solar Energy International (SEI)

On Monday the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report that reveals the severe impact of climate change may be experienced well within the lifetime of the general world population, if dramatic policy changes don’t happen fast.

How fast? To prevent 2.7 degrees of warming, the report recommends that greenhouse pollution should be reduced by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and 100 percent by 2050.

The report reverberated across social media: politicians, scientists, environmentalists and concerned citizens alike joined in a collective cry for much-needed change, with the focus on where we’ve gone wrong. Headlines blared and red flags raised about an impending doom, and understandably, there has been much more fear-raising than presented solutions or praise for positive steps forward.

But what the media outlets have left out in lieu of sounding the alarm, is that climate-related catastrophe is already here. Much of North America experienced a record-breaking heat wave this summer, wildfires fueled by ideal conditions ravaged the U.S. West, and the death toll climbed to at least 3,000 in the wake of Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico a year ago.

Although climate-related natural disasters are omnipresent in our reality, we should not accept this as a fact of life. Every human life on this planet is deserving of a safe environment to thrive, and the technology exists to stave off the growing threat of even more severe disaster, if we join together to make the change.

When 20,000 people remained without power 10 full months after Hurricane Maria, many residents turned to solar power for energy independence after the storm ravaged the island’s grid. Solar-powered buildings became a lifeline.

And there is still an infinite amount of potential to explore beyond existing technology, because our planet is overflowing with passionate people with groundbreaking ideas to take our existing solutions to the next level. Every solution we could possibly wish we had exists already on this earth, in the minds of heroes currently tapping into, or striving to tap into their potential. We must elevate their voices, we must create and share the tools necessary to help each other explore our biggest ideas.

That is what we strive to do every day at Solar Energy International. We believe in a world powered by renewable energy, and we believe that is achievable by empowering you. You, with the crazy-huge ideas. You, who may have left a different career path to see what the solar industry is all about. You, reading this article on the SEI website because you took initiative to learn about solar technology and spread it even further throughout your network.

This week, we have over 300 students enrolled in online classes, and 22 students on campus for our last PV201L: Solar Training- Solar Electric Lab Week (grid-direct) of the year. Students from all over the world: U.S., Nigeria, Russia, St. Vincent, Colombia, Barbados, Bahamas, Australia, and South Africa. During introductions, people shared why they came to SEI: because of the impact of hurricanes, climate change, and because they want to help their countries.

Solar has stepped up to the plate as an emerging and necessary technology amid impending and present disaster due to climate change, but so have you. Thank you for taking the initiative to grow your solar training, to improve the lives of others, and to take responsibility for the fate of our collective existence on this planet. Keep working to elevate and encourage the ideas of others, and we will, too.

Are you ready to learn more about renewable energy or to join the clean energy workforce? Check out our full training schedule, or enroll in our next session of PVOL101: Solar Training- Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)-Online.

Our online campus kicks off another session on November 6 and spots are filling fast. Course offerings include:

PVOL101: Solar Training- Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid-Direct)-Online

SHOL101: Solar Thermal Training- Solar Hot Water Design and Installation- Online

PVOL202: Solar Training- Advanced PV System Design and the NEC (Grid-Direct)- Online

PVOL203: Solar Training- PV System Fundamentals (Battery-Based)-Online

PVOL206: Solar Training- Solar Business and Technical Sales -Online

PVOL303: Solar Training- Advanced PV Multimode and Microgrid Design (Battery-Based)- Online

PVOL350: Solar Training- PV Systems-Tools and Techniques for Operations and Maintenance – Online

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Are taking advantage of SEI’s job board?

SEI’s job board can help employers find qualified employees, and help job seekers find opportunities in the solar industry

Did you know that SEI has trained over 60,000+ people from all over the world on solar energy?  Did you also know that SEI hosts an exclusive job board that only our 60,000+ alumni can view?  If your company is looking to add an SEI trained professional to your team, please consider hosting your next job opening on SEI’s job board!  Check out the job listing previews at https://www.solarenergy.org/careers-job-board/ (You cannot view full job posting without alumni log in credentials).

Employers: To have your solar job posted send, at minimum, the name/location of your company, job description, and contact info for potential employees to SEI@solarenergy.org .  Your company’s job opening will be hosted for all SEI alumni to view for 90 days; you may resubmit after 90 days.  In the hopes of bringing professionally trained solar personnel in contact with great solar companies looking to hire, this service is completely FREE for both employers and alumni!

Alumni: For those alumni seeking jobs, don’t forget to regularly log into your account at https://solarenergytraining.org/course/view.php?id=402 see the latest job postings.  To get full access to SEI’s exclusive employer job openings, you must be a student/alum with SEI and received your alumni login credentials via email at time of original training.  If you didn’t receive your alumni login credentials or have forgotten them, please contact student services at SEI@solarenergy.org with your full name.

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Solar Forward: The importance of empowering community groups to “be the change” they want to see in their energy future

Solar Forward is on a mission to bring Solar Energy International (SEI)’s industry-leading solar expertise to communities throughout Colorado looking to kickstart solar markets. We are so excited to see solar growth efforts are ramping up in Gunnison County. As the school year gets underway, our program partners are starting their planning process for a Solarize program which is slated to reach the entire County.

The Solar Forward program empowers community groups to implement solar growth initiatives in the regions in which they are located. In the case of Gunnison County, two graduate students at Western Colorado State University are overseeing and implementing a Solarize program as their capstone project, with SEI’s Solar Forward Technical Adviser as their mentor.

This model is so important to ensure the sustainability of local solar market growth. By simply empowering program drivers in communities with tools and expertise needed to foster a strong solar market, Solar Forward is able to catalyze grassroots solar movements throughout the state which are able to stand on their own, and grow following the end of their year of solar consulting. This model also encourages local job creation and economic development.

Solar Forward Program Manager Mary Marshall traveled to the City of Gunnison last week, where she met with the Solar Forward partnered program coordinators. Thursday night she attended a potluck and brainstorming session, organized by the program coordinators. In attendance were community stakeholders, potential program volunteers, and local installers. Discussions for up to two hours followed the dinner and ideas abound about the potential of the upcoming Solarize program.

The next day, Mary sat in on meetings with an area installation company, and then walked the program coordinators through how to use the Solar Forward toolkit. Here is her takeaway from the trip:

“Experiencing the energy of people looking to grow solar in their own communities is my favorite part of the Solar Forward program,” she said. “It’s so important to us at Solar Forward to share the ongoing story of partnerships to celebrate their successes and inspire future innovative partnerships. This program is truly about YOU: the communities across the state and the people in them who want to make a change. We are just here to save you time, and to empower you with knowledge based on our experience so you can be the driver in your own community. I like to end every conversation by conveying the fact that I love to talk about this program, and am constantly open to taking any questions people might have about it. Let’s keep moving forward!”

Mary can be reached at mary@solarenergy.org or at 630-607-4352.

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SEI Mourns the Loss of Ed Marston, Former Board President and Champion of SEI

By Kathy Swartz, Executive Director

I remember the day so clearly. We were gathered together and brainstorming SEI’s vision statement, and Ed Marston said, “What about ‘a world powered by renewable energy’?” And the room became quiet. It was perfect—visionary and simply stated. It’s with great sorrow that I share with you that Ed Marston, long-time board president and SEI champion, died last Friday, August 31, 2018. He died of complications from West Nile. Back in April, we almost lost him to a heart attack and a multiple bypass surgery. We thought we had more time with him, but we lost this great man to a tiny mosquito. Ed earned his PhD in solid-state physics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1968, and was a physics professor before he and his wife, Betsy, and children Wendy, 4, and David, 2, moved to Paonia in 1974. He switched to journalism, founding two papers and becoming publisher of the weekly North Fork Times, 1975-1980, and Western Colorado Report, 1982-83, when it was folded into High Country News. He always worked with his wife, an editor who continued as his working partner. In 1983, he became publisher of High Country News, which continues to cover the West for its 35,000 subscribers who live all over the country. He held that writing and administrative post for 19 years until 2002, when he retired. Ed was our champion and a fierce defender of the West’s birthright of public lands, of local empowerment, and disruption of any kind, including energy. Never an ideologue, he’d often talk about how he heated his home with a coal furnace with locally mined coal. Community was so incredibly important to him. Ed joined our board in 2010 and was our board president from May 2012 through March 2017. As a student of the human condition with insatiable curiosity, he loved listening to our students share their stories and would joke how they, like him, couldn’t hold a career. After introductions, Ed would paint the 30,000-foot picture. He would weave together Topsy, the elephant that Edison electrocuted, the local marijuana industry, the decline of the nearby coal mines, electric utilities and the disruptive power of renewables. Sometimes we, the staff, would cringe—where is he going with this?—but he always brought it together in the inspirational way that only Ed could. Ed led us through the turbulent times of 2012 when SEI almost went out of business. Ed, as a new Board President, and I, a new Executive Director, both stepped into our roles at the same time. Ed was a generous mentor with so many of us, myself included, and with our Americorps VISTAs. We would often have tea together and he challenged me to think bigger, even when we didn’t agree on the direction SEI should go. Our meetings, like his class talks, were circuitous and inspirational, but often days or months later, the gems of wisdom that he shared would find their way into my thoughts. Ed was incapable of thinking small, and had an amazing sense of humor and an easy, infectious laugh.  About a year ago, Ed asked if, when he died, if the memorial could be at SEI. We were incredibly honored that he asked. Even Ed, as wise as he was, didn’t fully understand the impact that he’s had on thousands of people,  many of whom will be coming to his memorial on Friday, September 7 at 2pm. To accommodate everyone, it’ll now be at Delicious Orchards in Paonia. To Betsy, his wife of 52 years, and David and Wendy, we send our love. We are incredibly fond of Ed, and grieve his death. Ed, we miss you… Kathryn Swartz, Executive Director Solar Energy International (SEI)

 

More SEI Team Members Remember Ed Marston In the past year, Ed sent out an incredibly “Ed-like” holiday card. On the back was this poem, Things to Think Think in ways you’ve never thought before. If the phone rings, think of it as carrying a message Larger than anything you’ve ever heard, Vaster than a thousand lines of Yeats. Think that someone may bring a bear to your door, Maybe wounded and deranged; or think that a moose Has risen out of a lake, and he’s carrying on his antlers A child of your own whom you’ve never seen. When someone knocks on the door, think that he’s about To give you something large; tell you you’re forgiven, Or that’s it’s not necessary to work all the time, or that it’s Been decided that if you lie down no one will die. – by Robert Bly “Ed was one of the most insightful persons I have ever met.  I will miss his sense of humor and genuine concern for everyone he came in contact with.” -Ken Gardner, Vice President of the SEI Board of Directors, and Instructor “It must be a tough day at HQ in Paonia. Ed was a visionary and I am sure the entire community of Paonia and beyond will celebrate his life and contributions. I look forward to hearing more stories that are ‘Ed-like.’ Sadly, I only spoke with him a few times, though I was aware of his work from reading High Country News before I ever attended SEI. Sending loving thoughts to SEI, HCN, Betsy (his wife) and all in the North Fork Valley.” -Roger Williams, SEI Curriculum Developer and Instructor “How hugely ironic, unjust and unexpected that a man of such great physical and mental capabilities should be laid low by something microscopic.  What a wakeup call to each of us to live each day to our fullest capability and lie down each night knowing we had done the best we could that day, but vowing to do better the next. I write this through tears. 30 years ago,  I consulted with Ed about a small non-profit business I was starting.  He challenged me to be more thoughtful about what I wanted to do, to use more head not just heart, and to plan carefully.  I did some of the things he suggested, but not others.  He did not dismiss me because I chose my own way (which was not always successful), but continued to support and encourage me.  When he recruited me to join the SEI BOD, I asked, why me?  He said he thought I could bring some non-profit leadership experience to the Board (this from someone who had lead High Country News for decades and raised a lot of money to support it!). This time, I tried to follow his guidance more carefully.  I have contributed to SEI’s – both Board and staff – understanding of what a well-managed non-profit organization should look like.  And as this highly respected organization moves into the world of seeking support from philanthropic institutions, it is well prepared to be most successful.  Ed was the spark.  I just helped fan the flame. While I have not seen him as much of late as I did when he was President of the SEI BOD, I enjoyed our occasional exchanges.  Oh how I will miss them!  There is a huge hole in our community.  My heart aches with sadness.  Too soon, Ed, too soon. With love and sympathy to Betsy and the family.” -Sarah Bishop, SEI Board Director “I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn about Ed Marston’s death. When we served together as board members at SEI, Ed always acted in what he saw were the best interests of SEI as an organization, never with a personal agenda. His honesty and forthright approach were always appreciated in meetings and beyond. SEI, the West Slope, and the American West have lost a good person who was a unique and valuable treasure.” -Don Phillipson, former President of the SEI Board of Directors “I really respected Ed for his way of thinking, his insightful words, and his overall kindness to everyone I ever saw him speak to. I will miss his openings at the SEI classroom very much. They always left me with something to think about. I am very sorry for his loss.” -Karo Fernandez, SEI Curriculum Developer and Instructor

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SEPA report predicts the rapid growth of solar+storage: SEI classes can help you get an edge on this emerging market

This week, The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) released its 2018 Utility Energy Storage Market Snapshot. According to SEPA, the report delivers “unbiased analysis and figures based on verified interconnection data from over 130 US utilities.” This year’s Utility Energy Storage Market Snapshot covers the expanding applications of energy storage and key market trends.

Here are some of the key take-aways from the report, based on reporting done by Solar Power World:

• U.S. utilities interconnected 216.7 MW, 523.9 MWh of energy storage to the grid across a total of 2,588 systems in 2017. By the end of the year, cumulative deployed energy storage had reached 922.8 MW, 1,293.6 MWh across 5,167 systems nationwide.
• In 2017, residential energy sotrage accounted for 13.3 MW, 29.3 MWh; while non-residential added 59 MW, 139.7 MWh; and utility supply reported 144.4 MW, 354.9 MWh.
• The Advancing Commonwealth Energy Storage (ACES) initiative in Massachusetts has provided $20 million in funding for 26 storage pilot projects.
• Storage technologies are being deployed in demonstration projects across a wide range of applications including aggregated behind-the-meter batteries, stand-alone deployments for ancillary services and load shifting, traditional-battery hybrid power plants, non-wires alternatives and as the key asset of a microgrid.
• Behind-the-meter battery storage customer offerings are of key interest to utilities, 64% interested, planning or actively implementing an offering. Green Mountain Power is leading the charge with two pilots: a Tesla Powerwall and a Bring Your Own Battery.
• Solar+storage projects are rapidly emerging across the United States as the costs decline and utilities leverage the capabilities these systems can offer. Salt River Project is testing a solar+storage project for smoothing intermittent renewable generation, while the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative now has a solar+storage system that provides fully dispatchable solar power.

So what’s the best way to keep up on this new market trend? SEI offers multiple different storage-centered classes ranging from battery basics, to advanced microgrid design.

PVOL203: Solar Training-PV System Fundamentals (Battery-Based) is a great place to start. In PVOL203 the focus is on the fundamentals of battery­-based PV systems. The applications and configurations are many, and their complexity far exceeds that of grid­-direct PV systems. 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. Load analysis is critical to system design and will also be addressed along with other design criteria such as battery bank configuration and the electrical integration of the system.

In more advanced battery training, we also offer PVOL303: Solar Training- Advanced PV Mulitmode and Microgrid design (battery-based) and PVOL304: Solar Training- Advanced PV Standalone System Design (battery-based).

Our most intensive offering of battery-based training is our Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems Certificate track. This track has 6 required courses. The recommended training progression is: PV101 or PVOL101 > PV203 or PVOL203 > PV201L > PV301L > PV303 or PVOL303 > PV304 or PVOL304.

To learn more about the trainings we offer, to inquire further about the Solar Professionals Certificate program, contact the Student Services Team at sei@solarenergy.org or call 970-527-7657 x1.

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Last chance to earn 12 FREE NABCEP CEUs- Register for SEI’s Free Online Solar Installation Safety by August 15th!

For folks new to solar to those with years of experience, SEI’s Solar Installation Safety Training has been a huge success. Hundreds of our earliest enrollees have completed the free online safety course, with glowing reviews. Says one student, “it was well worth every minute to listen and participate in the interactive online program”- woohoo thank you! And good news is, we are open for more free enrollments until August 15th!

The course, offered to qualified individuals, was created in early 2018 after SEI was awarded an OSHA Susan Harwood Training Grant. A common message among student evaluations was that the course is valuable to those of all experience levels. Says one industry newcomer, “this was a great introduction to material I will need in my new role as a solar site surveyor, assessing hazards for our installers. I feel much more equipped to protect their safety. Thanks SEI!”. Thank YOU! Another industry veteran writes “good course even if you have a good amount of experience. Some of the fatality examples reminded me to never get lazy or in a hurry and ignore safety”. Students also appreciated the course layout and content flow; says one installer “well organized, logical topic grouping – seems like all the most relevant/important safety topics for roof installations were covered”. We’re glad to hear it!

Many folks suggested that all new employees, again regardless of their experience in the PV industry, should take this course. Says one company owner, “it would be worth it for our company to pay for our new installers to do this program in the future.’ Other students, from installers to project managers to business owners, seemed to echo the statement that this course should be mandatory for any new hires. Remember, it is great to have well-educated crews doing top quality installations, and it is even more important that every installer go home safely to their friends and family each night.

As always, this course was created by a team of SEI curriculum developers with decades of PV field experience. This experience allowed the team to bring forward their most valuable “lessons learned” to develop a safety course tailored to solar installations. Says one student, “the course material was very specific to what I do every day. It’s a great course taught by skilled people- if you have spent any time in the field, you will recognize a lot of the techniques and hazards that are covered in this course”.

SEI thrives on creating training material that helps our industry become better at what we do, presented in a way that every individual can digest and learn from. Says Dana Hickenbottom of Itek Energy, “SEI continues to be the gold standard of solar energy education and training within the industry. I can’t think of any other organization that has earned a better reputation through their incredibly knowledgeable and experience staff, well-designed courses, and community outreach”. Thank you so much Dana! And thanks to all the students who have completed the inaugural offering of our Solar Installation Safety Training.

Once again, this online course is available for FREE until August 15th. Students will have 30 days to complete the 12-hr course and earn NABCEP CEUs. Take advantage of this amazing opportunity by registering here: https://www.solarenergy.org/shop/package-deals/solar-installation-safety-training/

Note: This course runs for 30 days with NO extensions or retakes. Read more: https://www.solarenergy.org/shop/package-deals/solar-installation-safety-training/

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Members of the SEI community team up with San Juan College for a service trip in the Himalayas

For two weeks this past June, several members of the SEI family together with volunteers from San Juan College participated in a solar project in the Himalayas. In a continuation of the late SEI instructor Mike Sullivan’s humanitarian work on the Tibetan Plateau and throughout the world, SEI instructor Chris Brooks and San Juan College professor and longtime friend of Mike, Chris Strouthopoulos led the group. The volunteers raised $8,270 dollars to install a new PV system for the Student Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) school. A huge thanks is owed to all those in solar community and friends who made this all possible!

Situated in the Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir, India, SECMOL marries traditional Ladakhi culture with STEM education, experiential learning, animal husbandry, permaculture, natural building and renewable energy. Across the region and even India, its message has carried bringing tourists from Delhi and as far away as the states to spend time, learn, create and visit.

Each morning after the morning chai, volunteers were joined by several students from the school as the group worked on the system. Former SEI instructor Professor Carl Bickford led a group to install a new Outback Inverter with MPPT charge controller, complete with a new battery bank. SEI Spanish Instructor Pablo Hernández led AC wiring complete with the installation of a transfer switch for an existing generator. SEI contractor Gerald Espinosa helped led the wiring of the three arrays. And despite the other two chai breaks throughout the days, “high” tea at noon and chai before dinner, the project was completed with time to site see!

Following the system’s commissioning, Chris Strouthopoulos led a dedication in honor of Mike’s memory. There were stories told of his humility, his humor and his service to others the world over. And at a picturesque spot between the pole-mounted arrays with the Indus River below offering up a nice breeze, Pablo strung out Tibetan prayer flags.

The students who worked alongside the group to build the system presented what they learned and how the system functions before the rest of the school. The students then presented the group with the ceremonial “khata” scarf, a Tibetan symbol to represent the spirit of the giver, draped over parting guests.

In addition to the immersion into the SECMOL community, the group’s highlights included traversing the highest road in the world at 18,380 feet. The Khardung La pass as its known, took them to the Nubra Valley with views along the way into the Pakistani mountain range and Tibet-China. Following the palaces and monastaries of greater Leh, Ladakh, the group flew back to New Delhi for a brief trip to the Taj Mahal before there time in India came to an end.

As San Juan College’s Chris Strouthopoulos aptly put it while speaking to the school upon the group’s departure, “Thank you for making me happy.” Recounting psychologist’s findings on happiness, Chris paraphrased how an enduring and whole sense of happiness is found when we serve others, something the Ladakhi people have long known and practiced. In allowing the group to come and be guests of service, all were happy.

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Improve your solar resume in minutes with these tips from our Student Services Team

At Solar Energy International (SEI) we train around 2,000 students per season, many of them looking to break into the solar industry as a new career path. One question we get asked all the time is, how do I format my resume with past experience in a different industry in a way that appeals to solar employers? We sat down with the SEI Student Services Team to provide some quick tips you can use to improve your resume today.  

Create a targeted resume objective:  Formulating your objective is a crucial first step in writing your resume. It is often the first thing hiring committee members read.  Be sure to make it clear and relevant to the position in which you are applying. A starting point to craft the perfect objective is asking yourself questions like: What are the specific reasons you want to work in the solar industry? What can you offer a potential employer? What transferable skills, if new to the industry, or current skill sets do you have? Often times hiring committees get hundreds of resumes and they do an initial scan of resumes.  Be clear, concise and intentional with your objective. 

Use the correct industry lingo: Take take the time to really read what the job description says, and be sure to note the specific wording used by the employer. Don’t make the hiring committee search your resume to find ways in which your skills match what they are looking for, make it obviously stated in the words you choose to write your resume. Creating a resume that speaks to the needs of the what the company is looking for, and clearly itemizing how your specific experience can meet those needs, is the key to selling yourself as the best fit for the job. Think about how your skill sets match the keywords in the job description and what the company is looking for. If you are new to the industry, you will need to be able to specifically identify how your skill set will transfer effectively to a solar-focused role. Don’t be discouraged if you lack experience in solar, many skill sets transcend industries, and your unique experience can make you an asset to a company.   

Make sure to include a well-crafted, personalized cover letter: Cover letters are your chance to set yourself apart. Hiring committees really appreciate a cover letter that not only address the skills and ways in which someone can be an asset to their team, but also clearly shows the applicant has thoroughly researched the position and the company. Think about things like: Why do you want to work for this specific company? What in their mission speaks to you?

Try out Solar Energy International’s Solar Professional Certificate Program (SPCP): SEI’s SPCP is the industry’s most rigorous training program to prepare professionals for the highly technical clean energy workforce. Certificate paths include: Residential and Commercial Photovoltaic Systems Certificate, Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems Certificate, Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems Certificate, Battery-Based Photovoltaic Systems Certificate, Renewable Energy Applications Certificate, and the Solar Professionals Trainer Certificate. Certificate paths offer the recommended trainings for a focused area of study in the solar industry.

Not sure what path you’d like to take in the solar industry? No problem! Our PV101: Solar Training- Solar Electric Design and Installation is a great place to start! For more tips, training information, and personalized resume help, contact our Student Services Team at 970-527-7657 x1 or email sei@solarenergy.org.

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The one thing industry experts say you must do before growing your solar business

The solar industry is growing faster than ever. Maybe you own a solar business that has been booming, or you’re looking to expand into more local markets. We sat down with Will White, Solar Energy International (SEI) curriculum developer and instructor of PVOL206: Solar Training-Solar Business and Technical Sales, to get his expert insight on the most important things to consider before growing your solar business.

Know your market

It is crucial to do your research before entering a new market. Here are some of the most important considerations:

• What competition is out there?
• How big is the potential client base?
• Are there any utility, state, or local restrictions?
• What’s an average return on investment?
• What financing options are there?

Don’t sell systems for less than cost

It might be tempting to offer ultra-competitive pricing, but selling systems at negative margins to get more jobs could easily lead to running out of funds and going bankrupt.

Don’t just grow for growth’s sake

A note of caution, it may be tempting to move into a new area or market segment, but often it’s more profitable to stick to what you know. Many companies start out small with low overhead and grow to a point where the overhead becomes unsustainable and then the business fails. Be weary of growing for growth’s sake and use your discretion on how beneficial it will be to your business.

Remember to keep your focus on top-notch customer service and quality installs

Treating your customers right and providing quality installs will lead to better and more referrals. Referrals are the best leads because they close at much higher rates and they’re less expensive to obtain. Provide great customer service by communicating often and setting realistic expectations. For example, if it’s going to take 9 months from contract signing to install make sure the customer understands that timeline.

 

Train your team at SEI!  SEI offers discounts and contract trainings for businesses interested in having their employees complete SEI trainings. Learn more about SEI’s contract training offerings here: https://www.solarenergy.org/contract-training/

Learn more from Will in SEI’s PVOL206: Solar Training-Solar Business and Technical Sales.

Full class description:

There are many opportunities for different careers in the residential PV industry, including the business and sales side of it. Addressing the topics in the NABCEP PV Technical Sales job task analysis, PVOL206 focuses on technical details for sales professionals, financial analysis, and system financing. This course is geared toward students who are interested in, or who already are working in, the business or sales side of the residential PV industry and are looking to improve their knowledge and sales techniques or are working towards the NABCEP PV Technical Sales Certification.

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from Solar Training – Solar Installer Training – Solar PV Installation Training – Solar Energy Courses – Renewable Energy Education – NABCEP – Solar Energy International (SEI) https://www.solarenergy.org/the-one-thing-industry-experts-say-you-must-do-before-growing-your-solar-business/
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