A day like not other for SEI solar history

April 23 was a historic day for Solar Energy International (SEI). We inaugurated our first international Solar Training Center in Costa Rica. Since we started our Spanish Program in 2013, SEI has trained more than +9000 Spanish speakers. This new training center gives us the possibility to expand SEI’s world-class solar training to more Spanish-speaking professionals. SEI seeks to empower more people with solar education to improve the life quality of life in the communities in which they live, and to help them build a healthy solar industry in the region.

From the start

This project is the result of a 3-year educational relationship between SEI and its local partners CFIA (Federated College of Engineers and Architects of Costa Rica) and CIEMI (College of Electrical, Mechanical and Industrial Engineers). Since June 2016, the three organizations began planning the expansion of SEI’s training program for Spanish speakers to include our hands-on practical trainings. Designing and planning began in November 2017, and six months after that conversation started we launched our FV201L: Laboratorio Fotovoltaicos de Sistemas Conectados a la red course with a full class of 22 students from 6 countries.

While many members of the SEI team were involved in this development, some played a very active role to make this project a reality. Starting with our Latam Business Development Director Matthew Harris, our SEI Instructor and Curriculum Developer Karolina Fernandez, our Director of Campus and Hands-on Training Pete Mueller, Danny Bailey our PV Lab Manager, Rebekah Hren PV Curriculum Developer and Trainer, Sarah Wilder Director of Curriculum Development and Instruction, our instructors Chris Brooks and Brad Burkhatrzmeyer, Paulina Dunham Spanish Student Services Advisor & Training Coordinator and Pía Day Latam Marketing and Communication Manager.

And of course, SEI Executive Director Kathy Swartz whom is always leading SEI efforts to fulfill its vision of a world powered by renewable energy.

Our partners in Costa Rica, CIEMI and CFIA, worked with us side by side to make this happen, and we are very grateful for their commitment and dedication. They really understand the SEI spirit and will continue to keep our high quality standards on every SEI training provided in Costa Rica.

FUN NUMBERS

• +9000 Spanish-speaking students already trained with SEI.
• 18 Spanish-speaking countries reached with SEI  training, in addition to the large number of Spanish speakers residing in the United States.
• 175 days to plan, develop and install SEI’s training lab in Costa Rica.
• 22 students completed the quota for the first lab class in Costa Rica.
• 3 different solar stations available for the lab training in Costa Rica.

SEI Solar Training Center en CR, one of a kind in Latin America

The new international training center is located in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica. It is located within the facilities of the Integral Training Center Uxarrací CFIA (Federated College of Engineers and Architects). Which provides training and recreation spaces for professional and personal development of students and their families.

• Built to the same high quality standard as the SEI facilities in Paonia, CO. In compliance with the US National Electrical Code (NEC), which allows students to learn about the most up-to-date design and safety parameters.
• Designed in compliance with OSHA regulations that ensure the safest possible work environment.
• Installed with leading technologies and products available internationally.
• Equipped with safety elements such as harnesses, electric insulating gloves, helmets and protective glasses available for all students.

It has 3 solar PV systems where students can practice designing and installing three types of interconnected solar systems from beginning to end, guided by the most experienced instructors in the solar industry. At SEI we provide the opportunity for students to work with as many system configurations as possible in a week. In addition, SEI PV systems are completely modular. What is learned in 201L SEI lab week can be applied on a larger scale to install systems of any size in the future.

Meet the three stations installed for the 201L lab training in Costa Rica:

• Sloped Roof Lab Station 1- Inverter System with DC-to-DC converters (optimizers): This grid-connected PV system is installed on a sloped trapezoidal metal roof. It is mounted with a standard rail-based racking system. The inverter with optimizers creates a solution that meets very simple rapid shutdown requirements for residential and commercial systems. It also offers great design flexibility when there is partial shading, circuits of PV modules of unequal length, or different inclinations and orientations of the roof.
• Sloped Roof Lab Station 2- Microinverter System: Grid-connected PV system with  modules mounted on a rail-based racking structure anchored in landscape orientation to a sloping metal roof with microinverters. This interactive system uses 240V split-phase output microinverters, widely used in residential systems and in sites with partial shading. In addition, when installed on a sloped standing seam metal roof, the experience of working on a typical residential slope is included.
• Ground Mount Lab Station- String inverter System: Grid-connected PV system installed on the ground, similar to a typical large commercial system installation with metal racking on concrete piers. This system is designed with PV source circuits connected to a combiner box, and to a  240V split-phase string inverter with AC and DC disconnects.

The SEI experience also in Costa Rica

If you ask any student who has traveled to take our courses on the SEI campus in Paonia, CO they can tell you that it is much more than an educational experience. Paonia is a magical place that invites you to connect with your learning experience from a different place, in harmony with nature and accompanied by colleagues and instructors who share your passion for solar energy. The beauty of the landscapes that surround the campus, the small town that you can travel on riding one of the bikes available to students, the warmth of its people, the activities you can do in your free time, everything transports you to a parallel dimension outside your daily routine.

We’ve done our best to replicate this same experience at the campus in Costa Rica, where the incredible vegetation of the Ujarras Valley offers a unique landscape, the Lake Cachi and the waterfalls that you can ride to on the bicycles that SEI provides to students, the small towns that surround the campus creates the perfect learning environment. Plus the beauty of the Uxarrací center where the solar lab is located with its facilities available for a large number of recreational activities, make the magic of the SEI experience transcend all borders.

What are you waiting for? Start your solar career with SEI! Check the calendar for courses in Costa Rica and save your spot with time. Classes are feeling fast!

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You won’t want to miss this! What makes SEI’s campus in Paonia, Colorado so special? [VIDEO]

The sky is speckled with stars as far as the eye can see as you sit around a roaring campfire, ukulele and laughter abound in the background as tent flaps ripple in the wind, the moon’s distorted reflection stares back at you from a solar panel–no, you are not at summer camp (although it feels like it), you are at Solar Energy International (SEI)’s campus in scenic Paonia, Colorado.

Hiking on a mountain trail system in town, road biking on expansive country roads rolling over mesas and across an uninterrupted landscape, enjoying wineries and craft beers, all in the shadow of the West Elk Mountain Range, these are just some of the gems that our campus in Western Colorado has to offer. Students at our campus learn from top-notch instructors with the help of industry-leading technology in our lab yard while enjoying one of the most unique and precious landscapes in the Western United States. The holistic experience of Paonia is hard to capture in words, so we tried our best to show you what makes our campus so special in this video about our Western, CO headquarters.

Are you ready to embark on your solar training vacation? In the words of famed outdoorsmen John Muir, the mountains are calling… Check out our online class schedule for the full list of our in-person summer and fall class sessions.

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Camping on campus now available for in-person training sessions

Are you traveling to our Paonia, Colorado campus for solar training from out of town and looking for cheap lodging options during your stay? We have good news! Solar Energy International (SEI) is now offering camping on our campus just steps away from our main office and PV lab yard.

On-site camping is being offered on a limited basis to students who want to camp on campus during their in-person solar energy training.  There are two sites are available for tent camping and two sites available for vehicles (no RVs, only truck or van campers). This camping option is first come, first serve and includes access to our student lounge with microwave, fridge, potable water and Port-a-Potties.  

“As SEI Office Manager it is one of my top priorities to make sure students are accommodated on campus. We are so excited that this option is both affordable, and comfortable for students. Students will get access to our student lounge, which offers free wifi, so not only do you get the experience of camping in scenic Paonia, CO, there’s also a comfortable place to work and check emails,” SEI Office Manager Lara Noel, said.

This camping will be available for classes such as PV201L: Solar Training- Solar Electric Lab Week (Grid-Direct) coming up on June 18 and July 23, and PV301L: Solar Training- Solar Electric Lab Week (Battery-Based), coming up on June 25 and August 13.

“A lot of people choose to camp on campus during their stay in Paonia. It’s a great, cost-effective option, and we do our best to make sure it’s comfortable for students. It’s definitely a cool place to camp during the summer!” Director of Campus and Hands-On Training Pete Mueller, said.

Please contact our registration department for more information at 970-527-7657 option 1.

More information on classes:

PV201L: Solar Training- Solar Electric Lab Week (Grid-Direct)

Put the classroom theory into practice with the ultimate hands-­on PV experience available! This five day lab class offers students the opportunity to work closely with experienced PV professionals. You will gain valuable insight and experience while installing and commissioning multiple PV systems consisting of modules, inverters, and racking components from a wide range of manufacturers that are all big players in the PV industry. A low student-to-instructor ratio and the world­-class lab facility at SEI’s home base in Paonia, Colorado combine to make PV201L the perfect environment for your first hands­-on PV experience.

PV301L: Solar Training-Solar Electric Lab Week (Battery-Based)

This five day lab class is an amazing opportunity to get hands-­on experience with a wide range of battery-­based PV system components and architectures at SEI’s world­-class lab facility in Paonia, Colorado. Working in small groups with instructors who live and breathe battery-­based PV, students install, test, and commission numerous PV systems with energy storage that address a wide range of applications. The labs in PV301L consist of stand­-alone and multimode PV systems, and include AC and DC coupled equipment. Many experienced solar professionals have never worked with batteries – this is your chance to leap to the front of the pack!

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With SEI’s help, high school students in Delta County install solar photovoltaic systems on their schools

Students at Paonia and Delta High Schools who are apart of Solar Energy Internationals High School Technical Training and Careers Pathways Program installed solar systems on their schools earlier this year.

Nine Paonia High School students worked during their class period for a week alongside Empowered Energy Systems LLC, who donated their time to the project, to install a 10kW ground mount solar system. The students learned about every step of the installation process from excavation and pouring concrete to setting the railing and wiring the solar panels. They can leverage the skills gained from this experience to pursue a career, or continuing education, in the solar industry or other technical trades. The system will output approximately 16,000 kWh/year of solar electricity and save the school approximately $1,500/year.

One of the participating students, Junior Harley Ewert, shared the value of his experience,

“Working on solar installation isn’t the typical education you think of having in high school, but it exemplified how important learning first hand can be. It is amazing how quickly a term or item can be remembered when it is tied back to a physical experience rather than a definition on a computer screen.”

At the same time, fourteen students at Delta High School worked with their science teacher Ben Graves to design and install a 5kW pole mount solar system as the first phase of construction in the DHS Solar Lab. This project was both designed and installed by students in Mr. Graves’ Solar Energy Training program, a class he designed through a partnership with SEI.

Solar Energy International organized the donations and installation of the Paonia 10 kW solar system. The Trina Solar solar panels and Sunny Boy inverters for the system were donated in collaboration with the Solar Foundation. While the funds for the rest of the system were local donations from community members, businesses, and utilities including DMEA, Basin Electric. Empowered Energy Systems LLC donated their time to install the ground mount and involve the students in a safe manner, and the AC electrical work was donated by Aubrey Harris from Electrical Service and Repair LLC. Teacher Ben Graves at Delta High School coordinated the funding for the Delta 5kW pole mount system. He was awarded a NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Planet Stewards Grant for most of the major capital costs along with a Colorado Education Initiative STEM award. Delta County School District provided a large part of the technical labor and supplies along with technical consultation from Solar Energy International.

This year students learned technical skills during the installation, and over subsequent years students will have the opportunity to collect a variety of data from the system to accompany physics, math, or science curriculum in the schools. Not only will these solar systems be offsetting some energy costs for the schools, but they serve as an educational resource for years to come.

DHS students Sam Moore, Jocy Trevizo and Justin Hanning lay conduit for the Delta High School Solar Array

About Solar Energy International

Solar Energy International (SEI) was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit educational organization with the mission to provide industry-leading technical training and expertise in renewable energy to empower people, communities and businesses worldwide. SEI envisions a world powered by renewable energy.

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For more information, contact Beata Ramza at beata@solarenergy.org or 970-527-7657 x213.

 

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Would you walk a mile for water?

“Before going to school, her children would have to walk a mile each morning to fetch water for daily use. They would be late for school and were often punished for being tardy.”

Solar Energy International alum Bilal Ahmed believes that everyone deserves access to clean water. A trained physician, Bilal took SEI classes so he could use solar energy as a tool to provide access to clean water in rural Pakistan.

“Now they have access to water literally in their back yard. Their mother shared that her mind is now at ease because her children can get to school on time.”

You can increase energy access to those who need it most.

Bilal’s company Stellargenesys works to provide access to water in rural Pakistan. Recently he came across a local community that had no access to a usable water source. The local well was abandoned and unusable because the water table was deep, and there was no electricity to help draw water.

The closest source of usable water was about a mile away from the community. Stellargenesys successfully installed a solar powered water pump to provide water access for the local community. “On our last check, a few weeks ago, the project was delivering the much-needed water to the community!” The solar water pump provides running water to approximately 50 households in the village near Karachi, Pakistan.

Please donate to SEI today to invest in the next generation of solar heroes.

“When we think about the impact that our alumni are having across the world, it gives us all goosebumps. Though we’re not in Pakistan setting up wells or powering schools, our alumni are. And they are doing this work everywhere in the world. With our 60,000+ alumni, we are getting closer every day to a world powered by renewable energy. Keep up the great work!” – Kathy Swartz, Solar Energy International Executive Director

An aerial video of the solar-powered water pump, installed in rural Pakistan by Stellargenesys. This video was provided by Bilal Ahmed. 

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Lighting the fire: A message from SEI Alumni Bilal Ahmed

​Schools in rural Pakistan face energy poverty every day. Many have no, or very limited access to electricity. SEI Alum (years ’10, ’11, ’15), Bilal Ahmed, aims to change that. Bilal first came to us when he was a practicing physician in Bismarck, ND. However, his real passion is setting up solar PV powered wells in drought-stricken areas of Pakistan and powering small village schools.

A message from Solar Energy International (SEI) Alumni Bilal Ahmed:

I got my start in solar by taking courses at Solar Energy International when I was a practicing physician in Bismarck, North Dakota. Today, I live in Dubai, UAE living my solar passion through my company, Stellargenesys. We are involved in providing solar power to rural area schools for underprivileged children in Pakistan.

Schools in rural Pakistan are burdened with limited or no access to electricity. We aim to change that because every student deserves the chance to learn in a positive environment. Through solar energy, we can give students that chance. We have completed 12 rural school projects so far. It has been gratifying to have come so far and I hope we achieve our target of 25 schools nationwide!

One of the schools saw its’ enrollment increase from 250 children to more than 400 children after we installed solar! The children now have access to a media library, laptops, etc. since the school has been electrified.

So much credit goes to SEI and its’ instructors for lighting up the ‘fire’ around the world, encouraging clean energy education and adoption. The small children from one of the schools’ salute SEI!

​You, too, can give the gift of light through solar education.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you,

Bilal Ahmed

“When we think about the impact that our alumni are having across the world, it gives us all goosebumps. Though we’re not in Pakistan setting up wells or powering schools, our alumni are. And they are doing this work everywhere in the world. With our 60,000+ alumni, we are getting closer every day to a world powered by renewable energy. Keep up the great work!” – Kathy Swartz, Solar Energy International Executive Director

Please donate to SEI today to invest in the next generation of solar heroes.

Your donation will fund scholarship opportunities for future solar professionals who need it most. 

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AmeriCorps Volunteers serve with nonprofit ‘A Little Help’

In honor of National Service Recognition Day on April 3rd, AmeriCorps Members in Paonia, Colorado teamed up with a local non-profit called A Little Help to serve their community.

AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers In Service To America) from Solar Energy International and Elsewhere Studios, who are working on economic and community revitalization in Delta County, joined forces to do direct service in their community.

A Little Help is a non-profit based out of Denver that also has a presence in Delta County. The organization is made up of locals who are volunteers, members in need of aid, or both. Members are usually seniors or disabled neighbors who want to stay independent in their homes, and can use help with household tasks. Volunteers help members with a variety of projects from driving to the grocery store to house maintenance. This program helps residents age in their own homes safely, while remaining active members of their communities and encourages cross-generational engagement. Deirdre Morrison an AmeriCorps Member said:

“I learned about ‘Village to Village’ while living in Oregon, and A Little Help is a part of that network.  Especially considering that one in every three people over age 65 live alone, and in particular when we know that loneliness can be harmful to health, to all ages; I have great compassion for folks that want to be independent, but are also looking for some support in getting things done around the house.  Sometimes it can mean a lot to seniors to strike up a conversation with someone new, to have someone listen and share with them. I know I often learn something interesting in the exchange, and hope someone will be around to help me, if I am in a similar position someday.”

One of the members, Judy Lafferty, has been involved with A Little Help from its start in Paonia and says the organization is important to her because “It is very rewarding to meet new people and learn about different places.” She discussed how easy it is to help someone with a task that for them may have been difficult, and that the interaction with a neighbor is rewarding. Judy is both a member and a volunteer, and once a month she helps a fellow community member get to the laundromat and then back home.

The AmeriCorps VISTAs spent the day helping five members clean out their gutters, rake their lawns, and tend their gardens. These activities can involve climbing ladders, kneeling, or bending down often, which may be difficult for some of the community members. One of the members mentioned that the work the AmeriCorps volunteers did in one hour would have taken them three days. Beata Ramza reflects on her day of service:

“As VISTAs our goal when serving communities is to create sustainable programs that can help the community even after we leave. This means we don’t always work directly with every part of the community but spend lots of time in our office planning the programs, securing partners, implementing outreach, and fundraising. It was inspiring and educational to be able to spend a day doing direct service and meeting various neighbors we might not have met otherwise.”

Over 220,000 AmeriCorps VISTAs have served since the program’s inception in 1965, and Paonia has been host to several such volunteers over the years. While the focus of the VISTA program is building capacity and effectiveness in programs and organizations working to alleviate poverty, many VISTAs choose to further engage with their communities through more personal service on occasions such as the National Service Recognition Day. For more information and opportunities to serve, visit https://www.nationalservice.gov. Whether VISTAs are creating partnerships regionally or working with our neighbors, they’re a strong force in communities. For VISTAs, every day is National Service Day.

 

About Solar Energy International

Solar Energy International (SEI) was founded in 1991 as a nonprofit educational organization with the mission to provide industry-leading technical training and expertise in renewable energy to empower people, communities and businesses worldwide. SEI envisions a world powered by renewable energy.

 

About Elsewhere Studios

Since 2011, Elsewhere Studios, a not for profit artist in residence program, has hosted both regional and international artists. Resident-artists expose community to contemporary art from around the world and serve as ambassadors between Paonia and their communities.  Elsewhere is also a part of local ‘creative placemaking,’ citizen-created public spaces/forums that encourage gathering and learning, and raise awareness around safety, ecological, and community development concerns.

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