Alumni Highlight: Students Terry and Bill Jackson prepare for an install in Sudan in Paonia lab classes

Students gleefully huddled around the lab yard’s steep roof mounted solar system smiling for photos as the Solar Energy International (SEI) banner whipped in the wind in the background. Cameras flashed as photos abound and the soft crunch of wood chips enveloped the lab yard as the class scattered, certificates-in-hand, to say their final goodbyes: it’s graduation day at SEI’s campus in Paonia.

Terry Jackson, a graduate of SEI’s PV201L: Solar Electric Lab Week (Grid-Direct) stood beaming as she described her future plans to apply the knowledge she learned that week in class. “We’ve taken courses, we’ve studied, but it really, really makes a difference having hands-on solar experience before you go out and do a project like this,” she explained. The project she was referring to is a solar system slated to be installed on a school in Akot, Sudan, a project nearly 10 years in the making for Terry, which is planned for commission next year.

It started back in 2003, “our first trip out there was a mission trip,” Terry explained. She first visited the country when a friend asked Terry to join her. Working with the organization, Living Waters Community Transformation, they focused their efforts on education.

“Only 2 percent of kids there go to elementary school, and we thought one of the biggest contributions we could make was through supporting education,” Terry explained. “So we developed these schools, initially they were under thatched roofs and many students were crammed into small rooms for classes, and now we have a building so we’re making progress.”

The Living Waters Community Transformation organization built a school for 900 students in the region, however, fuel is extremely expensive and there is still no access to electricity. “There’s no power any place close, there’s absolutely no grid,” Terry explained. There is a submerged water pump in the school, but there is a need to charge phones and laptops. The goal, according to Terry, is to ensure these projects are sustainable, and the path to achieving that goal is through producing their own energy.

“The best solution for an environment like that is solar,” Terry said.  “They have plenty of sun, it’s a great place for solar, and it can be a model for other communities, too.” Terry has a design in the works for the building, a battery-based system with a backup generator, however an obstacle is its remote location, all materials used must be produced and shipped locally. After the components of the system are ordered in December, Terry plans to travel to Akot in March for inventory and then the install will start in June.

Bill Jackson, who will also join the install in Sudan, was in class with Terry as well. “I’ve worked as an electrician for years, but I’ve never mounted anything and that’s why I wanted to come to SEI,” Bill said. A crucial component to the project is safety and maintenance, and Bill and Terry want to make sure that the system will run safely and sustainably after they leave.

Terry added, “Our experience with SEI has been invaluable because not only have we learned the proper way of installation and all the nuances of the different systems, but we experienced instructors who have done these installations many times and they could tell us the pros and cons of different set ups and different vendors,” she said. “That’s invaluable information, and I don’t know where else you can get it.”

In addition to battery-based courses, those who are interested in learning more about applications for renewable energy in the developing world can take RDOL101: Appropriate Technology for the Developing world to learn more about sustainable off-grid projects.

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Solar in the news: SEI instructor weighs in on Elon Musk’s proposal to strengthen the grid in Puerto Rico through renewables and storage

Could solar and storage technology help rebuild Puerto Rico’s grid in the wake of Hurricane Maria? Billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk thinks so.

The renewable energy mogul tweeted on October 5, “The Tesla team has done this for many smaller islands around the world, but there is no scalability limit, so it can be done for Puerto Rico too.”

The governor of Puerto Rico, Gov. Ricardo Rosselló, responded, tweeting “Let’s talk. Do you want to show the world the power and scalability of your #TeslaTechnologies? PR could be that flagship project.”

Following that initial conversation, the two had a 25-minute phone call over the weekend, according to USA Today, where Rosselló continued to express interest in teaming up to find a solution through renewable energy. “I told him because of the devastation, if there is a silver lining, we can start re-conceptualizing how we want to produce energy here in Puerto Rico and distribute it and do it in a more reliable fashion,” Rosselló told USA Today. “It was a very positive first step.”

Tesla has already shipped hundreds of their Powerwall batteries to the island territory to help with the ongoing power outages, which could last for up to six months. Batteries and the search for cutting-edge technological storage solutions have made headlines recently as the global capacity for installed renewable energy continues to grow.

What potential might storage have for insulating communities against the brunt of natural disaster? We asked Solar Energy International (SEI) Instructor to weigh in. Kelly Larson is on SEI’s campus in Paonia, Colorado this week instructing 301L: Solar Electric Lab Week (battery-based).

“Community resilience is crucial. All of our communities need to be able to respond in an emergency whether it’s a place for medical attention or clean water,” Larson said. “Batteries are a part of that because they can provide stored electricity for emergency needs.”

As for the recent spotlight on storage? “Renewable energy is used intermittently,” Larson explained. “As we move forward with renewable sources of energy we have to be able to store it for use at any time.”  

Interested in learning more about battery-based photovoltaic (PV) systems and microgrids? Sign up for one of our upcoming online courses today! SEI will be offering PVOL203: PV System Fundamentals (Battery-Based) and PVOL303: Advanced PV Multimode and Microgrid Design starting November 6.

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GRID Alternatives Colorado and Solar Energy International Empower Women in Solar

Last month, GRID Alternatives Colorado (GRID) and Solar Energy International (SEI) joined together to engage more women in the solar industry.  Both GRID and SEI recognize that women continue to be underrepresented in the solar workforce and are committed to developing and leading job training programs that provide women with pathways to access technical careers in the solar industry.

In August, SEI and GRID kicked off their partnership with GRID’s second annual We Build Retreat in Fort Collins, Colorado.  The retreat brought together forty-five women from around the country to start construction on the 1.95 megawatt Coyote Ridge Community Solar Array – the largest built in GRID’s history – and to participate in service learning for those interested or working in solar-related careers. The event brought participants together to build with their hands, but also build a framework for women to thrive in the renewable energy industry.

The We Build Retreat is a signature event that expands on the existing efforts of both GRID Alternatives and SEI to support women in the solar industry. The solar industry is rapidly expanding, representing one out of every fifty new jobs added in the U.S. with women representing 28% of the solar workforce according to the 2016 National Solar Jobs Census.  

For Vicky Mandell, Board President of GRID Colorado, We Build was a special example of GRID’s mission in action. Vicky told the group how the support of women had provided her with opportunities to grow throughout her career. “GRID wants women to succeed in the solar industry,” said Vicky.  “Through GRID’s Women in Solar Program, our organization is working to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive solar industry that includes pathways to technical careers for women.”

Solar Energy International (SEI) sponsored the retreat through their Solar Ready Colorado effort which provides SEI’s PV technical training to Colorado residents in the solar industry. SEI is committed to extending professional development opportunities to women employed or interested in the solar industry and offered scholarships to five attendees of the WE Build Retreat. The scholarships enable recipients to participate in SEI’s online or in-person solar technical training courses. Scholarship recipient and GRID volunteer Erica Cook said “The scholarship will allow me to further my solar education. This will open more doors for me as a woman in construction so that I can better support my family and continue to help improve my community and the lives of the people that reside there.”

GRID Colorado and Solar Energy International plan on continuing their partnership to support the more than 72,000 women in the solar industry. Kathy Swartz of SEI said of the partnership “Since SEI’s founding in 1991, we’ve supported programs and scholarships to get more women into solar and encourage the diversification of the industry. As Executive Director of SEI, it’s my honor to continue to expand these opportunities with partners like GRID Alternatives.”

 

 

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SEI Alumni Highlight: Daniel Saldarriaga – Vulcano Operations Director in Colombia Shares Advice and Experience

“—We can’t live on this planet leaving a CO2 mark – there has to be a way to change this destructive behavior that humans have. I think solar is a way to change that.
Vulcano’s Operation Director  – Daniel Saldarriaga

“—On the other hand we have to help the economy. Not the macro economy which people in general doesn’t understand, but the day to day economy. Solar helps the average person save money, and that is what we aim to highlight at the company”.

Vulcano was born in Medellín, Colombia and has been in the energy industry for about 90 years. Just 4 years ago the company had started innovating on different technologies and that is how the company got to solar. Daniel is an energy passionate Business Administrator, that started working for Vulcano 10 years ago. Experiencing the transition of his company to solar energy, this opportunity has created a huge curiosity for Daniel about PV technologies.

With no previous solar energy knowledge, he started searching for information until he found SEI’s free spanish online class – ER100 . He realized at that time that the expertise and curriculum SEI offered was industry leading and decided to pay for the first course following the Professional Solar Training Program track. Once he was finished, he realized he needed a place to practice what he had learned, so he decided to take SEI’s lab classes in Paonia, Colorado. He decided to finish the entire program of study and SEI is proud to announce that Daniel is graduating this month. Daniel shared with us what SEI meant for his career:

“—Our sales on solar installation has grown 200% in the last year, there are other solar companies in Colombia that have had no growth at all. I realized that placing myself in the customer’s shoes, I learned what they need and that is someone who knows what they are doing. They needs someone who is able to provide guidance on what is the best option. And I learned all of that from SEI; how to understand customer needs and how to put in simple words how solar works and what is the best options for each one of them. One other thing I learned is that you might not always find all that you need on the market, especially in Colombia, so you’ll have to find away to work with what you have and be creative, without losing efficiency or security.”

Daniel told us that a big portion of the growth the company experienced in sales, was as a result of fixing errors that other less experience solar installers had made. The company is making great efforts to change the mindset of those people that had a bad experience, trying to make them understand that is not that solar doesn’t work, is that the system was not properly implemented. This created a negative impact on Colombia’s solar industry and in order to overcome that barrier, Vulcano had installed two solar PV systems at their headquarters for people to experience how a properly installed solar system is supposed to work.

“—To fully understand how a solar PV system works, you’ll need more than a week. SEI courses are great, they do give you an enormous amount of knowledge and perspective, but is important to go out there and experience by yourself how solar works in your local region. You leave SEI understanding all the concepts, but is important you practice them in your own country to understand the differences — Daniel says, and then he adds— SEI instructors are amazing because of that, they will teach you what the books says, what the regulation says, and what you will actually find in the field”.

Daniel gives anyone interested in working in the solar industry to keep studying, always, take continuing education training, read solar magazines and books, search the internet, and above all STAY CONNECTED WITH SEI.

“—The market is moving fast, if you go one week without learning something new, you will get left behind”

We want to thank Daniel for his time, and for generously sharing his experience and good practices, helping create a more well educated industry. We hope other solar professionals will share Daniel’s curiosity and will be motivated to continuously learn more about how to become a better solar technician and professional, so we can all achieve a world powered by solar energy.

 

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Alumni Spotlight: Tim Chester

A confluence of passions led Tim to spend 8 weeks pursuing solar training at SEI’s training facility in Paonia, CO. A veteran and an educator, Tim recently completed SEI’s Solar Professionals Trainer Certificate Program before he begins his new job as a solar instructor newly developed solar training program at the Rural Institute for Veterans Education and Research (RIVER). RIVER is a a special program for veterans who need additional resources and support to pursue educational opportunities after returning to civilian life.

The new position is the perfect progression for Tim’s career. Tim came into solar as he began his career with the US Coast Guard in 1991, servicing solar-powered aids to navigation buoys. However, his career was unexpectedly cemented in solar after his retirement from the Coast Guard in 2012 when he realized his love for teaching. This led him to the Missoula College Energy Technology Program at the University of Montana. His three years of teaching at the university connected him with SEI Instructor Orion Thornton. As the renewable energy program was ending and Tim found himself wanting to focus  more on PV.  Orion said to him “you gotta go to SEI, there’s no way around it.”

This is how Tim found himself pursuing SEI’s Solar Professionals Trainer Certificate Program as a way to strengthen his background in solar. He said of the experience “even having been in the field and seeing solar everyday at school for the past 5 years, the program here at SEI tied it all together.  It made me understand [solar] and be able to teach it better. The combination of the classroom and the lab ties the concepts together; you can learn about it then see it and experience it.”

Adding about his SEI experience versus at a university that “the biggest difference for me, absolutely was the instructors… In a university system typically those people have all the education and the theory. There’s no question about their knowledge of the concepts they’re teaching, but they don’t have any real world experience to share with you to tie it together. So to talk to people who are doing the instructing as a secondary job but their first real job is out in the field doing what I want to do everyday and what we’re talking about every day, that experience is invaluable.”

Tim is now able to build on his solar training experience. Not only was Tim able to fund his in-person classes through his Veterans Education Benefits but he’s greatly expanding the impact of these courses to teach fellow veterans. Tim said his ultimate passion for completing the training was to “continue and expand my teaching, reaching out to more students, especially those in need of technical training that can’t or won’t attend a traditional 2 or 4 year school for training. I measure my success in life by my ability to help others and improve their lives, I believe this training will allow me to be even more successful in this endeavor to help others. “

 

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Solar Energy International (SEI) Curriculum Team Members Selected to Provide Input for the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC®)

Solar Energy International (SEI) is proud to announce our non-profit’s selection onto Code-Making Panel 4 of the National Electrical Code (NEC®), which covers Article 690 “Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems,” along with several other areas.

SEI is represented on Code-Making Panel 4 (CMP-4 / NEC-P04) by two of its Curriculum Developers and Instructors: Rebekah Hren as the Principal and Brian Mehalic as an Alternate.

This is a tremendous honor and responsibility: SEI’s participation in this process gives a voice to our instructors, students, and alumni currently working in the industry. SEI’s years of experience and dedication to the solar industry will complement the viewpoints and strong representation already provided by manufacturers, trade industries, labor organizations, utilities, and AHJs.

And once again, SEI has been an active participant in the PV Industry Forum (PVIF). The PVIF is a collaborative initiative consisting of several organizations dedicated to continually improving the installation safety of PV systems in the U.S.

The PVIF member organizations are the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), the Large-Scale Solar Association (LSA), the PV Industry Codes Council (PVICC), the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA), and Solar Energy International (SEI). This coalition has come together to organize, convene, support, and mentor solar industry professionals through the NEC Public Input process, which is open to all solar industry participants. This collaborative effort has resulted in the consensus development of numerous solar-related Public Input proposals for consideration.

A total of 125 Public Inputs were submitted from the PVIF for consideration for the 2020 NEC®. It is an honor to have SEI’s viewpoints considered during this process as there are many industry experts and thought leaders that are putting in a lot of time into making this happen.

The Code-Making Panels will meet in-person from January 8-20 as part of the process to create the First Draft. The First Draft is due July 6, 2018, and will be made available for public comment until 8/30/18. There is a Second Draft in April of 2019, and then the 2020 NEC® should be available in September 2019.

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SEI Participates in Solar Training and Workforce Development for Veterans Roundtable Discussion

Last month SEI was honored to be invited to Washington DC to participate in a roundtable on Veterans in the Solar Workforce.  This one-day meeting was sponsored by the Solar Foundation and was attended by key personnel from across the solar industry including training providers, hiring agencies, state and federal lawmakers, non-profit organizations, military representatives, and Department of labor and Department of Energy personnel.

Below is a summary of roundtable agenda questions posed and key takeaways:

1. What issues do transitioning military personnel face as they enter civilian life, and how can solar industry partners ease these issues?
   

• It is critical for vets to know how to sell their skills and translate their military experience into a professional resume. Understanding what opportunities are available and how a career can progress and lead to different opportunities is equally important.
• “Same mission, different uniform”. The solar industry can and should capitalize on veterans’ sense of service. Many transitioning personnel are trying to find a career that’s rewarding., They have been working for something that is bigger than themselves, so they need something where they can feel like they’re giving back
• The solar industry is looking to diversify and military personnel have diverse backgrounds and experiences, lots of opportunities in a variety of roles.
• DOD operates similarly to a business in that any resources they put into people that are leaving the military are dollars that can’t be spent on recruiting new personnel.

1. What is the solar industry looking for in new employees, what opportunities are available in the industry, and how can transitioning military best prepare themselves for solar careers?
   

• Demonstrating a passion for the solar mission, that it’s something they want to be involved in and they’re excited about. Passion can go a long way in impressing potential employers.
• How valuable are the NABCEP and OSHA certifications?
  • They add immense value, and can put a candidate over the edge in comparison to someone without certification.
  • Passing NABCEP test shows commitment and ability to learn complex topics,
  • NABCEP credentials give the ability to advance faster and gain management positions
  • For back-office hires (sales, business development, etc.), having some small amount of hands-on solar experience can make a big difference. It’s good for them to understand the technology.
• Military personnel often have experience deploying technology in hazardous conditions and maintaining safety standards. This is very easily applicable to the solar industry.
• To the extent that servicemembers have difficulties translating their resume for a civilian job application, a good part of the responsibilities rests on the shoulders of HR and recruitment teams at solar companies. It’s important that recruiters know how to read a military resume and effectively evaluate and place military personnel. This just takes simple education.
• Many solar developers are looking for someone to lead a team, veterans fit this bill extremely well.

1. What are the best methods to communicate to transitioning military personnel about solar career opportunities? Who are the best POC’s.
   

• Advertising on Social Media and digital tools such as Facebook and Google, as well as improving Search Engine Optimization, have proven to be excellent techniques to successfully get information in-front of exiting military. 
• Finding the “gatekeepers” for every city that can broadcast your message to different important audiences.
• The avenues to get in touch with military personnel are not always the same as the general population. Work with organizations that have specific access to service members, transition offices, and military related recruitment organizations.
• Although digital tools are helpful and cheap, sometimes the best way to reach military personnel is through printed newspapers that are exclusively read on military bases.
• Hiring veterans helps to recruit other veterans, veterans on staff are great talent to recruit their peers.
• Companies need to consider two things: Cost and Visibility. How much is this recruitment going to cost me? How visible am I going to be as a result?

Above and beyond the key takeaways listed above, this roundtable was an excellent forum for key players in the solar industry to get to know each other, discuss common hurdles and strategies for dealing with Government bureaucracy, and exchange information for future collaboration.  SEI was represented at the roundtable by Breccia Cressman, Andrew Sprauer, and Kevin Sova. 

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