SOLAR TRAINING PROGRAM: Cradle for PV Installers

SOLAR TRAINING PROGRAM: Cradle for PV Installers

In aims to become a leading educational provider to the renewable energy industry by utilizing standardized training methods and teaching practices, Solar Training Institute provides training classes for anyone who is considering a career in the growing solar industry. Solar training programs, especially Photovoltaic (PV) design and installation courses, help business owners and workers start PV installation business or find jobs in the solar industry. InterPV editor Sarah Jeong talked with Devin Thomas Ruiz, Director of Solar Training Institute, about solar training programs and PV installation.

REPORTED BY SARAH JEONG (PVED1@INFOTHE.COM)

Solar Training Institute (STI) has offered valuable solar training programs for PV design and installation. Please introduce yourself to our readers.

The Solar Training Institute is a leading provider of accelerated solar training programs. We provide structured training classes to help businesses gain the skilled workers they need and individuals to advance their careers or transition into the solar industry. Based on North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certification standards, we develop and instruct coursework in Photovoltaic (PV) design and installation to assist contractors and trades people in meeting the requirements for finding green collar jobs in the solar industry. Additionally, we offer instruction in sales, marketing and solar energy entrepreneurship, plus classes that provide an overview of the opportunities for career changers in skilled, technical and corporate roles. We are dedicated to leading renewable energy industry education, and the Solar Training Institute utilizes standardized training methods and teaching practices and engages top industry experts to prepare individuals and businesses with the knowledge and experience they need to succeed. We are located in San Jose, California and conduct courses in San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, CA in the U.S.

In your opinion, what is essential in meeting the high demand for solar installation technicians?

The demand for solar installers can be met by the following:

? Developing, offering and expanding training courses across the country

? Making grants available to solar training providers to help offset expenses and making it more affordable to students with lower tuition

? Developing and teaching industry standards in trades and training schools.

What is the recent trend of PV design and installation?

Today, there are many applications being used in solar industry. We are seeing installations at schools, churches, government buildings and more commercial area. For example, we learned a sewage treatment plant that is planning to use solar energy to run their large generators to save money on the utility costs. This is just one example of how business and government are using soar energy. Also, the residential market is picking up and we know of several companies that are hiring installers as a result of the various applications. Another area we are seeing a trend is the solar equipment. There is a race to develop and ship better, stronger and easier to install equipment. For example, micro inverters like the ones that Enphase Energy is shipping are really changing the market.

There product is also software-based and gives the user visibility to their array.

There are also large megawatt installs happening in the outlying areas of the U.S. that will be generating more power to the utilities. How big do you expect the impact of President Obama��s green policies will be on the solar industry?

We expect the impact to be huge with Obama��s policies to fully mobilize the U.S. and its dedication to green policies and technologies. We are already seeing more solar technology and installations in California not just within the residential market, but also in the commercial segment. For example, we are seeing grants from the U.S. Department of Energy for solar installations to run sewage treatment plants. The U.S. citizens and corporations typically support Obama��s policies and it shows in a number of ways; in ramping up solar R&D, in increasing use of solar technology for previously non-traditional applications, in increasing PV installations and in creating and driving more fuel-efficient cars or driving less. This is why we are dedicating our efforts to this cause?because we and our students strongly believe that this is critical to the future of our planet.

Who are the main participants in your training courses?

Most of our students seeking instruction in PV installation come from construction background. Installing solar panels is becoming passion, but it can also be a dangerous profession. So, it is very beneficial for students who have a strong background in the building trades. For our installation courses, many of our attendees are electricians, general contractors, Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) professionals and roofers. For design courses, we target mechanical and electrical engineers.

How long do PV installations last on average?

I will answer it in two possible ways:

1) Most panel manufacturers warranty their products for 25 years and up to 80% of their original output. So, the installation lasts for 25 years with little maintenance.

2) The installation in general takes about 4 to 5 days for residential from start to finish, but it takes sometimes 1 to 2 months to process the paperwork, designs, permits and rebates prior to the actual installation. For example, a 300 kW commercial PV system took about 3 months to install, but it took almost 2 years from the beginning of the project. The goal of the solar industry is to shorten the length of time it takes and to get the project through design and permitting, as well as the physical installation.

What are needed to maintain installed PV systems efficiently?

The beauty of the PV system is that the components are efficiently designed and require minimal maintenance. The panels only require a light cleaning a few times a year and that��s it. The efficiency of a solar system is not only related to the quality of the components, but relies strongly upon high quality and professional installation such as that we teach at the Solar Training Institute.

What is the biggest challenge in running the solar training courses?

We believe that it is very important to offer instructors with experience installing, designing or selling solar technology. We seek only top professionals in the field who can offer our students a well rounded perspective that includes state-of-the-art techniques in installation and safety.

What is your prospect for the future PV market?

We believe that there is a great future for solar technology use on a global scale.

Today there are many countries and corporations investing in solar energy industry.

They are continuing the development of new products, new applications and cost effective

equipment. The development should expand the market not only on a commercial level, but to the level of efficient energy use and lifestyle enhancements for average homeowners and businesses. Now, it��s time for solar energy and it will continue to escalate as more resources are invested and greater understanding is gained of how to harness and utilize this power.

Please update us on some recent techniques in PV design and installation.

? Reducing time and labor?as mentioned previously, we aim to shorten the time it takes to physically install the PV system. Several manufacturers are designing integrated grounding with the installation. For example, panels and racking systems that can be installed on the ground and mounted on the roof much easier.

? Making solar installations safer?Fire agencies, local municipalities and of course, solar contractors have a growing concern over the safety of current PV solar installations and how their workers install them. Many solar contractors won��t hire properly trained installer because of this. This is why teach safety and put a strong emphasis on teaching the safe practices.

Sarah Jeong is Editor of InterPV. Send your comments to pved1@infothe.com.

For more information, please send your e-mails to pved@infothe.com.

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