New Bundle Announcement: Residential Solar Service Technician Training Package The need for experienced and knowledgeable solar service technicians is growing quickly to keep pace with residential solar deployment. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the residential solar market experienced its 6th consecutive record year in 2022, growing… Continue reading “New Bundle Announcement: Residential Solar Service Technician Training Package”
2023 NEC Article 706.15 – Clarifying ESS Emergency Shutdown In 2022, the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA) released the 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC). Updating the code every 3 years allows for clarification and correction of unintended consequences or gaps in the regulations. Article 706.15 in the 2023 NEC… Continue reading “2023 NEC Article 706.15 – Clarifying ESS Emergency Shutdown”
Let’s Meet @ RE+ in Las Vegas RE+ is the biggest solar conference in North America. This year it’s happening in Las Vegas on September 11-14, 2023. It’s impossible to see everything at a huge show like this. So here are some of the events that we… Continue reading “Let’s Meet @ RE+ in Las Vegas”
Many Companies Already Meet the Requirements for NABCEP Company Accreditation – Here’s the Guide on How to Get It Done As the U.S. continues to install more solar than any other new generation source, the role of quality solar installation companies cannot be overstated. With the growing demand, the need for skilled and qualified professionals in the industry has become… Continue reading “Many Companies Already Meet the Requirements for NABCEP Company Accreditation – Here’s the Guide on How to Get It Done”
The Ultimate Guide to Launching your Solar Career with the NABCEP PV Associate Credential The PV Associate is the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners’ (also known as NABCEP – pronounced NAB-cəp – not with each letter spelled out) entry-level credential. It is intended for folks newer to the solar industry, students in… Continue reading “The Ultimate Guide to Launching your Solar Career with the NABCEP PV Associate Credential”
New Free Webinar + NABCEP CEU: 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) Updates for the Solar Industry Every 3 years, the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA) publishes the latest National Electrical Code (NEC). Like clockwork for each code cycle, HeatSpring instructors Sean White and Bill Brooks review the code changes, update their book on PV and the… Continue reading “New Free Webinar + NABCEP CEU: 2023 National Electrical Code (NEC) Updates for the Solar Industry”
New Course Announcement: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Solar Companies Did you know that farmers and rural small businesses may be eligible for a grant covering up to 50% of eligible renewable energy project costs up to $1 million, significantly reducing a project’s payback period? It’s an incredible program that… Continue reading “New Course Announcement: Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) for Solar Companies”
Leadership in Utility-Scale Solar Construction I want to share some interesting stats about jobs in utility-scale solar, from IREC’s Annual Solar Job Census, which they’ve just published in July 2023: 65% of all solar jobs are doing installation & project development work, and about half… Continue reading “Leadership in Utility-Scale Solar Construction”
The Importance of Quality Management on Utility Scale Solar Sites Early in my career, before I switched into Project Management, I had the opportunity to lead the Quality department for a leading US-based EPC company – DEPCOM Power. Prior to this, I’d not seen myself as a Quality guy –… Continue reading “The Importance of Quality Management on Utility Scale Solar Sites”
Shining a Light on Utility-Scale Solar Recycling Utility-scale solar projects are pivotal in the global transition to renewable energy, and these projects contribute to a predictable and stable renewable energy source. Predictions indicate that utility solar will continue to dominate solar installation projects in the coming years,… Continue reading “Shining a Light on Utility-Scale Solar Recycling”
Meeting the Demands of the Solar Plus Era: Why Shaw Solar is Launching their Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Electrical Apprenticeship Program Based in Durango, Colorado, Shaw Solar can be described as a big fish in a small pond. Opening their doors back in 2006, they initially worked on residential and small commercial solar thermal and PV and some lead-acid battery storage.… Continue reading “Meeting the Demands of the Solar Plus Era: Why Shaw Solar is Launching their Distributed Energy Resources (DER) Electrical Apprenticeship Program”
New Course Announcement: Creating Solar Courses to Meet the Needs of Electric Membership Co-ops in Georgia and Beyond Georgia has been hit hard by unscrupulous solar businesses, particularly in the residential space. Misinformation about solar has been spread to homeowners far and wide. There are even quite a few solar systems out there that don’t work properly due… Continue reading “New Course Announcement: Creating Solar Courses to Meet the Needs of Electric Membership Co-ops in Georgia and Beyond”
Residential Solar O&M Course Now Free With HeatSpring Membership Starting today, for a limited time, Keith Rohman’s “Residential Field Operations & Maintenance” is included with your HeatSpring Membership. This is the practical residential solar O&M course you have been looking for, and it counts for NABCEP credit, too. Membership… Continue reading “Residential Solar O&M Course Now Free With HeatSpring Membership”
What’s It Take to Get the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification? The NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification is considered the gold standard for PV certifications. It’s renowned for being challenging. Many skilled installers take more than one shot to successfully pass it. It carries weight and holding the esteemed PV Installation… Continue reading “What’s It Take to Get the NABCEP PV Installation Professional Certification?”
Looking to be Professional in Solar PV Systems – 10 Things You Need to Learn Learning solar photovoltaic systems might not be as straightforward as they appear while standing, fixed on a roof, or installed on the ground. Even though it seems like basic electricity-generating modules, the process of creating electrical energy involves various theories… Continue reading “Looking to be Professional in Solar PV Systems – 10 Things You Need to Learn”
Power Flow Studies on Utility Distribution If you work with utility-scale or community solar PV, you may have heard the utility refer to the term “power flow study”, also called “load flow study”, and wonder what that is. Utility distribution feeders are designed and operated at… Continue reading “Power Flow Studies on Utility Distribution”
What is All This Water Doing in the Inverter? – What Can Happen When Rooftop Conduit Fittings Are Improperly Installed While it may seem like a minor detail to new solar installers, using the wrong conduit fittings, or installing the right ones incorrectly, can have disastrous consequences. Conduit fittings are used to connect sections of electrical conduit, which protect and… Continue reading “What is All This Water Doing in the Inverter? – What Can Happen When Rooftop Conduit Fittings Are Improperly Installed”
New Course Announcement: Understanding Utility Scale Solar Construction Drawings Being able to understand and read construction drawings means everyone onsite and at the office can speak the same language. It’s an absolute necessity for teams, especially when working on utility scale solar projects. Get everyone on the same page… Continue reading “New Course Announcement: Understanding Utility Scale Solar Construction Drawings”
Time to Recertify Your NABCEP Professional Certification? – A Comprehensive Guide You met all the qualifications. You completed the application. You studied and – most importantly – you passed your NABCEP certification exam! Now that you’ve done the hardest part, it’s time to recertify and maintain your NABCEP professional certification. Here’s… Continue reading “Time to Recertify Your NABCEP Professional Certification? – A Comprehensive Guide “
Troubleshooting Isolation Faults Like a Pro Isolation faults happen on PV systems when DC current leaks to ground. It can be caused by a number of issues like damaged or pinched wires, defective optimizers, or an inverter fault. In the new Residential Field Operations & Maintenance… Continue reading “Troubleshooting Isolation Faults Like a Pro”