Chris LaForge Updates and Improves “Designing Small Scale PV Systems with Energy Storage” Energy storage is the fastest moving area within the solar energy industry. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that 10 GW of battery storage capacity will be added to the grid over the next two years. As more storage is… Continue reading “Chris LaForge Updates and Improves “Designing Small Scale PV Systems with Energy Storage””
Tiny Home Courses Land on HeatSpring Much has changed over the past few years. The realm of what’s possible at our jobs and how we live has broadened. While tiny home living has been growing for years, the pandemic has accelerated the movement. Between the (lack… Continue reading “Tiny Home Courses Land on HeatSpring”
Selecting DAS Equipment on Utility Scale PV Projects Data acquisition systems (DAS) are often employed on small utility scale solar projects to gather information about the performance and conditions of a site. Various sensors, meters, and equipment collect the data that must then be evaluated and visualized within… Continue reading “Selecting DAS Equipment on Utility Scale PV Projects”
Agrivoltaics in Action – Jack’s Solar Garden Connecting the dots between clean energy, local food, and community building may seem like a utopian dream, but for Byron Kominek, founder of Jack’s Solar Garden, it is an intentional undertaking that has been generations in the making. By co-locating… Continue reading “Agrivoltaics in Action – Jack’s Solar Garden”
Agrivoltaics: a multi-faceted approach to climate change Climate change affects everyone and farmers are feeling the pressure now more than ever. Higher temperatures, dwindling water supplies, and a challenging economy are pushing farmers to explore new revenue streams and opportunities for their land. What is agrivoltaics? Local… Continue reading “Agrivoltaics: a multi-faceted approach to climate change”
Scott Sklar’s New and Improved “Solar Power 101” Course Amory Lovins, Co-Founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, says “Scott Sklar is a walking encyclopedia of American renewable energy.” He’s not kidding. 2,500 solar professionals have taken Scott’s “Solar Power 101” course, which was created in 2014. The material held… Continue reading “Scott Sklar’s New and Improved “Solar Power 101” Course”
What’s happening with solar in CA and why it matters everywhere? An interview with the California Solar + Storage Association HeatSpring sat down with Carter Lavin, Director of Membership at the California Solar and Storage Association, to discuss the proposed changes to net metering policy in the California and what that means for states across the country. Brit: Thanks for… Continue reading “What’s happening with solar in CA and why it matters everywhere? An interview with the California Solar + Storage Association”
Photo Contest Giveaway: Fluke Solar Irradiance Meter Thanks to our partners at Fluke, HeatSpring is giving away two Fluke Solar Irradiance Meters! Fluke was founded in 1948. Ever since, they have been making quality testing and troubleshooting tools for a variety of manufacturing and service industries. Solar… Continue reading “Photo Contest Giveaway: Fluke Solar Irradiance Meter”
How to get your NABCEP PV System Inspector (PVSI) Certification The NABCEP PV System Inspector (PVSI) Board Certification recognizes the advanced experience and skill of inspecting residential and commercial photovoltaic systems. This Board Certification is for those who are highly knowledgeable of PV systems, applicable codes and ordinances, and assessing… Continue reading “How to get your NABCEP PV System Inspector (PVSI) Certification”
Earn NABCEP Credits, Learn Solar PV Basics for Free “Introduction to Solar PV Design, Installation and Code” is the most popular free course we’ve ever offered. Almost 7,000 people have taken it. Recently we began the ongoing process of updating the course and took the additional step of getting… Continue reading “Earn NABCEP Credits, Learn Solar PV Basics for Free”
Here’s the Financial Model Chris Lord Uses to Unlock MW Solar + Storage Projects Financial models get solar projects built. Financial models make deals happen. Financial models make owners, developers, EPCs and investors a lot of money. So the people who build financial models are valuable. Many people understand financial models from a high… Continue reading “Here’s the Financial Model Chris Lord Uses to Unlock MW Solar + Storage Projects”
Overcurrent Protection and the 25-Foot Feeder Tap Rule Sean White gave an NEC training at this year’s ASES Convention. Video from that presentation is included in our updated free course, “Introduction to Solar PV Design, Installation and Code“. But there was some content that was too advanced for… Continue reading “Overcurrent Protection and the 25-Foot Feeder Tap Rule”
Learn Solar and Drones Together Ten years ago “solar plus drones” would have sounded like a made up thing from the future. But here we are. Today it’s an in-demand combo of skills that you can use to differentiate your career and your solar business.… Continue reading “Learn Solar and Drones Together”
How to get your NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Certification The NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Board Certification is considered the gold standard for PV professionals in the renewable energy industry. PV EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PVIP A total of 58 Advanced PV Training Hours are required to sit for… Continue reading “How to get your NABCEP PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Certification”
Filling the Solar Worker Gap with Flexible, Employee-Friendly Training Programs To address climate change, local governments are moving toward electrification, embracing solar energy, heat pumps, energy storage and electric vehicles. But there aren’t enough people to fill the positions needed to transition to electrification. In addition, solar and other renewable… Continue reading “Filling the Solar Worker Gap with Flexible, Employee-Friendly Training Programs”
Wes Kennedy’s Solar Shed and the Quest for Net Zero This Fall Wes Kennedy is teaching an incredible course called “Comprehensive Solar + Storage“. Consider taking it if you want to level-up your energy storage knowledge and earn a bunch of NABCEP credits. I asked Wes what kept him busy… Continue reading “Wes Kennedy’s Solar Shed and the Quest for Net Zero”
Upgrading Solar in the National Parks and Developing Solar + Storage Projects Christopher LaForge and Chris Brown teach the “Utility Scale Commercial & Industrial Solar and Storage Series” starting next week. I asked them to share what they’ve been up to this summer. Not surprisingly, they’ve been busy training, designing PV systems,… Continue reading “Upgrading Solar in the National Parks and Developing Solar + Storage Projects”
How Drones Can Speed the Growth of Solar Energy With a drone and software, solar industry members can reduce the time, costs and errors associated with designing solar systems. And, as the industry learns more about the benefits of drones, the technology will help move solar energy forward, says… Continue reading “How Drones Can Speed the Growth of Solar Energy”
Providing Much-Needed Information About the Solar and Storage Industry For HeatSpring instructor Justine Sanchez, the energy storage system explosion at Arizona Public Service in 2019 was an eye opener.As a result of the explosion, nine first responders were hospitalized. “For me, this was a real wake-up call about the… Continue reading “Providing Much-Needed Information About the Solar and Storage Industry”
An Insider’s Guide to the NABCEP Conference Aug 9-12 You can take a beginning PV course live from HeatSpring instructor Sean White, network with solar industry professionals, check out industry members’ exhibits and get your continuing education credits at the NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners) Continuing… Continue reading “An Insider’s Guide to the NABCEP Conference Aug 9-12”