New Free Course: Introduction to Solar Systems with Batteries: Solar + Storage Brit Heller If you have new employees or apprentices joining your team, getting them up to speed on solar plus storage fundamentals just got easier. HeatSpring just released a brand-new, completely free course: Introduction to Solar Systems with Batteries: Solar + Storage, taught by Christopher LaForge and Chris Brown. Between the two of them, these instructors bring 58 years of hands-on experience in solar and energy storage. Christopher LaForge is a NABCEP-certified photovoltaic professional emeritus, CEO of Great Northern Solar, and an IREC Certified Master Trainer who has been designing and installing solar systems since 1988. Chris Brown has spent his career in technical sales and project development for renewable energy, with a strong focus on off-grid systems around the world. Together, they’ve distilled decades of real-world knowledge into a short, accessible introduction that anyone can take. What You’ll Learn This course covers the fundamentals of solar plus storage: how these systems work, why they matter, and what’s inside them. By the end, you’ll be able to: Explain how solar energy generates electricity Describe why battery storage pairs so well with solar Identify the main reasons people install solar batteries, from backup power to energy independence to cost savings Recognize the core components of both a solar PV system and a battery storage system Understand the difference between grid-tied, off-grid, and hybrid systems Discuss the environmental and economic case for solar plus storage The course is organized across five modules covering everything from the history and context of energy storage to a detailed look at the fundamental components of a solar plus storage system. Plan on 1 to 2 hours to complete it. Who It’s For This course is a great fit for contractors, installers, and building professionals who want to get grounded in solar plus storage technology. It’s also a solid starting point for anyone new to the clean energy field who wants to understand what solar plus storage actually means before diving into more technical training. As Chris Brown put it in the course intro: “We wanted to make sure we could get something out there for people to get an introduction to this stuff.” What to Take Next If your new team members want to go deeper after this introduction, Christopher and Chris also teach Foundational Concepts in Renewable Energy, a 5-10 hour course that picks up where this one leaves off. It covers electrical fundamentals, solar technology, battery storage, system architecture design, and renewable energy market dynamics, with video instruction, reading materials, and knowledge assessments throughout. It’s a solid next step for anyone who wants to move from big-picture concepts into the technical foundation they’ll actually use on the job. Explore the Foundational Concepts in Renewable Energy course. Start Learning for Free Enroll your team today in the Introduction to Solar Systems with Batteries: Solar + Storage course for free! Energy Storage Free Courses Solar Solar miscellaneous Solar Plus Storage Originally posted on June 11, 2026 Written by Brit Heller Director of Program Management @ HeatSpring. Brit holds two NABCEP certifications - Photovoltaic Installation Professional (PVIP) and Photovoltaic Technical Sales (PVTS). When she isn’t immersed in training, Brit is a budding regenerative farmer just outside of Atlanta where she is developing a 17-acre farm rooted in permaculture principles. She can be found building soil health, cultivating edible & medicinal plants, caring for her animals or building functional art. More posts by Brit