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Grid-Tied PV Systems

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The U.S. grid-tied market is the fastest growing sector of the PV market, due in part to net metering laws and state and federal incentives. Many businesses focus solely on batteryless grid-tied installations. Companies are looking to hire people with the educational background for installation,
sales, and design positions. This course uses curriculum from the PV Design and Installation workshop but offers a stronger focus on the batteryless grid-tied market and will not cover battery-based systems. If you know that you will be working in an urban area with a focus on batteryless grid-tied installations, the Grid-tied PV class is for you.

Then, if you are serious about getting into the solar industry, you should also plan to take Advanced PV: Design Criteria and NEC Compliance (face-to-face or online). The Advanced PVworkshop is intended to follow our first tier of workshops with the next level of design criteria, wire sizing calculations, maintenance issues, troubleshooting skill, and more information on batteries, charge controllers and hybrid system. (Please note that students from the Grid-Tied PV workshop will need to complete supplementary reading on stand-alone systems before continuing on to PV Lab Week or Advanced PV: Design Criteria and NEC Compliance.)

5 day workshops include 4 days of classroom lecture and 1 day of a lab simulation and tours.
4 Day Workshops include 4 days of classroom lecture. There is no hands-on component for this class.

 

Students leave this workshop being able to:

• Cite energy efficient solutions to reduce the load of a home
• Incorporate local climate and site conditions in PV system design
• Evaluate the differences between different commercially available components
• Obtain and apply module data from a spec sheet
• Perform load analysis for grid-tied systems
• Size a grid-tied system: inverter, array, wire, disconnects, overcurrent protection
• List advantages/disadvantages for various mounting types
• List order of commissioning and decommissioning & safety hazards
• Define net metering and state incentive programs
• Perform detailed site evaluation to determine system location & install details

Topics Include

  • Basics of Electricity
  • System Components
  • Component Specification
  • System Sizing
  • Energy Efficient Appliances
  • Solar Site Analysis
  • Electrical Wiring
  • Safety Procedures
  • Operation & Maintenance
  • Tours of PV Systems
  • Industry Guest Speakers
  • Laboratory Exercises

Sessions

Date Location Price Starting Date Member Price
February 11 - 15 Mesa, AZ
$850
Feb. 25 - 28 (4 day) San Diego, CA
$ 700
February 25, 2008
$ 650
March 3 - 7 [FULL] Fontana, CA
$ 850
[FULL]
$ 800
March 17 - 21 Manteca, CA
$ 850
March 17, 2008
$800
March 31 - April 4 [FULL] Salt Lake City, UT
$ 850
$ 800
April 7 - 11 [FULL] Olivebridge, NY
$ 850
$ 800
April 28 - May 2 (Women's Only) San Diego, CA
$ 850
April 28, 2008
$ 800
Sept. 15 - 19 Sandy Hook, NJ
$ 850
September 15, 2008
$ 800
Oct. 6 - 10 San Diego, CA
$ 850
October 6, 2008
$ 800
Oct. 6 - 10 Pittsboro, NC
$ 850
October 6, 2008
$ 800
Oct. 20 - 24 Manteca, CA
$ 850
October 20, 2008
$ 800
Nov. 10 - 14 Honolulu, HI
$ 850
November 17, 2008
$ 800
Dec. 8 - 11 (4 day) Corvallis, OR
$ 700
December 8, 2008
$ 650


Related Reading

Photovoltaics: Design & Installation Manual by SEI

Code Check: Electrical by Redwood Kardon, Douglas Hansen, and Mickeal Casey

Related Workshops Quotes from Past Participants

There has never been a better time to become involved in the solar energy business, and SEI provides the most comprehensive education available.
-- Steve B., PV Workshop participant, 2006


Workshops begin at 9 am unless otherwise noted. Please show up at 8:30 am the first day.


PO Box 715 • 76 S. 2nd St. • Carbondale, CO 81623 • 970-963-8855 • fax: 970-963-8866 • sei@solarenergy.org