SOLAR ENERGY NEWS & TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
The Shining Women of SEI
In celebration of Women's Day this month, we highlight the amazing women that make SEI shine everyday by expressing, through our own words, how these women inspire us everyday on the job. Amanda is eternally positive and helpful, with a knack for musical wordplay. Willing to go above and beyond to solve challenges, to help others. Amanda is the glue that keeps us ...
Hands-on Lab Students Now Get Exposure to Cutting-edge Battery Equipment
It's no secret that the solar industry has seen a shift towards residential energy storage systems due to grid reliability issues and evolving net metering policies. SEI is staying on top of it all by ensuring that the latest technology is in our curriculum and on our campus. We are excited to announce that we have added a 10kWh Enphase ...
SolarReviews: “Now is the time” to pursue training in solar energy
SolarReviews interviews two SEI students on how they have transformed their professional careers while contributing to a more sustainable future. They share their experiences in the program and how it helped them become experts in solar energy. If you are interested in a career in renewable energy, don't miss out on this inspiring interview! Click here to read article.
SEI’s Hands-on Battery-Based Classes Now Employing New Technology
We are thrilled to announce that in 2023, our hands-on classes dedicated to battery-based systems will be employing an exciting new training rotation with Sol-Ark 12K inverters and 18.5 kWh eVault MAX batteries from Fortress Power! This means that, for those students spending a week in Colorado learning how to wire, commission, and program energy storage systems, you will be ...
It’s not just about training women…
The solar industry is on the brink of an amazing transformation - but a question still remains: how do we cultivate diverse talent so solar might realize its full potential? SEI has set out to answer that very question by considering how we provide meaningful training opportunities to those who face barriers to entry, women in particular. It's no secret that the solar sector is ...
New Training Center at SEI’s Colorado Campus
We are excited to announce SEI has added a new building to our Paonia, Colorado campus dedicated to teaching the latest in energy storage technology and energy management systems. The building integrates many cool features including 28.5kWh of lithium storage, 10kW of PV, a mini-split for heating and cooling, a load shedding energy management ...
Would you walk a mile for water?
“Before going to school, her children would have to walk a mile each morning to fetch water for daily use. They would be late for school and were often punished for being tardy.” Solar Energy International alum Bilal Ahmed believes that everyone deserves access to clean water. A trained physician, Bilal took SEI classes so he could use solar energy as a tool to provide ...
Lighting the fire: A message from SEI Alumni Bilal Ahmed
Schools in rural Pakistan face energy poverty every day. Many have no, or very limited access to electricity. SEI Alum (years ’10, ’11, ’15), Bilal Ahmed, aims to change that. Bilal first came to us when he was a practicing physician in Bismarck, ND. However, his real passion is setting up solar PV powered wells in drought-stricken areas of Pakistan and powering small village schools. ...
Colorado Solar Career Expo results are in, participation doubles from last year!
Solar Energy International (SEI) would like to extend a HUGE thank you to everyone who made the 2018 Colorado Solar Career Expo possible. We are proud to announce that this year’s Expo had double the participation from industry employers compared to last year, over 24 came out to network with industry job seekers! The Expo was brought to you in partnership with GRID Alternatives and ...
Secure your spot for the Colorado Solar Career Expo powered by Solar Ready Colorado
Solar Energy International (SEI), Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), and GRID Alternatives are teaming up again to bring you the Colorado Solar Career Expo powered by Solar Ready Colorado. The Colorado Solar Career Expo will take place on March 14 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Aurora Conference Center in Aurora, Colorado. The Solar Career Expo is co-located with COSEIA’s Solar ...
SEI Alum spearheads Village Solar Technician Accreditation (ViSTA) Program in the Philippines
In the fall, Solar Energy International (SEI) received a message from an organization in the Philippines, Stiftung SolarEnergie (StS), sharing updates on how classes positively impacted their organization. StS’s mission is to “empower rural and marginalized villages throughout the Philippines by providing access to sustainable solar energy solutions.” Their focus areas are empowering schools, health (birthing) centers, emergency response, and communities, with sustainability resources. In ...
History of solar documentary, ‘Solar Roots,’ to screen in Paonia, Colorado
PAONIA, Colorado — Renewable energy advocates and solar training professionals will have the chance to see the story of the start of the modern solar photovoltaic (PV) industry through the eyes of its pioneers. On March 26, Solar Energy International (SEI) and the Paradise Theatre in Paonia, Colorado, present "Solar Roots - The Pioneers of PV" as part of the SEI’s 11th Annual Instructor Training, ...
SEI’s local solar initiative, Solarize, concludes with over 400kW of solar installed in Delta County
Solar Energy International’s (SEI) Solarize Delta County Farms has officially come to a close, and the cumulative success of all three Solarize campaigns can finally be revealed. The final results are: nearly 60 new solar installs equaling over 400kW, nine new jobs, and over $1.5 million invested by community members in solar energy in Delta County! Solarize is an outreach model that includes a driving ...
GRID Alternatives Colorado and Solar Energy International Empower Women in Solar
Last month, GRID Alternatives Colorado (GRID) and Solar Energy International (SEI) joined together to engage more women in the solar industry. Both GRID and SEI recognize that women continue to be underrepresented in the solar workforce and are committed to developing and leading job training programs that provide women with pathways to access technical careers in the solar industry. In August, SEI and GRID kicked ...
SEI Family Mourns the Tragic Death of Instructor Mike Sullivan
We are deeply saddened and stunned by the unexpected death of SEI Instructor Mike Sullivan. Since 2009, Mike taught over 40 classes and over 1000 students through both online and in-person trainings. Mike died on Monday in a climbing accident on Steeple Peak area of the Wind River Mountain Range in Wyoming. Mike was a living legend at SEI because of how fully he lived ...
Delta-Montrose Electric Association and SEI Bolster Solar in the Schools Program
Solar Energy International’s (SEI) Solar in the Schools program secured solid funding this month, when Delta-Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) committed $150,000 to the program. DMEA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously at their regular May board meeting to funnel $150,000 from the co-op’s Unclaimed Capital Credit fund to support the installation of solar electric systems at five high schools within DMEA’s service territory. Where does DMEA’s ...
Sudanese Student Invigorates SEI’s Mission
It is stories like the one of Eissa Ali, that galvanize the work of SEI. Eissa is from Khartoum, Sudan where he and his wife are raising two children. His background is in electrical engineering and he’s built a career in the green building industry. He is a talented professional who will do great things with SEI’s solar training. He is also someone who would ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) responde a la Prohibición de Viajar (Travel Ban) de Estados Unidos con un Programa de Becas
A todos los Alumnos Internacionales de SEI, Futuros Estudiantes y Amigos: Las acciones y anuncios hechos recientemente por la nueva administración de Estados Unidos sobre de la prohibición de viajar, la construcción de paredes en las fronteras, han sido noticias muy perturbadoras para nosotros porque impactan directamente en la relación que construimos con ustedes. Ya que estas políticas continúan desarrollándose rápidamente, ciertamente entendemos que algunos ...
A Community In Transition: SEI’s solar PV training offered at local High School
There are 13 students at Paonia High School at the fore-front of the growing applications of renewable energy production in Colorado’s North Fork Valley; Paonia, CO. These inquisitive high school students are exploring the nationally-growing industry of solar PV. Paonia Colorado, known for its roots in agriculture and coal mining is the home of Solar Energy International (SEI). SEI is committed to an innovative future ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Graduates First U.S. Army Cohort of Solar Ready Vets from Ft. Carson
Congratulations to the newest 23 graduates of the Solar Ready Vets program! This most recent training event, led by SEI, was held at the Ft. Carson Army Base near Colorado Springs. These transitioning service members and vets participated in six intensive weeks of training and progressed from the basics of electricity, to the fundamentals of grid-tied PV design and installation. They learned not just how ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Launches Solarize North Fork Valley Colorado – Buy Together. Save Together.
On May 1, Solar Energy International (SEI) will be launching the Solarize North Fork Valley program, a 3 month energy efficiency and solar educational campaign in the North Fork Valley (Paonia, Hotchkiss & Crawford) running from May 1, 2015 through July 31, 2015. Check out the details on our website: https://www.solarenergy.org/solarize-north-fork/ Events: May 1, 2015 Paonia Launch Event - Western Colorado Solar Fair (Open and ...
Earth Day 2015 News: Solar Energy International (SEI) Announces Scholarship Photo Contest
To celebrate Earth Day 2015, Solar Energy International (SEI) has announced a photo contest where the winner will win a $795 SEI Online Campus scholarship! To enter the scholarship contest, just snap a photo or selfie of something you or your family or your business or your school or your organization are doing to promote a more sustainable future for the planet Earth. Tag your ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Celebrates the Week of Earth Day with Training Events and 40,000+ Alumni Milestone
Solar Energy International (SEI) celebrates the week of Earth Day 2015 with the kick off of our 2015 hands-on lab training season and online course sessions starting today - April 20th. Furthermore, SEI is celebrating a milestone this year of training over 40,000 students and alumni world-wide. Hundreds of students from all over the world have registered for this week's hands-on lab training season kick ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Honors Graduating Marines and Sailors at Camp Pendleton through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reach for the Sun Training Program GallerySolar Energy International (SEI) Honors Graduating Marines and Sailors at Camp Pendleton through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reach for the Sun Training Program
Solar Energy International (SEI) Honors Graduating Marines and Sailors at Camp Pendleton through the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Reach for the Sun Training Program
Solar Energy International (SEI) is pleased to announce the first graduating class as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) “Reach for the Sun” military solar training pilot program. This solar training program's goal is to provide military personnel who are transitioning out of active duty with the technical skills needed to become leaders in the world’s clean energy economy. Through the Solar Instructor ...
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SEI Celebrates Women in Solar
International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women's achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality. At SEI, we want to honor all of the women working in the solar industry - both for their contribution in the energy transformation field, and for overcoming the barriers and challenges that women in the sector face every day. Furthermore, inspiring others with their experiences, ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) recognized by Clinton Foundation for Solar Workforce Training in Latin America
Puerto Rico, February 19, 2020 - Solar Energy International (SEI) was recognized as an exemplary commitment maker by Secretary Hillary Clinton during the Clinton Foundation CGI Action Network on Post-Disaster Recovery event in Puerto Rico. Matthew Harris, SEI’s Spanish Program Business Development Director, represented SEI’s partnership with Bosque Modelo on the Work-Based Training for Women in Renewable Energy commitment to action. [yotuwp type="videos" id="LiSi-WxzvHU" column="1" ...
From the Biopharmaceutical industry to teaching solar to kindergarteners – the path of an SEI alumnus
Saul Gonzalez Mendoza is an SEI alumnus from Puerto Rico. With no previous background in solar, Saul completed two SEI Certificate Programs (in both english and spanish) and is finishing his third one. He also earned his NABCEP associate credentials. Highlights of his solar journey include working on Footprint Project solar installations alongside of communities that helped energize areas most affected by hurricane Maria, becoming ...
Kathy Swartz, SEI’s Executive Director, elected as new board member of Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)
PAONIA, CO. – Solar Energy International (SEI) is thrilled to announce that Kathy Swartz, SEI’s Executive Director, was recently elected as a board member of Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). Swartz is one of four other newly elected at-large SEIA members that will serve for a two-year tenure, helping SEIA create strategies that facilitate growing tax and trade policies, strong state solar markets and secure ...
Intersolar North America 2020 is coming – get FREE access to the Expo Hall before Dec. 31, 2019
Intersolar North America is the premier solar event that connects innovators and decision makers in the solar + energy storage industry. With a dynamic exhibition floor and robust conference program, Intersolar North America provides business-to-business professionals a platform to advance business, expand education, and drive networking. Happening February 4-6 in San Diego, California, immerse yourself in three days of face-to-face business and networking and cutting-edge technical ...
SEI’s Solar In the Schools (SIS) outreach program hosts its sixth Solar Lab Days for Delta County 8th graders
This week SEI's Solar In the Schools (SIS) outreach program hosted its sixth Solar Lab Days for Delta County 8th grade students. Due to weather 3 of the 4 middle schools were able to participate. Over two days 160 students spent the day at SEI’s campus rotating through hands-on energy labs which included lessons and activities in energy efficiency, climate change, solar site analysis, testing properties of ...