SOLAR ENERGY NEWS & TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
SEI & Solar Tech Collective (STC) Expand Training Partnership
Solar Energy International (SEI) is proud to deepen our partnership with Solar Tech Collective (STC) as we expand our continuing education offerings for the clean energy workforce. STC brings a wealth of experience to this collaboration—not only as instructors and curriculum developers for SEI’s non-profit mission, but also as trusted industry leaders shaping the future of solar education. Several members of the STC team ...
The Basics of Multi-Mode Solar
The renewable energy landscape is always progressing, and one of the more exciting developments is the rise of multi-mode solar systems. Representing the cutting edge of solar technology, these systems offer flexibility and reliability for homeowners and businesses alike. What Makes Multi-Mode Systems Special? Multi-mode solar systems are the Swiss Army knives of the solar world—versatile, adaptable, and ready for whatever comes ...
SEI Joins Global Solar Council to Standardize Worldwide Solar Training
Paonia, CO & Brussels, Belgium - October 22, 2025 – Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading non-profit organization focused on solar energy education, today announced it has joined the Global Solar Council (GSC) as a new member. This strategic move deepens SEI’s commitment to global collaboration, with a specific focus on establishing unified training standards to advance the international clean energy workforce. The partnership integrates ...
SEI Launches the Johnny Weiss Solar Energy Access for All Initiative
"The sun belongs to everyone. Solar education should too." - Johnny Weiss Today marks a significant milestone in Solar Energy International's mission to expand renewable energy education. We proudly announce the launch of the Johnny Weiss Solar Energy Access for All Initiative, a groundbreaking program that honors our co-founder's unwavering belief that renewable energy training should be accessible to everyone, everywhere. If you ...
SEI Partners with Lnotch Africa STEM Initiative to Bring Solar Education to Kenyan Schools
Solar Energy International (SEI) recently formed a new partnership with Lnotch Africa STEM Initiative to launch the "Solar in Schools – Kenya Chapter" program, bringing hands-on renewable energy education to underserved secondary schools across Kenya. Led by Lyhane Nidhamu and his team, the initiative will establish solar clubs in schools, provide comprehensive teacher training, ...
Ode to JW – Sentiments from Scott Ely
I first met Johnny in the Fall 1986 while working at Novan Energy in Boulder. One of my cohorts told me about the Solar Retrofit Program at Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. So, I rode up to Glenwood with my friend to check things out. Johnny, Ken Olson and Steve McCarney immediately sold me on the renewable energy path and I was off and ...
Native Americans Embrace the Sun
A New Way to Honor the Old Ways Pine Ridge, South Dakota (August 15, 2019) - Red Cloud Renewable (RCR) and Solar Energy International (SEI) are pleased to announce selection of the first class of Native Americans to receive a full scholarship as part of the professional level Tribal Train the Trainer (T4) Program for Solar Certification. Seven Native Americans, four men and three women ...
Fluke supports Solar Energy International (SEI) as industry sponsor through equipment donation
Fluke’s generous donation will be featured in SEI’s industry-leading lab training facility in Paonia, Colorado PAONIA, CO. –Solar Energy International (SEI) is excited to announce its collaboration with Fluke as a megawatt-level industry sponsor through SEI’s Industry Sponsorship Program. Fluke achieved megawatt sponsor status through a donation of professional electronic test tools and softwareto be featured in SEI’s industry-leading lab training facility in Paonia, Colorado. ...
Alumni Highlight: Josh Rogers, from SEI student to Director of Solar Operations for Duke Energy Renewables
At Solar Energy International (SEI), we love to share exciting news about what our alumni are up to as they move forward in their careers out in the field. Alumni Josh Rogers, currently the Senior Director of Workforce Safety, Training, and Operations at the American Clean Power Association, is driving industry-wide initiatives to enhance safety, asset performance, and worker effectiveness/efficiency. Josh's career journey began a ...
Alumni Highlight: From SEI student to 165 MW of solar projects across Minnesota!
John Middendorf attended Solar Energy International in 2008. After attending SEI, he worked for a small company called Apex out Saint Cloud, Minnesota. At Apex, John worked on residential and small commercial systems. In 2013, he started working for TruNorth Solar, where he built portfolios of up to 2.5 MW on rooftops and ground mounts. In 2015, John worked at Gehrlicher Solar, which turned into ...
SEI spinoff program Solar Rollers inspires youth with solar
A few years ago, SEI spun off Solar Rollers which was part of our Solar In the Schools program. Noah Davis started Solar Rollers, a PV-powered remote-controlled race car program for high schools, while working for SEI and went on to develop it into its own non-profit. Solar Rollers is now in it’s 3rd year and is growing by leaps and bounds. Solar Rollers mission ...
Check out the solar-powered clipper trike making its way across the Western U.S.!
This month, Eric Goakes stopped by Solar Energy International (SEI)’s campus in Paonia, Colorado during is cross country journey in his solar-powered “Clipper Trike.” The Trike is quite impressive! It can go up to 20mph on highways and interstates, in addition to having regenerative breaking and cruise control. It has 270W of solar on the bike which powers the motor on the rear wheel, a ...
Utah Solar Career Training Program Scholarship Launched by Solar Energy International (SEI) and AES
AES, a global energy company accelerating the future of energy and a leading developer of utility-scale solar generation, recently partnered with Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading solar training educational non-profit, to provide solar workforce development services in Utah. SEI's training program prepares people for a career in the clean energy sector with a focus on solar photovoltaic (electrical) technologies. With over 30 years of ...
Volunteers Sought to Expand National Effort Promoting Congregational PV Systems
Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) is seeking a small team of volunteers to expand its support to houses of worship who are considering installing a solar PV system. To date, over 1200 congregations in the United States have installed PV systems, but this is just a small fraction of those interested. Be a part of engaging faith communities towards environmental stewardship and climate action! ...
Pivot Energy Enables Renewable Energy Careers by Supporting Solar Energy International
Pivot Energy’s reinvestment will support SEI’s ambitious goal to train 270k+ solar workers by 2025 DENVER, CO: Today, Pivot Energy is excited to announce its efforts to support education and career development in the solar sector through its partnership with Solar Energy International (SEI). Pivot’s financial support will help the internationally recognized educational nonprofit open its widely respected renewable energy training courses to more students, ...
Telluride Daily Planet: Never too young to learn about solar
It’s never too young to start learning about solar energy. On March 15, Andrea Wang, the Solar in the Schools program manager from Solar Energy International (SEI), visited Telluride Elementary to teach fourth graders about renewable sources of energy. "The goal is to bring up renewable energy literacy in schools and also get more understanding about solar electricity, talking about climate change and energy efficiency ...
Utah Business: AES launches solar scholarship for Utah residents
Utah — AES, a global energy company accelerating the future of energy and a leading developer of utility-scale solar generation, has collaborated with Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading solar training educational non-profit, announcing today their new partnership to provide solar workforce development services in Utah. The partnership includes two elements: a scholarship fund for individuals, and consulting services for colleges and universities. Both aspects aim to ...
SEI Announces Solar Workforce Training Program for Utah Residents
AES to provide scholarships to support the initiative Paonia, Colo., February 10, 2022 — AES, a global energy company accelerating the future of energy and a leading developer of utility-scale solar generation, has collaborated with Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading solar training educational non-profit, announcing today their new partnership to provide solar workforce development services in Utah. The partnership includes two elements: a scholarship ...
New scholarship fund offers solar energy education opportunities for Native Americans
Paonia, Colo., March 24, 2021. Solar Energy International (SEI) and REC Americas announced today their partnership to create a scholarship fund that provides financial assistance for Native American students seeking solar energy education through SEI. The scholarship aims to increase Native American Indian representation among the clean energy industry by awarding $10,000 in solar training tuition fees to hand-selected Native American students, helping to facilitate ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) announces two rural community partnerships for solar market development assistance
Garfield County and the Town of Nederland are slated to receive up to a year of technical advising through the Solar Forward program PAONIA, CO - Solar Energy International (SEI), an industry leader in solar energy technical training, is helping two Colorado communities kickstart solar markets through the Solar Forward Program in Q1 of 2021. The Town of Nederland, located in Boulder County, and ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) announces Executive Director, Kathy Swartz, will be stepping down
Greetings SEI Friends, Family and Supporters, Solar Energy International (SEI) has announced that our Executive Director, Kathy Swartz, will be stepping down as of May 31, 2021. Kathy has successfully led the industry-leading, internationally recognized, not-for-profit educational organization since 2012. “This has been such an incredibly difficult decision for me to make because I love this organization, the mission, and the people. I am so ...
NAES Corporation forms partnership with Solar Energy International (SEI) to deliver O&M Solar Technician training
Issaquah, WA., November 16, 2020 – NAES Corporation, one of the energy industry’s largest independent providers of operations, maintenance and repair services, has announced today their partnership with Solar Energy International (SEI) to provide Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Technician training to NAES employees. The collaboration, a continuation of NAES’ steadfast commitment to safety, integrity and quality of work, will provide professional solar education development to ...
Solar energy education opportunities expand for Coloradans through Kenneth King Foundation Scholarships
Paonia, Colo., October 27, 2020 – Solar Energy International (SEI) and the Kenneth King Foundation announced today their partnership with support from GRID Alternatives Colorado to provide underserved Coloradans scholarships for solar skills job training, as well as performance-based stipends and support services to reduce the financial burden of pursuing career training and job placement support. 14 Coloradans living in the Denver Metro area ...
Colorado Energy Office and Solar Energy International (SEI) launch strategic partnership to support communities working to transition to clean energy
STATEWIDE - Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020 - The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) today announced it has launched a formal partnership with Paonia-based educational non-profit, Solar Energy International (SEI.) This strategic partnership will expand the reach of resources to Colorado communities working to transition to cleaner energy and increase economic recovery and resiliency. The partnership will expand and promote SEI’s Solar Forward initiative and CEO’s Building ...
SEI offering technical training at the 2023 NABCEP CE Conference
The NABCEP 2023 CE Conference is a unique event that is created by solar professionals for solar professionals and is intended to provide an affordable continuing education option for professionals who are interested in gaining the skills and knowledge to stay ahead of their competition. Earn up to 22.5 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to recertify your NABCEP Board Certification or 18 hours ...
SEI is hosting multiple technical training seminars at RE+
Many of SEI’s team members will be attending and teaching at this year’s RE+ Conference (former SPI)! Join us in Anaheim between September 19-22, where you can connect with North American solar industry professionals and vendors as they share the latest insights impacting your business and showcase the newest products and services in the industry. RE+ gives you access to an attendee-base that represents over ...
SEI 15th Annual Instructor and Staff Training Week
This month SEI celebrated our 15th Annual Instructor and Staff Training Week. During this dedicated time, the brightest solar minds in the industry gathered to share knowledge, best practices, unique experiences, and good times! This year speakers included: Ken Gardner, SEI’s Board President presented the latest and greatest tips and tricks for installation. SEI instructor Zeke Yewdall gave a presentation focused on large off-grid ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Now Represented by Team Members on Two National Electrical Code (NEC®) Code-Making Panels
Paonia, CO, March 28, 2022 – Solar Energy International (SEI) is proud to announce our non-profit’s selection as members of Code-Making Panel 13 of the National Electrical Code (NEC®), which covers Article 706 “Energy Storage Systems” along with several other Articles germane to battery and storage applications. SEI Instructor Karo Fernandez has joined CMP-13 as the Principal, with noted PV and storage expert Jason Fisher ...
Join the Solar Ready Vets Network for a virtual hiring fair
Solar Ready Vets Network is proud to offer a virtual solar hiring fair to connect service members and veterans with careers in the rapidly growing solar industry. The event will focus on positions in craft, skilled trade and technical roles, such as: installation, electrical, operations and maintenance, technical sales, and more. Participating employers range from major national solar companies to regional companies, and the event ...
Native Americans from around the country continue to receive hands-on solar training
SEI is excited to once again be partnering with Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCR), Remote Energy and All Points North Foundation to provide an accessible technical training curriculum that puts power into the hands of the learners, equipping students to initiate solar teaching and related projects in their own communities. The program provides in-depth training, equipment, curriculum, and mentored co-teaching to 10 Native Americans from 37 Great Plains ...
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Blue Planet Energy Upgrades Solar Training Curriculum
For nearly 30 years, Solar Energy International (SEI) has been dedicated to training the global solar energy workforce. Instrumental in SEI’s curriculum is a Blue Ion battery with a recently-upgraded monitoring system, donated by Blue Planet Energy, enabling new digital training possibilities for future solar workforces. Blue Planet Energy’s Blue Ion battery is SEI’s only lithium-ion battery on campus, and its lithium iron phosphate ...
SEI’s Executive Director participates in PV Magazine Roundtables USA discussion
SEI’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Sanderson, recently took part in PV Magazine’s #RTUSA21 where she discussed what solar needs to expand, including the necessity for a diverse, inclusive and equitable workforce and creating better partnerships to facilitate job placement. Watch now!
How Far Have We Really Gotten With Alternative Energy?
There’s a lot of hype and confusion about carbon-free energy sources. This Wall Street Journal article looks at five of them: how much they produce, what they cost, and what obstacles they face. SEI's Executive Director, Elizabeth Sanderson, is briefly quoted in this extensive article. Note: you will need a WSJ subscription to access this article. READ FULL ARTICLE
Nextracker and Solar Energy International announce global scholarship to bring more women into solar
Nextracker and Solar Energy International (SEI) have announced their partnership to launch Half the Sun, a global scholarship program to support more women in joining the solar workforce. Women continue to be severely underrepresented in the solar industry, despite overwhelming agreement that a diverse workplace makes smart business sense. According the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), women account for only 28% of the Science, ...
Matthew Harris – Solar Energy International (SEI) Educational Programs in Latin America
Matthew harris first began his renewable energy journey in 1999 as a student of Solar Energy International (SEI) where he has also worked since 2004. Matthew holds a bachelor’s of science in architecture with a focus on restorative and resilient buildings. Matthew believes that the story of place is a key component to communities and to renewable energy development. during his time with ...
Solar Energy International helps two rural Colorado communities kickstart solar development
The Town of Nederland, located in Boulder County, and the entirety of Garfield County will implement holistic solar market development programs in their communities. Solar Forward provides the framework and materials for these programs, as well as a technical advisor to help community partners with implementation. The holistic approach includes tools to launch a solar bulk-purchase program, and access to free SEI solar workforce ...
Our Spanish free online course on Renewable Energy is updated, enroll today!
At Solar Energy International (SEI) we are committed to providing the best possible education in renewable energy, which is why our curriculum is frequently updated by our team of IREC (Interstate Renewable Energy Council) certified instructors to always be at the forefront of the industry. Our free online course RE100: Introduction to Renewable Energy covers the basics of renewable energy, and is a great introduction for ...
SEI opens it’s first international Solar Training Center in Costa Rica, enroll today!
2018 is just starting, and while we all started to work on our New Year’s resolutions, Solar Energy International (SEI) will be accomplishing one of its biggest projects this year: the inauguration of SEI’s first international Solar Training Center in Costa Rica. This new training facility will accelerate and expand access to world-class solar training to Spanish speakers throughout Latin America, in line with SEI’s ...
SEI Alumni Highlight: Daniel Saldarriaga – Vulcano Operations Director in Colombia Shares Advice and Experience
“—We can’t live on this planet leaving a CO2 mark - there has to be a way to change this destructive behavior that humans have. I think solar is a way to change that. Vulcano’s Operation Director - Daniel Saldarriaga “—On the other hand we have to help the economy. Not the macro economy which people in general doesn’t understand, but the day to day ...
SEI Instructor Empowers Students
Solar Energy International has worked since its inception in 1991 to empower people with training in renewable energy. Entering the industry in a country where solar was just getting off the ground, SEI Instructor Karo Fernandez understands the power of passing on knowledge in solar, and the endless opportunity that comes along with access to a new industry. “SEI has completely changed my perspective on ...
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 ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) Welcomes Pía Day to the Spanish Solar Training Program
SEI welcomes Pía Day to the team as the Marketing and Communication Assistant for the Spanish Program! With a degree in advertising and a background in social responsibility and innovation, she will help disseminate the mission of SEI across Latin America help increase the awareness of the Spanish Program within the Hispanic community. Through her participation with various nonprofits, Pía learned that giving just a ...
SEI Joins Forces with Amicus O&M Cooperative for 1.5 Million Grant Project
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) Fiscal Year 2022 Advancing Equity Through Workforce Partnerships has created a $13.5 million funding program for the development of collaborative workforce programs. The program facilitates the rapid deployment of solar energy technologies while supporting an inclusive workforce. This work, partly funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will enable more members of disadvantaged communities and ...
SEI Welcomes New Board President
Gerald Espinosa elected during March board meeting as former president Ken Gardner ends tenure Paonia, Colo., May 18, 2023 — Solar Energy International (SEI), a leading solar training educational non-profit organization, has announced that Gerald Espinosa from Pivot Energy was recently elected as their new Board President. Espinosa succeeds Ken Gardner, who served as Board President since 2016. Gerald joined SEI as an AmeriCorp VISTA in ...
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 ...
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.
Solar Power World: Solar and storage industry players launch equitable workforce training program
A new nationwide, equitable workforce training program has officially launched, called Building Equity in Solar Training (BEST). The program will provide skills-based training and certifications needed for a successful career in solar, energy storage and EV charging. Click here to read full article.
Working Safe in Solar: Your Tools Matter – Get 15% Off Fluke Tools
Working in solar can be both exciting and rewarding, but risks can loom large. While SEI strives to equip you with safety-minded education, the tools you use in the field play a vital role in your safety as well. To better protect yourself while working in potentially hazardous environments, SEI is proudly partnering with Fluke to offer you 15% OFF their industry-leading ...