NEWS
Serving Those Who Have Served
At SEI, we are proud to support all U.S. military service members who are currently wearing the uniform or have honorably served our country in the past through our Veteran’s Program. In recent years, we helped launch the Solar Ready Veterans Program through the Department of Energy's SunShot initiative, offering our training to help veterans start their solar career journey. Today, one of the ways ...
The Future is Bright for Our Youth Thanks to the Solar in the Schools Program
SEI’s Solar In the Schools (SIS) program is empowering K-12 teachers and students through renewable energy training, both online and in-person through experiential learning. This year, the program delivered hands-on learning presentations and training to over 800 students! With two focuses of the program, one aligned with younger students (K-8), and the other aimed at highschoolers, the program is having an impact across ...
A Life-changing Experience with Solar Education: Anaide’s Story
Solar Installation and Project Development is still a male-dominated sector of the solar industry, with just 27.8% of workers identifying as female. But through your support, SEI is changing that narrative by offering life-changing trainings and resources to women entering the solar workforce. Not only are we narrowing the gender gap and shifting the statistics, but we are empowering women to take a ...
Hispanic and Latinx’s Impact on the Future Solar Workforce
SEI has been training Spanish speakers worldwide since 2014, with over 15,000 people taking part in our program - and we're still counting! While the success of this milestone is meaningful to us and our longtime U.S. & Latin America partners, how does Hispanic and Latinx participation impact the solar workforce at large? Hispanics and Latinxs projected to represent 78% of new U.S. net workers ...
2022 Milestones and Empowering our Future
From all of us here at Solar Energy International (SEI), we want to say a big thank you for your support through tuition payments, partnerships, and donations! With your help, 2022 has been a year of growth towards our goal of empowering students, alumni and partners to build a well-trained solar workforce. Some 2022 highlights include: Students Trained In Scholarship Funds ...
Grist: Solar power’s continued success rests on diversifying its workforce
Meeting projected demand will require a far larger pool of installers and technicians. Employing women and people of color is the industry's best chance to achieve that. I’ve been working in the solar industry across three continents for nearly 20 years. I’ve been a part of community installations, and I’ve supported women in the remote Indian islands of Sundarbans as they’ve expanded their solar charging ...
SEI’s letter to Colorado Governor Jared Polis: Ambitious renewable energy goals? We can help!
Colorado Governor Jared Polis was sworn into office in January touting the nation's most ambitious renewable energy goal, 100% renewable energy by 2040. This goal surpasses the notably progressive states of Hawaii and California, which have historically paved the way to RE-friendly policies, with both pledging to make the switch by 2045. Solar Energy International (SEI)'s industry-leading solar technical training center has been located in ...
SEI is leading two FREE technical seminars at Middle East Electricity, sign up for a free visitor’s pass today!
In less than two months Solar Energy International (SEI) will be leading two free technical seminars at Middle East Electricity running March 5-7 in Dubai. If you haven't already registered, you can sign up for a free visitor's pass to attend the "world's largest power conference," which includes power professionals from over 130 countries and 1500 exhibitors from around the globe. In its 43rd year, ...
More than Energy Savings: Why Your School Should Go Solar
Written by Stefan Johnson, SEI AmeriCorps VISTA In Western Colorado, where Solar Energy International (SEI) is headquartered, we’ve been applying our industry-leading technical training to the education of the next generation. Most of the 65,000 individuals who have received our training have been adults, but we're increasing our impact with younger demographics by partnering with high schools. SEI launched the High School Solar Career and ...
Congratulations from SEI: Solar Access Team wins first place for innovative community solar business model
Solar Energy International wants to acknowledge and congratulate the Access Solar team for taking first place in the business model pitch competition, and second place in the business plan presentation competition, that represented the culmination of their work in Colorado State University’s Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise (GSSE) MBA program. The team is made up of four incredibly talented and driven women: Addison Arnold, Luciana ...
Colorado: The epicenter of a pivotal renewable energy shift
Colorado has been the epicenter of a pivotal shift in the energy industry this past week. From a groundbreaking announcement of the state’s largest utility moving to zero carbon emissions by 2050 followed by a municipal utility making a similar pledge, to a rural electric cooperative in the West asking state regulators to weigh in on a fair exit fee from their coal-heavy electricity supplier, ...
SEI accepted to participate in the My Career Advancement Account Scholarship Program, provides financial assistance to military spouses
Solar Energy International (SEI) loves training active duty military and Veterans and now we can offer training funding for spouses too! We are excited to have been accepted to participate in the The My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Scholarship Program. MyCAA is a workforce development program (sponsored by The Department of Defense) and provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who ...
Solar Energy International Secures Scholarship Funding, Now Enrolling for Women Training Women Program October 2022
SOLV Energy invests in a more diverse solar future through scholarship funds Solar Energy International (SEI), the world’s leading renewable energy technical training and education provider, today announced it has secured scholarship funding for its new SEI Women in Solar Power program. The SEI Women in Solar Power program was created to empower women (and anyone who identifies as such in a significant way) world-wide ...
SOLV Energy partners with Solar Energy International (SEI) to Launch Women in Solar Program
Paonia, CO., June 9, 2022 – SOLV Energy and Solar Energy International (SEI) announced today their partnership to create the SEI Women in Solar program to empower women and non-binary people from all over the world through solar energy training, networking, mentorship, and clean energy employer / job connections. The goal of this program is to create a global network of women and non-binary people ...
pv magazine: Solar jobs: 80,000 trained in the last three decades, over the next three years… double that
Solar has gone on an impressive journey, rising from a fledgling technology to a relevant part of the overall power generation mix, and the dominant technology in newly deployed projects. In 2012, about 2.7 GW of solar was reported to be active by the Energy Information Administration, and now, as of the end of 2021, 92.5 GW are installed. That’s an increase of over 3000% ...
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 ...
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 ...
Solar Energy International and Mayfield Renewables Team Up to Offer Online Energy Storage Training
PAONIA, CO. - The cooperative relationship between Solar Energy International (SEI), the industry-leading training organization for solar professionals, and PV design firm Mayfield Renewables goes back decades. In January 2022, the two organizations will start a new collaborative chapter by hosting two training courses developed by Mayfield Renewables on SEI’s online educational platform. The launch represents their first official educational collaboration. SEI’s Executive Director, ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) and Red Cloud Renewable Launch Tribal Train the Trainer Program
SEI is proud to once again join hands with Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCR) bringing advanced solar PV expertise, with an accessible technical curriculum that puts power into the hands of learners. Our ‘Tribal Train the Trainer’ model creates a new web of skillful solar trainers, equipped to initiate solar teaching and related projects in their own communities. Collaboratively, with generous support from All Points North Foundation, ...
Happy Earth Week: Here’s Your Chance to Win a FREE SEI Class!
HAPPY EARTH WEEK! Monday, April 22 is officially Earth Day, but at Solar Energy International (SEI) every day is Earth Day. We’re taking this week to celebrate the successes and journeys of our SEI students and alumni. On Earth Day we’re making a BIG announcement: One person in our network is going to receive an SEI online PVOL course of their choosing FOR FREE! Here’s ...
The Levi Heinold/Mountain Power Scholarship
Scott Ely and Sunsense Solar created this scholarship to honor Levi Heinold by empowering aspiring solar professionals to complete SEI’s entry-level solar training and certification. From Scott Ely: One of my best friends and long-time solar buddy, Levi Heinold, passed away in late February of 2018. As I continue to wrestle with this reality, I got to thinking about what he represented to anyone and ...
Thanks to SEI AmeriCorps VISTAs, Delta County becomes second smallest County in the U.S. to receive prestigious solar-friendly designation
Solar Energy International (SEI)’s AmeriCorps VISTAs helped pave the way for Delta County, Colorado to receive a Gold designation from the national SolSmart program for making it faster, easier, and more affordable for homes and businesses to go solar. The initial Bronze designation in 2017, also a VISTA-led effort, recognized Delta County for taking measurable steps to encourage solar energy growth and remove obstacles to ...
Climate-related catastrophe is omnipresent, take action NOW with Solar Energy International (SEI)
On Monday the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released a report that reveals the severe impact of climate change may be experienced well within the lifetime of the general world population, if dramatic policy changes don’t happen fast. How fast? To prevent 2.7 degrees of warming, the report recommends that greenhouse pollution should be reduced by 45 percent from 2010 levels by 2030, and 100 ...
Members of the SEI community team up with San Juan College for a service trip in the Himalayas
For two weeks this past June, several members of the SEI family together with volunteers from San Juan College participated in a solar project in the Himalayas. In a continuation of the late SEI instructor Mike Sullivan’s humanitarian work on the Tibetan Plateau and throughout the world, SEI instructor Chris Brooks and San Juan College professor and longtime friend of Mike, Chris Strouthopoulos led the ...
SEI partners with Kenneth King to provide scholarships
Solar Energy International (SEI) is excited to announce a new scholarship opportunity provided by the Kenneth King Foundation. Established in 1990, the Kenneth King Foundation is a private, grantmaking organization. Located in Denver, Colorado, the Foundation’s mission is to perpetuate and expand the humanitarian principles developed by their late founder Kenneth King. Today, they support organizations that provide basic needs, create jobs, and foster entrepreneurship. ...
Response to COVID-19: SEI launches Global Solar Connection Initiative
Greetings from Solar Energy International (SEI)! During these challenging times as a global community combating the COVID-19 outbreak, we are facing an unprecedented battle. We wanted to reach out to all of our students, alumni, employers, and supporters to let you know SEI is open for business and that we are pushing forward with our mission. SEI is here to serve the world to provide ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) announces new BayWa r.e. Scholarship Fund
Solar Energy Education Advances Workforce through BayWa r.e. Scholarship Fund Paonia, Colo., March 16, 2020 – Solar Energy International (SEI) and BayWa r.e. Solar Systems LLC (BayWa r.e.) today announced that they’re entering a partnership to create a scholarship fund, awarding over $10,000 in solar training tuition fees to SEI students. The BayWa r.e. Scholarship Fund will contribute 100% of tuition fees to nine, hand-selected ...
Solar Energy International (SEI) announces Educational Partnership with Generac
Solar energy education now available to affiliated Generac installers and dealers Waukesha, Wis., January 29, 2020 — GeneracⓇ Power Systems (NYSE: GNRC) has today announced its partnership with Solar Energy International (SEI) to provide online and in-person training programs for the Company’s dealers and installers interested in expanding into the solar industry. The partnership provides incentive for Generac dealers and installers to gain professional training ...
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 ...
Solar Energy International, SolarReviews, Solar-Estimate.org, and Solar Power Rocks Launch Educational Partnership for Consumers
The new partnership will combine best quality assurance practices from a technical training and consumer protection standpoint. November 19, 2019 - Paonia, CO - Solar Energy International (SEI), SolarReviews, Solar-Estimate.org and Solar Power Rocks are joining forces to bring new resources to solar energy consumers on SolarReviews’ industry-leading quality assurance platform. As the largest consumer website for reviews of solar installation companies in America, SolarReviews ...
SEI, Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA) and GRID Alternatives team up to host Solar Career Expo
The free Solar Power and Energy Storage Mountain West Expo connects industry employers with prospective clean energy career seekers The Expo is powered by Solar Ready Colorado, a partnership between Solar Energy International, GRID Alternatives, and the Colorado Solar and Storage Association AURORA, Colo. -- Solar Energy International (SEI), Colorado Solar and Storage Association (COSSA), and GRID Alternatives are teaming up for the third year ...
SEI selected as the Leading Training Organization at Solar Power Mexico 2019
Solar Energy International (SEI) will be offering a total of 11 solar energy workshops during Solar Power Mexico 2019. The event will take place at the Citibanamex Center, Mexico City, Mexico from March,19-21. Solar Power Mexico is organized by three of the leading trade show companies in the world: Deutsche Messe, SNEC PV Power Expo, and Solar Power International (SPI) have joined forces to help ...
SEI Will be the Leading Training Organization at Solar Power Mexico 2019
Solar Energy International (SEI) will be offering a total of 6 solar energy workshops during Solar Power Mexico 2019. The event will take place at the Citibanamex Center, Mexico City, Mexico from March,19-21. Solar Power Mexico is organized by three of the leading trade show companies in the world: Deutsche Messe, SNEC PV Power Expo, and Solar Power International (SPI) have joined forces to help ...
SEI Mourns the Loss of Ed Marston, Former Board President and Champion of SEI
By Kathy Swartz, Executive Director I remember the day so clearly. We were gathered together and brainstorming SEI’s vision statement, and Ed Marston said, “What about ‘a world powered by renewable energy’?” And the room became quiet. It was perfect—visionary and simply stated. It’s with great sorrow that I share with you that Ed Marston, long-time board president and SEI champion, died last Friday, August ...
The SEI Solar Sisters String Band rocks out at Solar Battle of the Bands! And other Intersolar updates
In case you missed it... The SEI Solar Sisters String Band made their public debut performing at the 2018 Solar Battle of the Bands! This was a very historical moment for Solar Energy International (SEI). The Solar Sisters String Band proudly represented the SEI Team and our 60,000+ students and alumni from all over the world. What a night! Check out this video of our ...
In Colorado next month: Come out to the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association Summer Solstice (We’ll be there!)
A message from the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA): "Join COSEIA and New Energy Colorado at our Summer Solstice Concert in the park! Celebrate with us with fantastic live music, food and drinks as we celebrate our successes and an industry and prepare for the future. Our event will be held on Wednesday June 20th from 5:30pm-9:30pm at the Lakewood Heritage Center - 801 ...
Media Queries
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SEI is Hiring a New Team Member to our Popular and Expanding Spanish Program
Solar Energy International, a world leader in renewable energy education is hiring a Program Assistant for our growing Spanish Solar Program. The Spanish Program Assistant serves as the office and program support person for the SEI Spanish Program. Deadline to apply is February 12, 2015. Candidates should have strong written and verbal skills in the Spanish language. This is a full time hourly position located ...
Solar Forward kicks off 2020 consulting with a new community partner: Crestone
Solar Forward is excited to announce that its first partnered region for a Solar Forward outreach campaign this year will be the town of Crestone and the surrounding Baca-area. Solar Energy International (SEI) has partnered with the locally-based Crestone-Baca Resiliency Energy Group, who will oversee a Solar Forward outreach campaign aimed at kickstarting a solar market, with SEI providing technical consulting along the way. This ...
New year new milestones: SEI moves ‘Solar Forward’ in 2020
Solar Forward wrapped up 2019 celebrating a year with over 1 MW of new installations across Colorado, and we’re moving into 2020 with exciting new goals and partnerships. Here are some of our program highlights from 2019, and a look ahead into 2020. The numbers: 2019 was a big year for Solar Forward. We partnered with three counties: Gunnison, Montrose and Summit. The results of ...
Gunnison County: The lasting impact of Solar Forward on communities
Nunatek Alternative Energy Solutions was the chosen solar installation company for the Solarize Gunnison County program, which launched with the help of Solar Forward technical consulting in 2019. A year out from the program launch, Lena Wilensky of Nunatek reports on the positive impact Solar Forward, and the Solarize Gunnison program, has had on the business. According to Lena, Nunatek AES has been installing in ...
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 ...
Solar Forward: Successful Summit County Solarize launch, Montrose moves forward with planning process
Solar Energy International (SEI)’s Solar Forward technical consulting program is helping communities kickstart solar markets across Colorado! We’re excited to share some recent updates. SEI is currently partnered with the High Country Conservation Center (HC3) in Summit County, and a Montrose Solarize Coalition in the City of Montrose, providing technical assistance to both of these teams to help them implement Solarize programs. Summit County officially ...
Gunnison County experiences ‘surge of solar development’ following Solarize campaign supported by Solar Forward
Results are in! Solar Energy International (SEI)’s first partnered community through the Solar Forward program, Gunnison County, has officially concluded their Solarize program. Their efforts resulted in over 100 kW of new, installed solar in the County, and solar market development that spans beyond the Solarize campaign. Check out the final results by the numbers: 15 residential solar projects installed* 100 kW total in combined ...
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
SEI Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with scholarships for U.S. Spanish-speaking residents
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from September 15th through October 15th to recognize a diverse range of people with Spanish-speaking backgrounds and honor their heritage, culture, spirit and extraordinary contributions as Hispanic Americans. At SEI we want to celebrate all of our Spanish-speaking students who inspire us daily with their initiative, commitment and dedication to pursuing the energy transition in their ...
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, ...
CANCELLED: SEI is leading multiple technical training seminars at SPI 2021
While many of SEI’s team members were slated to attend SPI, the conference has been canceled due to Hurricane Ida. Click the button below to view more information. LEARN MORE
Solar Energy International (SEI) Names New Executive Director
We are pleased to announce that Elizabeth Sanderson has been named Executive Director of Solar Energy International (SEI), the Colorado-based, industry-leading, internationally recognized, not-for-profit educational organization. Elizabeth joins SEI with an impressive history of leadership and experience that will be leveraged to take our non-profit educational mission of a world powered by renewable energy to the next level. With credentials including COO and Director of ...
New scholarship fund offers solar energy education opportunities for Spanish Speaking U.S. Residents
$20,000 Scholarship Aims to Increase Latino Representation Among Clean Energy Industry; Create Equitable Professional Development Opportunities Within Solar Businesses Paonia, Colo., June 7, 2021. Solar Energy International (SEI) and SolarReviews announced today their partnership to create a scholarship fund that provides financial assistance for U.S. residents with Spanish as their first language seeking solar energy education through SEI. The scholarship aims to increase hispanic representation among the ...