Happy Summer Solstice! Are you 100 for 100?

Paul Ruiz envisions a world powered by renewable energy. He grew up in an off-grid cabin in the rural mountains of Costa Rica powered by solar and hydropower. He accessed electricity for the essentials only – lighting and refrigeration. He rode wild horses, wrangled cattle, and built things with his hands. As a young adult ...

By |2018-06-19T18:24:27-06:00June 19th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Charitable Programs|Comments Off on Happy Summer Solstice! Are you 100 for 100?

With SEI’s help, high school students in Delta County install solar photovoltaic systems on their schools

Students at Paonia and Delta High Schools who are a part of Solar Energy Internationals High School Technical Training and Careers Pathways Program installed solar systems on their schools earlier this year. Nine Paonia High School students worked during their class period for a week alongside Empowered Energy Systems LLC, who donated their time to ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:17-06:00April 23rd, 2018|Categories: Charitable Programs, Solar Forward, Solar Training (Electric), Solarize Blog, Solarize Events, Solarize-blog-posts, Special Events|Comments Off on With SEI’s help, high school students in Delta County install solar photovoltaic systems on their schools

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 ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:17-06:00April 17th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Battery-Based, Charitable Programs, Developing World, Solar Training (Electric)|Comments Off on Would you walk a mile for water?

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 ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:17-06:00April 9th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Battery-Based, Charitable Programs, Developing World, eNewsletter|Comments Off on Lighting the fire: A message from SEI Alumni Bilal Ahmed

SEI’s Solar in Schools achieves new milestone: First successful 10 kW high school install in Paonia

Nine Paonia High School students who are participating in Solar Energy International’s high school solar course had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience installing a solar system for their school this February. They worked during their class period for a week alongside Empowered Energy Systems LLC, who donated their time to the project, to install ...

By |2018-03-27T19:38:46-06:00March 27th, 2018|Categories: Charitable Programs, Solar Training (Electric), Solarize Blog, Solarize Events, Solarize-blog-posts|Comments Off on SEI’s Solar in Schools achieves new milestone: First successful 10 kW high school install in Paonia

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 ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:20-06:00February 18th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Alumni Highlight, Charitable Programs, Developing World, Solar Training (Electric)|Comments Off on SEI Alum spearheads Village Solar Technician Accreditation (ViSTA) Program in the Philippines

2017 National Solar Jobs Census: SEI supports solar job market growth

The 2017 National Solar Jobs Census, the leading and most comprehensive report on solar labor market trends in the United States, was made public on Wednesday, January 2, revealing that solar jobs increased in 29 states with emerging solar markets including Utah, Arizona, Minnesota, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee and others. The annual report, by ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:20-06:00February 8th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Battery-Based, Charitable Programs, Solar Training (Electric)|Comments Off on 2017 National Solar Jobs Census: SEI supports solar job market growth

Solar Service Projects in the Himalaya, in memory of SEI Instructor Mike Sullivan

Solar Service Projects in the Himalaya, in memory of SEI Instructor Mike Sullivan! Click here to learn more and apply: https://www.sanjuancollege.edu/learning/departments/global-studies/travel-study/india-solar-project-in-the-himalaya/ SEI is pleased to share San Juan Community College’s Solar Project in the Himalaya, from June 16-29 in the Ladakh region of northern India. The class will be limited to 12 people. Not only will ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:21-06:00January 30th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Charitable Programs, Developing World, Solar Training (Electric)|Comments Off on Solar Service Projects in the Himalaya, in memory of SEI Instructor Mike Sullivan

A message from SEI Executive Director Kathy Swartz–Thank you!

To Our Supporters, Friends, and Alumni, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We are so pleased to announce that we reached our goal of raising $120,000 to build our first international training facility in Costa Rica! We couldn’t have done it without you! The solar training facility in Costa Rica will serve people within the ...

By |2018-02-12T20:21:52-07:00January 30th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Battery-Based, Charitable Programs, Developing World, Solar Training (Electric)|Comments Off on A message from SEI Executive Director Kathy Swartz–Thank you!

Solar, in spite of the tariff, will continue to thrive and disrupt

A message from Kathy Swartz, Solar Energy International (SEI) Executive Director Dear Friends and Alumni of SEI, On Monday, January 22, the Trump Administration made a deciding call on the anticipated solar trade case, announcing a 30 percent tariff on imported solar cells and modules, to taper off by five percent over four years. While ...

By |2020-10-21T13:36:22-06:00January 25th, 2018|Categories: Alumni, Battery-Based, Charitable Programs, Developing World, Solar Professionals Certificate Program, Solar Training (Electric), Solar Training (Thermal), Special Events|Comments Off on Solar, in spite of the tariff, will continue to thrive and disrupt