The government is literally investing billions of dollars in green energy jobs, searching out new and improved ways of working with renewable energy resources and bringing them to the front so that they are primary sources of energy for the US and not merely reduced to being “alternative” energy sources. Once you have gained enough knowledge whether through education or experience, you will probably not have a difficult time getting a renewable energy training certificate. US law does not mandate the certifications in most instances but it is still required before you can bid on many government jobs for renewable energy. That alone should make the entire process worthwhile to anyone who is serious about looking for a career working with renewable energy and other alternative energy sources.

Perhaps the most profitable field when it comes to renewable energy is solar power. It seems as if the biggest “controversy” regarding solar power is the amount of space required for the solar panels to capture the solar energy which is converted to electricity. This may be an issue right now but with the new and improved, more efficient solar panel designs that are available these days, that will not even be an issue for much longer, much less any kind of real obstacle to get in the way of making solar power a primary source of renewable energy. It is also one of the primary reasons that the government is investing so much money into the solar power industry.

That alone should convince you that it may be a good idea to begin working now towards obtaining your renewable energy training certificate. US government funded jobs tend to create even more jobs and more demands for similar services and once the standards are set, it will be much more difficult to get in, get training and get certified to be eligible for those government renewable energy jobs. If you are serious about saving the environment or just looking for an excellent and open career opportunity with nowhere to go but up, start working now to get your renewable energy training certificate. US government subsidies and funding will not last forever.

Hydroelectric power is very practical as evidenced by the Hoover Dam but it takes great rivers to produce electrical power sufficient enough to supply even small segments of the population. The environmental issues associated with dam building also make hydroelectric power questionable as a viable renewable energy source for anything more than limited and generally local use. While it is quite efficient, it is not the ideal solution for utilizing new alternative energy resources and will not likely provide enough power to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels to any great extent.

Geothermal power is regularly produced in many areas but again there are geographical limitations that prevent it from being a viable replacement for oil and coal. When discussing renewable energy resources, this has to be taken into consideration as the ultimate goal is to produce zero or as little as possible of the electricity that is consumed using fossil fuels.

The most viable method for using renewable energy resources to totally replace the dependence on fossil fuels is using a combination of wind and solar powers. Still, even the solar power generators have issues and create more environmental controversy so perhaps even that is only going to be of very limited use in replacing the energy production currently undertaken by burning fossil fuels. This leaves one very promising alternative. When it comes to renewable energy resources, solar power is among the most viable of all of the options. At present, there may be some limitations due to restrictions of space and the size needed to create a solar energy farm of any real merit but those obstacles are quickly being overcome with new solar energy technology.

The new solar power technologies of today already provide extremely efficient solar panels that produce more electricity in much less space than their predecessors did. The use of improved photovoltaic cells has increased efficiency to the point that solar power may very well be the ultimate replacement for fossil fuels. For renewable energy resources to be a viable alternative, they have to be able to replace energy that is dependent on fossil fuels altogether. The sun currently produces over four thousand times the amount of energy being consumed by all of humankind. The only difficulty is that this energy is not currently being harvested and utilized. As solar energy and solar power technologies become more advanced, more energy will be generated in less and less space. When speaking about renewable energy resources, solar power may just be the talk of the town and the answer to our current energy crisis.

If you are working on a Do It Yourself solar project, you may think that you can get everything that you need from the internet without any type of formal training and for some people with enough natural ability to look at plans and see what will and what will not work, this may be true. Still, as with any field of study, there are certain things that only experience can teach you. One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of solar energy that is covered in basic Solar PV installer training is the seemingly simple process of handling the Photovoltaic cells. Most of the PV receptors are extremely sensitive and touching them with a bare hand can actually destroy them or at the very least, greatly decrease their efficiency and their ability to produce usable quantities of solar powered electric.

Another commonly overlooked issue with home based do it yourself solar projects is the maintenance of your solar panels. Again, this is a topic that is covered in Basic PV training courses. You cannot just slap your solar panels up on the rooftop and forget about them. To do so would see you quickly moving into the dark … in a very literal manner. Solar panels do have to be maintained. If you leave them exposed to the weather during extreme periods of climate change or storms, your solar panels may be damaged, costing you much more than any basic PV training ever would. If you live in an area where even light debris such as leaves, dust or other natural material may gather on your solar panels, again you are going to have to know how to properly clean and maintain your solar panels.

Even regular electrical systems need maintenance. I would be willing to bet you nickels to dollars that you have probably not had your breaker panel tightened down even though any electrical contractor can tell you that it must be done on a regular basis. Yet many people gladly pay the additional costs on their electrical bills due to lost power simply because they do not know that it has to be maintained, much less how to maintain a buss panel. Basic PV training will teach you all of the rudimentary aspects of PV power production and solar energy technology as it is today. If you decide that you do want to learn more, additional courses in PV training are always available from accredited and licensed solar energy training facilities.

Finding a solar panel training school is about much more than just discovering somebody to show you the way that photovoltaic cells and solar panels work, it involves discovering a school of solar energy that can help you to get the certifications you need to get a job in the ever-expanding field of solar and wind energy or green jobs. The American government is throwing massive amounts of subsidies into the creation and expansion of green jobs including solar energy, solar training and photovoltaic panel installation, maintenance and repair. All of the training in the world will not do you any good unless you receive the proper NABCEP certifications that you need to become actively involved in the creation of green jobs.

Solar Power Training Certification is now required in many states in order to get one of the increasing number of jobs in renewable energy and even to bid on these jobs, Solar Power Installation Training and certification is required in many other states. While it is important to understand all of the principles of solar panels, training should include more than just the basics of solar panel installation and maintenance. What better place to study wind and solar training than in a NABCEP Certified Testing Center? The Boots on the Roof Six Day Boot Camp offers you the opportunity to study solar power and other renewable power sources within a NABCEP certified testing center. Not only will you have the chance to become comfortable working around renewable energy sources, you will also have the opportunity to grow more comfortable and relaxed in the same environment where you will be taking your Solar Certification Testing.

For those people who are more comfortable planting their boots on a roof than flying around the country, there is also online solar training available. You do not even have to put your boots inside the classroom at all if you are more comfortable that way. With Boots on the Roof’s online solar power training courses, you can still get everything that you need to pass the Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge of PV Systems or Photovoltaic systems. Boots on the Roof’s Wind and Solar Training is a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar Energy Training classes both online and on campus to better suit your needs. When you are looking for schools for Photovoltaic Design and Installation, you need look no further than one of Boots on the Roof’s 6 Day Boot Camps. On campus or online, this is THE resource for all of your wind and solar training needs.

The new solar technology is made by improved designs for the solar panels and their components. These days, solar panels take up a lot less room and work far more efficiently. The components are state of the art and there is more power generated and less power loss when the solar panels are tied in to the home or buildings commercial electrical system. These designs also allow for the new solar technology to be installed much cheaper than traditional solar panel installations and with a lot less mounting and housing required. This means that in addition for it being less expensive, the installation of solar panels on your home no longer has to be an eyesore to all of your neighbors.

A look inside the housing for the new solar technology is where the first and most obvious changes can be found. The housing for the photovoltaic cells is much more aerodynamic than ever before allowing the air to pass through the solar panels meaning they get buffeted around much less and thus, last longer and work more efficiently. Additional new solar technologies include the use of thin-film solar panels that are not only smaller but lighter weight and a lot easier for the final installation. What is really most amazing regarding the new solar technology is the actual photovoltaic cells themselves.

While the old photovoltaic cells were very limited in scope and how they could absorb the sunlight to convert it to electrical current, the new solar technology for photovoltaic cells allows these cells to work much more efficiently creating more energy in the same amount or even less space as their ancient solar panel counterparts. The new photovoltaic cells have a cylindrical shape that allows them to collect the sunlight from all three hundred and sixty degrees making them a lot less limited in the amount of time throughout the day that they are absorbing sunlight and generating electricity.

The old photovoltaic cells only absorbed sunlight for a limited amount of time each day and could only produce electrical for that limited amount of time making them extremely limited in both scope and efficiency. The new solar technology for these cells allows them to capture and collect sunlight for the production of electricity no matter where the sunlight is coming from even if it is diffused or indirect sunlight. The new solar technology is very impressive but hopefully it is only a good sign of things to come.

There are currently a variety of solar training programs available. Some are targeted at the working student who cannot afford to take time away from work. Those programs offer weekend and evening courses, and some even offer the classroom portions online. Virtually all solar school programs concerned with installation of solar systems have a large portion of the program dedicated to hands-on training. These programs are especially crucial to training carpenters and electricians in how to use their existing skills for the purpose of advancing renewable energy.

Another encouraging aspect of the training available for those interested in pursuing careers in clean renewable energy is that the new programs are open to a greater variety of students. In the past, studies and job training in environmental science were available only to people holding academic credentials. Generally these courses were part of science and engineering departments at large well-funded universities. But today’s solar school can be a small operation with no affiliation with an academic university. A person who has absolutely no academic credentials, such as a construction laborer with no college but an intense interest in solar energy, can gain a solar energy credential and look forward to a more secure job.

Generally when we first think of jobs involving solar energy we think only of the jobs that pertain to the installation of the solar systems in homes and businesses. Certainly that is a large part, if not the largest part, of the jobs available, but it is important to remember that there will also be jobs in the development of new products and systems as well as in the marketing of such systems. Just like other product industries spawn mini industries in a supporting role, solar energy will need an array of people involved in everything from design and invention to sales. For this reason when we think of studying at a solar school we need to remember that the schools will be varied. Some will be small trade schools with the sole purpose of offering a solar panel installation certificate, while other schools will be located in large universities where portions of the engineering or business departments are devoted to training students in various roles concerning solar technology.

According to many experts the need for qualified personnel and the need for solar schools will continue to increase. For those new to the workforce or those that want to compliment their existing skills a certification in solar technology may be the best way to spend money on education and get an immediate return on the investment.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar Thermal and PV Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

Why? The answer is because wiring a building to run off of solar power requires very different technologies and skill sets than wiring a building to run off of the local electrical power grid.

Using local grid power, regular home construction electricians are used to accessing a constant, regulated, steady flow of electricity from the local power grid. All they have to do is distribute that constant flow of electricity throughout the building via the standard residential electrical wiring network.

Solar power, however, is much more complex. Under solar power systems, electricity comes not from the local power grid, but from the sun. Solar panels in the roof convert sunlight to electricity. Consequently, the flow of electricity is neither regulated nor constant. To overcome this problem, electricity generated by the solar panels is stored in battery banks. The batteries, in turn, provide a regulated, steady flow of electricity to the building. If the batteries are depleted, the home electrical network needs to be able to switch seamlessly back over to the local power grid.

All this, obviously, adds an extra layer of complexity to wiring a building’s electrical network. Any electrician specialized in dealing with it will be in high demand in the solar power industry.

How will I use my Solar Power Training Certification–What Does a Solar Electrician Do?

In addition to wiring a home or building with the usual electrical network, a solar electricians must also set up the solar energy battery banks. This is not as easy as it sounds. The solar electrician must know what type of batteries to use, and how many will be needed. If there is more than one battery (as with all but the most basic solar power system there will be), the solar electrician will need to set up load-balancing equipment to charge and deplete the multiple batteries evenly. The electricity will also need to be converted from DC power to the 120-volt AC power used in the building’s wall outlets.

Solar electricians also need to be also to install instrumentation to measure the charge in the battery banks, and control mechanisms to switch over to local grid power when the battery banks are almost drained. Today, very few homes are capable of being powered entirely by solar energy. Most use a combination of solar and grid power, using the solar power produced merely to reduce their monthly power bill.

How Do I Become a Solar Electrician?

At least an Associate’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field would be the required to qualify as a Solar Electrician. Obviously, a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree you be preferable. If possible, attend a solar school rather than a community college or a vocational school program to get solar panel installation training. Not only will a solar school train you in the specializations needed to work with solar power systems, but you’ll learn more about solar power in general. Both of these will make your degree more attractive for a solar power company, and increase your chances of being hired.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable Energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Solar PV Installation Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

Specifically, Solar Laboratory Technicians pioneer new ways to improve and diversify ways of gathering sunlight, turning it into electricity, storing it, and utilizing that energy.  Similar research & development laboratory positions exist, however, in other areas of the renewable energy economy.  Green power companies involved in wind power, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, and biomass gases all need research scientists and technology architects.  And this isn’t even mentioning the many other new alternative energy technologies that are currently being explored, but have yet to become well-known household terms.

Obviously, being a Solar Laboratory Technician requires a large amount of detailed knowledge of solar electronics.  The most common and well-known type of solar power systems are photovoltaic solar arrays  that convert sunlight into electricity.  The development of solar cells that can generate more electricity, automatic tracking systems to follow the movement of the sun to optimize the efficiency of solar arrays, and batteries that can store more electricity for longer periods of time are all things that Solar Laboratory Technicians research, build, and test.

There are many other types of non-electric solar power, however, that a Solar Laboratory Technician should be familiar with.  An example is thermal solar cells, which convert sunlight into heat.  Other areas include passive solar systems, an area of research that seeks to optimize variables such as location, weather, architecture, windows, and insulation to heat or cool a building by either absorbing or reflecting sunlight.  Finally, another form of solar energy utilizes focusing lenses and mirrors to concentrate sunlight and thermal energy.  Applications of this technology include warming homes, heating water, and even boiling water for electricity-producing steam turbines.

Requirements for Becoming a Solar Laboratory Technician

Obviously, Solar Laboratory Technicians must possess a greater knowledge of solar power systems that solar panel installer-roofer or maintenance technician.  In fact, Solar Laboratory Technicians require some of highest education and most thorough training of all careers in the green energy economy.  Solar Laboratory Technicians need to understand applied and theoretical science, as well was the design, development, engineering, construction, and testing of electronics, particularly electrical power systems.

Solar Laboratory Technicians should also have practical experience using scientific equipment, tools, and instrumentation.  Advanced mathematics, including calculus and statistical methods and applications, will most likely be a prerequisite.  The ability to read, interpret, analyze, and compile scientific data, charts, and graphs is also necessary.

To become a Solar Laboratory Technician, you would need at least a Bachelor’s degree in physics, chemistry, engineering, or material science.  A Graduate degree in any of there fields would be better.  Some companies might also accept an Associate’s degree if combined with at least two or more years of work experience in this field.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Alternative Energy Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

It is important to point out this is an industrial, not residential, construction job.  Being a residential Solar Fabrication Technician (usually referred to as Solar Installer-Roofers) requires a slightly different skill set.  Residential solar fabrication involves a lot of retrofitting solar power systems into existing buildings.  This most commonly involves setting up solar panels on the roof and wiring them into the building’s electrical power grid.  Consequently, residential Solar Fabrication Technicians are a combination of carpenter, roofer, and electrician.  Industrial Solar Fabrication Technicians, in contrast, work more with metal, concrete, and heavy construction equipment.

Being an industrial Solar Fabrication Technician involves a slightly different set of trade skills than residential technicians.  It involves less carpentry and more metalworking.  Furthermore, on an industrial scale, construction positions are more specialized.  Industrial Solar Fabrication Technicians build and erect freestanding solar collectors and can leave the wiring to the electricians.

Solar Fabrication Technicians need to be proficient in working with metal sheeting and tubing, usually steel and copper.  You must be able to cut, bend, file, drill, rivet, weld, and paint metal, using machine shop equipment such as jigsaws and band saws, drill presses, power brakes, pneumatic drills, and rivet guns.

Requirements for Becoming a Solar Fabrication Technician

A Solar Fabrication Technician is one of the careers in the green power segment that doesn’t necessarily require a college degree.  Work experience and training in construction and the trades are more that sufficient.  You’ll need to complete either a vocational school program, or a trade apprenticeship program in an area such as metalworking or pipefitting.  Even if you haven’t completed such a program, enough years of work experience in the trades may be enough to qualify you for a position as a Solar Fabrication Technician.

That being said, an academic degree certainly doesn’t hurt.  In some sun farms, the solar panels are mobile, designed to be able to tilt and rotate to follow the sun across the sky to collect the most direct sunlight.  In such cases, Solar Fabrication Technician positions might require varying degrees of mechanical aptitude as well and trade skills. An Associate’s or even Bachelor’s degree in engineering or material science would certainly increase your chances of landing a Solar Fabrication Technician position at such a sun farm.  It would also help you get promoted to foreman or other supervisory positions.

If you are looking for a job in the green economy, keep in mind that a Solar Fabrication Technician job is mostly a construction position.  If you take pride in your craft, are willing and able to perform sometimes strenuous manual labor, and don’t mind working outdoors in potentially very hot weather (most sun farms are located in California and the Southwestern deserts for obvious reasons), then you’d be a good fit for the Solar Fabrication Technician job.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Alternative Energy Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.

Solar Installer-Roofers are the people who install solar panels and solar cells in the roofs of residential and commercial buildings.  Currently, trained, qualified Solar Roofers are hard to come by these days, even in our quickly growing “green” economy.  Why?  Because a Solar Roofer must not only possess the trade skills and construction experience of a roofer, but must also be a competent solar electrician.

Solar Roofs

There are basically two different types of solar roofing jobs being done today: retrofitting and integrated.  Retrofitting is installing a solar panel on an existing roof.  Integrating is incorporating solar cells and panels into a new roof being built.

Solar electrician skills are less important for retrofitting solar roofing.  This is a relatively easy job.  It basically consists of mounting one or more solar panels on an existing roof, and feeding the wiring though the roof to the battery banks.  A regular roofer could do this, and leave the wiring to an electrician.

Retrofitted solar roofs, however, have many drawbacks.  Solar panels are bulky, more exposed to the elements of wind, rain, and snow, and many consider them to be an eyesore that drags down property values.  Consequently, integrated solar roofing has become increasingly popular.  The solar panels are actually built into the roof, the sides more or less flush with the rest of the roof.  Such solar panels are less exposed to harsh weather and more aesthetically pleasing.  It’s still obvious, however, that you have solar panels on your roof.

To compensate for this problem, solar cell manufactures have started producing “solar shingles.”  These are specialized roofing shingles that have photovoltaic solar cells built into them, but otherwise appear to be the same shape, size, and color as regular asphalt shingles.  Solar shingles can provide an entire building roof that is essentially one big solar panel, but (from a distance, at least) looks like any other roof.  Although solar shingle roofs are increasingly popular, they have also increased the demand for Solar Installer-Roofers.

Unlike solar panels in which all the solar cells are already wired together, solar shingles must be wired together into a solar array as they are applied to the roof.  Furthermore, the solar shingles need to be installed and wired together before the rest of the roof is installed with regular shingles, so that the wires from the solar shingles can be run along the ridge cap of the roof, where they are hidden from sight and protected from harsh weather.

Requirements for Becoming a Solar Installer-Roofer

Solar Installer-Roofers are usually made rather than found.  Unfortunately, few people today possess both roofing trade skills and solar electronics training.  Therefore, solar roofing companies either hire roofers and train them to be solar electricians or hire solar electricians and train them to install roofs.

If you are already a roofer, enter a two-year program in electrical engineering at a community college or vocational school.  Another option is an electrician apprenticeship trade program.  Either way, this should give you the electrical knowledge and experience necessary to qualify for a Solar Installer-Roofer position.  For there, your employer should train you on the specifics of their methods and equipment.

On the other hand, if you are already have an Associates or Bachelors in electrical engineering, or are a certified electrician, you’ll need to train to become a roofer as well.  Vocational schools should at least offer a few classes in this construction skill, and some might even offer full programs.  Another route is to enter a roofing apprenticeship trade program.

Boots on the Roof, a leading Renewable energy training institute, is enrolling students into its Alternative Energy Training classes. For more information on qualifications, Training Dates and Locations, click here.