Offered: Once per year

Targeted Audience:
PV-experienced individuals in the utility industry, building and engineering professions, state and local inspection agencies, electrical contracting and for current practitioners in the renewable energy or distributed generation field.

Program Goals & Objectives:
This program expands on the training of GLREA's PV Apprentice Course and provides advanced training that builds professional proficiency in optimal photovoltaic system design, application, business management and ethics for meeting the requirements of electric utility, state and local electrical standards.

Offered: Twice per year

Targeted Audience:
General market - homeowners, people who own cabins, RVs, etc. where they may not have access to the grid.

Program Goals & Objectives:
Teach people how to build a small-scale solar panel system (powers items that use no more than 500 watts). All of the supplies are provided and participants take the system home.

Offered: 2 times per year

Targeted Audience:
Soalr installers, homeowners, business people, and the public who are interested in learning detailed information about solar thermal systems.

Program Goals & Objectives:
This comprehensive seminar offers a technical level explanation of how various types of solar heating systems operate, their advantages and disadvantages, and issues regarding deployment in northern climates. Solar domestic hot water systems are discussed, as well as radiant floor heating systems, space heating with solar heated air panels, and dual mode air systems. Solar pool heating systems are covered briefly. This seminar elaborates on the material covered in GLREA's Introductory Renewable Energy Smeinar on solar water and space heating systems.

Introduction to Solar Photovoltaic Electric Technology

Offered: 4 times per year

Targeted Audience: 
Homeowners, business people and the public who are interested in learning more about photovoltaic electric systems.

Program Goals & Objectives:
Students gain a basic understanding of photovoltaic (PV) technology, inverters, batteries, and the function of a PV system. Students also learn about how these systems perform in Michigan and northern climates, and about what type of system will perform best for specific locations. The advantages and disadvantages of grid-intertied and battery backup systems are discussed.

Introduction to Solar Water and Space Heating Systems

Offered: 4 times per year

Targeted Audience:
Homeowners, business people and the public who are interested in learning more about solar thermal systems.

Program Goals & Objectives:
Participants learn how to use the sun’s energy for domestic uses (showers, sinks, washing machines) and for home heating. Attention is given to how these systems are easy to install and often pay for themselves in energy savings in just a few years. The class provides an overview of a variety of water and space heating systems.

Photovoltaic Apprentice Training

Offered: Twice per year

Targeted Audience:  
Individuals beginning a career as a PV system integrator, an electrical or mechanical engineer or a professional in the building construction industry

Program Goals & Objectives:
Combines classroom sessions with field experience to introduce the participant to distributed generation technologies and interconnection issues.

Photovoltaic Intermediate Seminar

Offered: Twice per year

Targeted Audience: 
Individuals interested in learning more about photovolatic technology and those interested in moving towards PV certification.

Program Goals & Objectives:
Students will gain a more in-depth understanding of the components that make up a Photovoltaic (PV) electric system and how PV works. Participants will learn how to: define a load analysis, site selection, energy efficiency measures, techniques, and system sizing.