Something totally new is happened in solar education! Boots on the Roof just taught our first Commercial Solar installation MEGALAB!  Students loved it! What’s a MEGALAB?  We have run hundreds of solar courses by now, and even though our students love our courses, we always have students that want even more time building in the lab. This new class is just for that! It’s an almost entirely hands-on lab course! 

Because the fastest growing segment of the solar market is commercial-scale solar, (roof-top PV systems of about 100 KW or so) we stuffed this course with equipment intended primarily for commercial scale projects.  Students got to build with many different kinds of commercial racking systems, with different kinds of panels, commercial scale inverters, and even monitoring equipment! And there is even more commercial-scale equipment on trucks headed this way right now, so our next Commercial Solar PV Construction Megalab, February 20^th -24^th  will have even more awesome solar toys to learn with.

If your job entails planning, estimating or managing the installation of commercial PV systems, this is a great course for getting hands-on experience with a variety of solutions in a short period of time.   Those of you already in commercial PV know that correctly estimating time and labor costs for a big installations can be the difference between profit and loss, so what better way to learn about the “nuts and bolts” of big solar systems, than to get your hands-on the very same nuts and bolts, from a variety of manufacturers!

Boots Launches Commercial Solar MegaLab Training! is a post from: Boots On The Roof

Unirac! Wow these guys are tough! Not only are they tough… they are fast too. Boots on the Roof is excited to announce our partnership with Unirac, and the addition of their ISYS Ground Mount  to our Mega Lab! Lots of our students have requested training on larger ground mounts, which is one reason we are happy to be incorporating this system into our classes. This system is said to be one of the fastest systems to install with the least amount of labor. Unirac claims an installation time of more than 10 modules per man-hour, making it a great option to teach our commercial students!

Boots on the Roof rings in the new year with a new Partnership is a post from: Boots On The Roof

We are excited to announce our new partnership with eIQ Energy of San Jose! This Silicon Valley company is revolutionizing the industry with their parallel solar technology, featuring the vBoost DC to DC converter module, designed to make solar energy systems more efficient and affordable. 

Boots on the Roof is committed to teaching our students using the most innovative products available.  We are adding 12 vBoost modules to our 8,000 square foot solar training facility. Training on this new equipment will be featured in our Commercial Construction MegaLab PV 270 staring in January, and will also be added to the Parallel Solar Design Exercises of our Commercial PV design course as well. We are impressed with eIQ’s vBoost modules used in the megawatt scale project for Granite construction, and are excited to integrate this technology into our curriculum.  

Thank you eIQ Energy for your generous contribution to our training facility and in partnering with us to help provide most up to date solar training in the industry!

Boots on the Roof partners with eIQ Energy is a post from: Boots On The Roof

It’s important to make smart investments and avoid scams when investing in solar energy; so says the president and CEO of Georgia’s Better Business Bureau, Fred Elsberry.

While Fred may be in Georgia, his advice is valuable to anyone considering investing their hard-earned scrilla in a home renewable energy system.

 “Consumers need to know how solar energy works and how the benefits will affect them, before investing $5,000 to $60,000 in any solar products,” said Elsberry.

According to Elsberry, there are a lot of solar energy scammers out there, and the unwary victim could very well face thousands of lost dollars from issues relating to installation to the actual solar panels themselves.

Probably the most important thing is making sure you hire a reputable and qualified contractor. Elsberry says to be cautious of any contractor who promises that there will be no installation charges. Also, if an installer suggests obtaining credit for the full amount of the system, even though they’ve promised very low or no costs, due to rebates, one should proceed with caution.

Fraudulent contractors will target people who are unfamiliar with their products, said Elsberry.

“As with any kind of home-improvement contractor, consumers need to be cautious of installers who promise too-good-to-be-true offers,” he said. “It pays to look beyond the lowest bid when selecting a contractor.”

So you’re considering a solar home energy system? What should you do first? How about figuring out if you actually need one? Conduct a solar-energy audit of your home. Typically, if a monthly energy bill is less than $100, other saving methods should be considered, rather than a solar-energy system, Elsberry advised. Next, check your roof and make sure that it’s strong enough to support a rooftop system. Yeah, it’s probably a good idea to do that before they show up to install it.

If you’re considering going solar you need to learn about all the associated costs including maintenance and upkeep. “Determine if the benefits and savings outweigh the costs over the long run.”

Elsberry says that there are many state and federal incentive programs that can save you up to 50 percent on installation costs. These programs will obviously vary from state to state, but it’s important to do your homework and to understand the terms and conditions before you sign that contract.

To get more info or to find a reputable solar contractor, visit the Better Business Bureau website at www.bbb.org.

Sources:

Henry Daily Herald

Considering Going Solar? It’s Important to do your Homework. is a post from: Boots On The Roof

The Ecotech Institute, a new renewable energy trade school in Aurora, Illinois, has opened the doors at its permanent facility.

Nearly 200 students arrived yesterday at the 62,000 square-foot campus, which focuses on entirely on renewable energy, sustainable energy, and green technology.

The Ecotech Institute apparently walks the walk; its building has both photovoltaic solar panels and wind turbines on its roof, “solar trees” in its parking lot, and motion-sensitive lighting in its classrooms.

Ecotech’s two-year degree program is devoted entirely to preparing students for “green” trades, according to the faculty and staff.

“The thought is that this will be the hub where we fine tune the program,” said Glenn Wilson, Ecotech’s academic dean. “There is no college like this that prepares (students) for these types of technical jobs in the clean energy field.”

Students can choose from associate degrees in electrical engineering technology, energy and environmental paralegal, energy efficiency, environmental technology, renewable energy technology, solar energy technology and wind energy technology, as well as a certificate program in sustainable interior design. Tuition costs are approximately $350 per credit hour, with “specialized degree programs” running about 96 credit hours for completion. Students are taught by a master degreed faculty and also receive general education requirements including English, math, computer technology and science courses.

 “When we talk to the people hiring the students, we want them to have a good understanding of the physics, the chemistry, the geography and everything that’s behind the science. That’s why we have general eds,” said Glenn Wilson.  “Then we have classes that are related to core manufacturing and installing. We have basic electricity; we have safety, digital electronics … so they understand the equipment in a generic sort of way.”

Of Monday’s 200 students, about 75 are new to the school. The remaining 100 or so are returning students who were attending classes at Ecotech’s temporary facility. Ecotech’s new facilities can accommodate more than 1000 students, a number that the school hopes to eventually reach.

 “One of the key issues is how we built the facility,” said Ecotech President Michael Seifert. “We have the solar trees; we have a major wind turbine; that’s a key issue. We wanted to make sure that as we teach these future employees, that we walk the talk. I think that’s very important.”

Sources:

Aurora Sentinel

Ecotech Institute Opens Doors in Aurora, IL is a post from: Boots On The Roof

It’s nice to hear that the community college circuit continues to climb aboard the train to Renewable Energy Junction.

Waubonsee Community College, in Sugar Grove, Illinois, looks to the spring of 2011 to turn on the solar power of their new solar energy program.

This past Monday, solar installers…umm, installed a 24-panel photovoltaic assembly as part of the colleges new renewable energy program. The edifice stands 33-feet wide and 10-feet tall and cost the college around $44,000. In addition to the photovoltaic materials, the college is using a $120,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation to pay for an indoor renewable energy laboratory and other startup costs.

The move by Waubonsee Community College is just one more sign that the interest in green jobs, and the green industry in general, continues to attract large numbers of hopeful contenders.

“The national buzz around ‘green’ jobs and clean energy prompted us to add this program to our catalog,” said Cassie Blickem, Waubonsee program development analyst. “We’re hoping to attract electrical contractors who want to enter this field, both as students and as prospective employers of our students.”

In addition to solar courses, Blickem says the college also plans to begin a geothermal energy class this spring. Plans are also in the works to develop a class series on small wind-energy systems.

The ins and outs of photovoltaic will begin next spring with the college’s first solar energy class, Introduction to Photovoltaic Systems. Come fall students will be able to enroll in class number 2, Photovoltaic System Selection and Design, to be followed by Installing and Maintaining Photovoltaic Systems in the spring of 2012. A passing grade in all three courses will qualify students to take the North American Board-Certified Energy Practitioners accreditation exam.

Photovoltaic instructor and electrician, Gregg Erickson, said “Students will be able to work in the field without NABCEP accreditation, but it will open a lot of doors for them. More and more businesses are looking into using solar energy, and there are only 11 NABCEP-certified installers in Illinois, so it’s a big deal.”

Erickson added, “Renewable energy technology will be booming in the next decade. We have to have a demand for it because we have to wean ourselves away from fossil fuels. European countries are already ahead of us. Their economies are bubbling because their governments mandated a switch to renewable energy sources, so companies are locating factories there to be closer to their markets. I only hope our government does the same because it would push opportunities for employment in several different industries.”

Sources:

The Beacon-Times

Waubonsee Community College to Launch First Solar Energy Class is a post from: Boots On The Roof