MODEL CURRICULUM FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM INSTALLERS Joe Sarubbi Jerry Ventre Interstate Renewable Energy Council Solar Instructor Training Network P.O. Box 1156 Latham, New York 12110-1156 joesarubbi@gmail.com gventre@bellsouth.net ABSTRACT This paper addresses the need for more comprehensive education and training of PV system installers. Curriculum materials presented in this paper were developed as part of a U.S. DOE-funded Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN) contract. They should be especially useful to community colleges and other institutions pursuing both two-year degree programs and multi-course certificate programs. Eleven core areas of instruction have been developed to provide a more complete, integrated and foundational curriculum. They include mathematics, solar and PV fundamentals, basic electricity, codes and standards, permitting and inspection, occupational safety and health, construction processes, residential and commercial wiring, instrumentation and measurements, PV system design, and PV system installation. The paper stresses the importance of meeting the solar industry need for a highly skilled PV installer workforce, and provides education and training institutions with valuable resources to help meet this need. 1. INTRODUCTION This paper suggests a model curriculum for training photovoltaic (PV) system installers. The suggested curriculum recognizes that many courses currently being offered throughout the U.S. do not require the necessary prerequisites for effective student learning. The proposed curriculum attempts to correct this shortcoming and is based largely on the recently updated job task analysis developed by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), available at www.nabcep.org. In addition, elements from the electrical apprenticeship program of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (NJATC), the electrical construction and maintenance program at Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), the PV installers certificate program at Diablo Valley College (DVC), the two-year renewable energy technician program at Lane Community College (LCC), the PV installers training program at the East Los Angeles Skills Center, and the results of an industry-driven DACUM (i.e., Developing a Curriculum) for distributed power systems were used in developing the suggested curriculum. Although much of PV installation instruction to date has been based largely on the task analysis developed by NABCEP, too often it is limited to one or two intensive short courses, with instructional time ranging from 24 to 80 hours. Such courses limit student time for problem solving, decision making, and demonstrating the hands-on skills necessary in the workplace. In addition, students in these courses often lack the prerequisites and academic foundation necessary for effective learning. To address 1 these problems, eleven core areas of instruction have been developed to provide a more complete, integrated and foundational curriculum. They include mathematics, solar and PV fundamentals, basic electricity, codes and standards, permitting and inspection, occupational safety and health, construction processes, residential and commercial wiring, instrumentation and measurements, PV system design, and PV system installation. For each area, both recommended content and a range of instructional hours are presented. Consequently, interested educational institutions can select and tailor the core areas of instruction to facilitate integration into their existing programs. A primary goal of the suggested curriculum is to ensure that all critical knowledge and skills required of PV system installers are adequately addressed in the education and training provided by the national Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN). IREC recognizes the importance of creating a curriculum that meets the needs of the solar industry and uses the highest standards to ensure consistency among training programs throughout the country. The model can be used in program development, screening students, establishing training prerequisites, and enhancing existing courses and programs. It is designed to build a well-trained, highlyskilled PV installer workforce. 2. THE NEED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED PV INSTALLERS In 2008, several organizations, including the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) and the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), conducted a series of focus group meetings with solar industry representatives and highly experienced faculty to identify the most pressing needs for solar training. Results of these meetings produced a prioritized list of training needs, which was as follows [1]: • System installers • System designers and engineers • Licensed contractors • Building code officials • Sales and site assessment personnel • Architects and building designers • Utility personnel • Construction cost accountants In addition, significant labor market analyses performed by the Solar Foundation in their National Solar Job Census 2010 [2] and 2011 [3] confirmed that the number one need within the solar industry was well qualified PV installers. Most recently, NREL’s Solar Installation Labor Market Analysis [4] reasserted the importance of a highly skilled PV installation workforce. 3. THE NEED FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION The Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD) has developed a competency model for the energy industry that covers electricity generation, transmission and distribution [5]. The competency model presents a hierarchy built upon six levels of skills and competencies as follows: • Personal effectiveness skills • Academic competencies • Workplace competencies • Industry-wide technical competencies • Industry-specific technical competencies • Job-specific technical competencies For instructing PV installers, many of the courses being taught throughout the U.S. teach to the job-specific technical competencies (i.e., teach to a well-defined job task analysis). However, many do not adequately address the “academic competencies” that are an important building block at the foundational level of the CEWD competency model. Consequently, students in these PV installation courses often lack the academic foundation necessary for effective learning, which so heavily depends upon prior knowledge. In addition, upon completing these short courses, students often lack the fundamental knowledge necessary to make prudent decisions on the job. The requirement of a more substantial curriculum that addresses both academic and job-specific competencies can help address these issues and should lead to a better educated, trained and skilled workforce. 4. DISTINCTION BEWEEN EDUCATION AND TRAINING A fundamental question that needs to be addressed in developing solar curriculum is: Do we “educate” or do we “train” PV installers? To answer this question, the 2 distinction between education and training needs to be made. According to Harold Stolovitch in his book on Telling Ain’t Training [6], the purpose of “training” is to create a change in the learner that they can consistently reproduce without variation. Through intense training and repetition, the learner becomes increasingly able to reproduce the learned behavior with fewer errors, greater speed, and under more demanding conditions. Relevant examples for PV installation include pulling wire through conduit, applying the proper torque to wiring terminations, and using job-specific hand and power tools. Training tends to be short-term and narrowly focused. In contrast to training, “education” is more long-term, broader, and is based on a greater variety of learning experiences and principles. The purpose of education is to build general mental models and value systems that are fundamental to analysis, decision-making, and effectively applying knowledge in new and unforeseen circumstances. Relevant examples for PV installation include analysis, decisions and applications associated with adapting PV electrical and mechanical designs to the varying features of different buildings structures and sites. In summary, both education and training are necessary to build a high quality solar installation workforce. 5. GREAT VERSUS POOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING Once again, Harold Stolovitch, highly regarded expert and co-author of Telling Ain’t Training [6] and co-editor of the award-winning Handbook of Human Performance Technology, states that great education and training should include the following: • Lots of student participation • Interactive sessions with two-way communication between participants and instructor • Opportunity and ample time for participants to practice what is taught • Feedback on participant performance • Opportunity to learn from other participants • Opportunity for participants to add value to the education and training In contrast, Stolovitch states that poor education and training involves: • Little student participation • One-way transmission of information with little or no discussion; participants being passive listeners most of the time and becoming early victims of information overload • Little or no opportunity for participant practice • Little or no feedback on participant performance • Little opportunity to learn from other participants • Little or no opportunity to add value to the training In many observed PV installation workshops, the classroom sessions have consisted primarily of a one-way flow of information from the instructor to the participants using PowerPoint slides, many of which consist of bulleted text. Because of limited time and the large number of tasks and subtasks in the PV installer job task analysis, these courses are often taught at a very rapid pace with limited opportunities for student practice. Unless the students have had preparatory courses and experience, the depth and breadth of knowledge and skills attained are limited. This approach to education and training is not consistent with accepted teaching-learning theory. Most of the active participation by students in these workshops occurs in the laboratory sessions. However, even here, there is often a need to more actively engage all of the participants in the hands-on sessions. In summary, intensive PV installer short courses and workshops do not adequately prepare novices for entry into the solar workforce and should not be touted as such. Rather, much more extensive education and training using a curriculum similar to that presented in this document is recommended for inexperienced individuals seeking careers as PV installers. 6. GOALS OF THE SUGGESTED MODEL CURRICULUM A primary goal of the suggested model curriculum is to ensure that all critical skills, competencies, and knowledge required of PV system installers are adequately addressed in the education and training provided by the Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN). It is important to create a curriculum that meets the needs of the solar industry and uses the highest 3 standards to ensure consistency among the RTP training programs. The model curriculum can be used in program development, screening students, establishing training prerequisites, and enhancing existing courses and programs. It is designed to build a well-trained, highlyskilled PV installer workforce. 7. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ADOPTING A MODEL CURRICULUM Developing a curriculum similar to that presented in this paper has advantages and disadvantages. Some of the advantages include: • Better trained workforce • Higher quality and better performing systems • More satisfied customers • Improved safety for workers and customers • Higher profitability for the solar industry • Greater marketability of graduates in pursuing jobs • More flexibility for graduates in pursuing alternative career pathways • Greater opportunity to offer cross-disciplinary programs. Some of the possible disadvantages include: • May take considerable time to develop and implement • Often requires multiple levels of approval • May result in fewer students per class • Almost always requires more money • May negatively affect existing programs in terms of budget allocations, student populations and availability of instructors, use of facilities and equipment, and scheduling. 8. MODEL CURRICULUM FOR PV SYSTEM INSTALLERS The model curriculum consists of eleven course areas presented below. Curriculum developers should view them in terms of opportunities for establishing prerequisite courses and/or backgrounds, integrating solar and/or construction content into existing courses, developing new solar and/or construction courses, integrating solar and/or construction courses into existing certificate programs, or developing an entirely new curriculum for photovoltaic system installers. 8.1. Mathematics Course Description: Remedial algebra, including fundamental mathematical operations, algebraic equations, fractions, exponents and graphs; remedial geometry, including distances between points and lines, distances between points and planes, angles between lines, angles between planes, projections of points and lines on planes, and geometry of the circle; remedial trigonometry, including understanding and application of basic trigonometric functions. Range of Instructional Hours: 45 to 60 hours Comments: PV installation and electrical work in general require math skills. PV installers lacking those skills are at a disadvantage. Many student trainees will have had the required math. For those in need, most educational institutions offer remedial courses in intermediate mathematics, typically of 3 or 4 semester credit hours. As an alternative, focused remedial mathematics can be offered online. 8.2. Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Fundamentals Course Description: Fundamental energy concepts; solar power vs. solar energy; energy use by sector; solar radiation; the solar spectrum; geometry of the earth-sun system; atmospheric effects on solar radiation; direct, diffuse and albedo radiation; sun paths and seasonal variations; site surveys and shading analysis; collector and receiver types, flat-plate vs. tracking collectors; solar radiation data sets; active vs. passive use of solar energy; batteries and other energy storage options; solar photovoltaic (PV) systems; solar heating and cooling (SHC) systems; concentrating solar power (CSP) systems; the photovoltaic effect; cells, modules and arrays; manufacturing and fabrication methods; characteristics of PV devices; series-parallel connections; PV system components and configurations: stand-alone, grid-tied and bimodal PV systems; PV applications and markets; solar heating and cooling system components and configurations: solar water heating, space heating and cooling, and swimming pool heating; SHC applications and markets; CSP system components and 4 configurations: thermal-electric power generation; CSP applications and markets; economics of solar energy systems; policies affecting the use of solar energy; future projections. Range of Instructional Hours: 45 to 60 hours Comments: This material can be covered in a 3 or 4 semester credit hour course that provides a framework and foundation for follow-on courses in both solar electric and solar thermal system design and installation. For PV installers, it provides a more solid foundation upon which to learn. 8.3. Basic Electricity Course Description: Direct current (DC) electrical circuit theory, electrical power vs. electrical energy, Ohm’s Law, power formulas, conductor properties, voltage drop calculations, series and parallel circuits, alternating current (AC) electrical circuit theory, capacitance, inductance, power quality, basic circuit analysis, 3-phase circuits, transformers, DC to DC and DC to AC conversion technology, simulation software for AC and DC circuits. Range of Instructional Hours: 45 to 90 hours Comments: Students need to know basic electricity prior to taking PV installer training courses. Often there is no prerequisite for this type of knowledge. This need can be satisfied with one or two 3 semester credit hour courses, which can be offered either in the classroom or online. 8.4. National Electrical Code Course Description: Article 110 Requirements for Electrical Installations; Article 200 Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors; Article 210 Branch Circuits; Article 220 Branch-Circuit, Feeder, and Service Calculations; Article 230 Services; Article 240 Overcurrent Protection; Article 250 Grounding and Bonding; Article 280 Surge Arrestors, Over 1 kV; Article 285 Surge-Protective Devices (SPDs), 1 kV or Less; Article 300 Wiring Methods; Article 310 Conductors for General Wiring; Article 334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM, NMC, and NMS; Article 338 ServiceEntrance Cable: Types SE and USE; Article 400 Flexible Cords and Cables; Article 422 Appliances; Article 445 Generators; Article 450 Transformers and Transformer Vaults (Including Secondary Ties); Article 480 Storage Batteries; Article 490 Equipment, Over 600 Volts, Nominal; Article 690 Solar Photovoltaic Systems; Article 702 Optional Standby Systems; Article 705 Interconnected Electric Power Production Sources; Article 720 Circuits and Equipment Operating at Less Than 50 Volts. Range of Hours: 15 to 30 hours Comments: PV installers need to know much more than Article 690 (Solar Photovoltaic Systems) of the NEC. Although Articles 110, 210, 230, 240, 250, 310, 400, 450, 480, 490, and 705 are specifically referenced in Article 690, many installer courses do not spend sufficient time on these topic areas. If this material is to be properly integrated into PV installer training courses, additional time may need to be allocated, possibly via a 1 or 2 semester credit hour course. 8.5. Standards, Codes, Permitting and Inspection Course Description: Standards organizations: ASTM International (ASTM, originally known as the American Society for Testing and Materials), American National Standards Institute (ANSI), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); International Building Code; local building codes, structural standards and code requirements (ASCE 7), fire and access codes; authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ), variations in local code requirements, local AHJ labeling requirements; plan review, permitting and inspection processes; contractor licensing, specialty licenses, relationship between contractor licensing and practitioner certification. Range of Instructional Hours: 15 to 30 hours Comments: In addition to the NEC, PV installations must also meet local building code requirements. Most of these codes somewhat follow the International Building Code and deal largely with structural loads on building. However, there is much greater variation from one jurisdiction to another for these codes than for electrical codes. This is in part due to regional variations in wind loads, snow loads and seismic loads, all of which affect 5 local training content. Either a 1 or 2 semester credit hour course can be used to cover this material. processes. These types of courses are very common among community colleges, and are typically 3 or 4 semester credit hours. 8.6. Occupational Safety and Health 8.8. Residential and Commercial Wiring Course Description: OSHA general safety and health provisions, NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, safety planning, personal protective and lifesaving equipment, electrical safety, fall protection, stairways and ladders, scaffolds, hand and power tool practices, hazardous materials, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS), materials handling, materials storage and disposal, lifting equipment, excavation, cranes and crane signals, first aid procedures, CPR. Course Description: Electrical plans, layout skills, electrical safety, electrical service requirements, existing electrical distribution and grounding systems, power tool practices, terminal torque specifications, metering, overcurrent devices, conductors, conductor ampacities, special circuits, conduit installation practices, wiring methods, splicing methods, panel box wiring, ground fault protection systems, grounding techniques, electrical best practices, signal wiring, electrical test equipment and procedures, troubleshooting, underground hazards. Range of Instructional Hours: 10 to 30 Range of Instructional Hours: 75 to 90 hours Comment: OSHA 10 Hour Cards are required on many commercial and government jobs. This 10-hour training course is available from many OSHA-certified instructors, including online. OSHA also offers more extensive 30-hour training, which is also available online. With grid-tied PV, system installers can be seriously injured or killed. Working with voltages approaching 600 volts, DC or AC, requires extreme caution and extensive safety training. Batteries are also very dangerous if handled or installed improperly and requires special training. Comments: The lack of hands-on wiring experience is a major weakness of many training programs. Also, PV installers need to have practical training not only with single-phase, but also with three-phase electrical systems. 8.7. Construction Processes Course Description: Electrical and construction symbols, blueprint reading, site surveys and plans, site requirements and access, electrical diagrams, system plans, building construction practices, construction materials and characteristics, construction equipment, use of heavy machinery, foundation requirements, structural supports, roofing materials, roof construction, mechanical work, electrical work, project management and flow, labor costs, materials costs, construction cost estimating, planning and scheduling. Range of Instructional Hours: 45 to 60 hours Comments: PV installation is a construction trade and all PV installers should have training in construction 8.9. Instrumentation, Measurements and Computer Networking Course Description: Fundamentals of measurement systems: units and definitions, components of measurement systems, electrical test equipment and operational procedures, transducers and sensors, sensor locations, laser alignment; standards and calibration, weights and measures of materials; data acquisition systems, computer control and local area networking, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA); power quality measurements; energy metering; energy system monitoring; diagnostics and troubleshooting; measurement accuracy and uncertainty, error analysis. Range of Instructional Hours: 30 to 45 hours Comments: Knowledge of and skills in these areas are important in PV system performance verification, diagnostics, and troubleshooting. Additional training time in existing courses or separate prerequisite courses is necessary to develop the required knowledge and skills. 8.10. PV System Design 6 Course Description: Principles of operation of PV systems; the design process; design guidelines: National Electrical Codes, interconnection standards, equipment listings, component manufacturers’ design guidelines, structural and building code standards and requirements, aesthetic considerations; top level design requirements; design specifications vs. performance specifications; gridtied system design vs. stand-alone system design vs. bimodal system design; selecting a system configuration; functional requirements, operational requirements, constraints, and tradeoffs; selecting major PV components: modules, inverters, batteries, charge controllers, backup power; sizing the PV array; matching array output to inverter input; designing the battery subsystem: matching battery subsystem output to inverter input, specifying charge control equipment and options; selecting, sizing and configuring all electrical balance-ofsystem components; system and equipment grounding; specifying interconnection alternatives; completing the electrical design: developing three-line electrical drawings; mechanical design considerations: specifying mechanical support and attachment options, including structural members, compatible materials and fasteners; providing representative structural load sample calculations for selected regions; stand-alone system design: load analysis; specifying power availability and energy storage requirements, determining critical design month, sizing the system; documenting the system design; system design review and approval; system certification; listing of reviewed, approved, and/or certified systems. Range of Instructional Hours: 45 to 60 hours Comment: Because all PV installations are custom, PV installers need a solid understanding of PV system design so they can properly select and adapt a given design to a site. A 3 or 4 semester credit hour course would cover the needed material and allow sufficient time for student design practice. 8.11. PV System Installation (capstone course) Course Description: Review system design, review site analysis, inspect and evaluate electrical service entrance and panel, review all manufacturers’ instructions, confirm system sizing, review design of energy storage systems, confirm sizing of all major and balance-of-system components, secure permits and approvals, manage project labor, adapt the system design to the site, identify and finalize locations of subsystems and major components, identify and finalize locations and pathways for conduit and electrical conductors, manage project personnel and equipment, implement a site specific safety plan, mitigate electrical hazards, install grounding systems, install conduit and raceways, install electrical components, install circuit conductors, make the utility interconnection, install system instrumentation, install battery components, install equipment foundation, install mounting system, install PV modules, test the system, commission the system, complete system documentation, orient the customer to the system and its operation, review component and system warranties with customer; maintenance and troubleshooting activities: perform visual inspection, verify system operation, perform corrective actions, verify effectiveness of corrective actions. Range of Instructional Hours: 60 to 75 hours Comment: The course content is based on the NABCEPand industry-approved job task analysis for PV installers. A 4 or 5 semester credit hour course could be used for this important capstone course. 9. SUMMARY OF MODEL CURRICULUM HOURS Course Hours Mathematics ………………………………………..45-60 Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Fundamentals ………………………………………45-60 Basic Electricity ……………………………………45-90 National Electrical Code …………………………...15-30 Standards, Codes, Permitting and Inspection ………………………………………......15-30 Occupational Safety and Health…………………...10-30 Construction Processes …………………………….45-60 Residential and Commercial Wiring ………………75-90 Instrumentation, Measurements and Computer Networking ……………………………...30-45 PV System Design ………………………………….45-60 PV System Installation ……………………………..60-75 Total range of hours for model curriculum 430-630 7 10. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS Research, focus group findings, and labor market analyses have indicated that the need for highly skilled PV system installers is the number one priority of the solar industry. The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy, is addressing this need as National Administrator of the Solar Instructor Training Network. Since 2010, 728 instructors from nine different regions of the country have been trained to offer solar courses as part of this network. These instructors have already offered approximately 800 solar courses to nearly 10,000 students. Most of these courses are for PV system installation. These courses and student graduates benefit the entire solar industry. In addition to the training that has been and is currently being offered by the SITN, the next step to improve the quality of the PV installer workforce is to offer programs that are more complete, integrated and foundational. These programs should include multi-course certificate and two-year degree programs, and should address both academic and job-specific competencies. The model curriculum presented in this paper is a starting point for that process. The model presents education and training institutions with opportunities for establishing prerequisite courses and/or backgrounds, integrating solar and/or construction content into existing courses, developing new solar and/or construction courses, integrating solar and/or construction courses into existing certificate programs, or developing an entirely new curriculum for photovoltaic system installers. The model is based largely on the recently updated job task analysis developed by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). In addition, elements from the electrical apprenticeship program of the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, the electrical construction and maintenance program at Hudson Valley Community College, the PV installers certificate program at Diablo Valley College, the two-year renewable energy technician program at Lane Community College, the PV installers training program at the East Los Angeles Skills Center, and the results of an industry-driven DACUM for distributed power systems were used in developing the suggested curriculum. The suggested range of instructional time presented for the entire model program is from 430 to 630 hours. These numbers are based on a review of the exemplary programs mentioned above. Note that the number of instructional hours for a typical academic year is approximately 450 to 500 hours. Consequently, the model program constitutes roughly one year of academic work. Programs with similar content and hours of instruction should graduate highly skilled PV installers. 11. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are pleased to acknowledge the U.S. Department of Energy for their support of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council as National Administrator of the Solar Instructor Training Network. In particular, the review and comments by Ms. Christina Nichols regarding the model solar curriculum were much appreciated and are gratefully acknowledged. 12. REFERENCES (1) Ventre, Jerry and Weissman, Jane, Workforce Development: A Survey of Industry Needs and Training Approaches, Proceedings, American Solar Energy Society, ASES 2009 National Solar Conference, Buffalo, New York, May 2009. (2) Luecke, Andrea, et al., National Solar Job Census 2010, The Solar Foundation, Green LMI Consulting, Inc. and Cornell University, October 2010. (3) Luecke, Andrea, et al., National Solar Job Census 2011, The Solar Foundation, Green LMI Consulting, Inc. and Cornell University, October 2011. (4) Friedman, Barry, Jordan, Philip, and Carrese, John, Solar Installation Labor Market Analysis, Strategic Energy Analysis Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Technical Report NREL/TP-6A20-49339 December 2011. (5) Randazzo, Ann, Energy Competency Model: Generation, Transmission and Distribution, Center for Energy Workforce Development, March 2011. (6) Harold D. Stolovitch and Erica J. Keeps, Telling Ain’t Training, ASTD Press, ISBN-10: 1-56286-328-2, 2002. 8