The Training Program at NCCETC Celebrates 20 Years
The North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center’s (NCCETC) Training program is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, marking two decades of comprehensive, high-quality classroom and hands-on learning in clean energy topics. Over the years, the training program has fostered the development of a skilled workforce in North Carolina and across the nation, continuously evolving to meet the industry’s changing needs. As the Center and the Training program look to what the next 20 years might hold, we want to highlight some of the program’s accomplishments since its inception. This article and our current 20% discount on training courses are just two ways we’re commemorating our 20th anniversary – stay tuned for more throughout 2025!
The Spring 2025 training courses, including the Fundamentals of Solar Design and Installation, Advanced Solar PV Design and Installation, Operations and Maintenance of PV Systems, Solar Storage, and Renewable Energy Project Development, are open for registration, with a 20% discount to celebrate the program’s anniversary. Make sure you register by February 14, 2025, to take advantage of the discount. Courses are designed for those seeking a new career or growth in their current occupation and provide skills training essential to success in the clean energy industry.
Beginning in 2004, the Center offered workshops to small and medium-sized homebuilders through the North Carolina Healthy Built Homes Program, now Green Built Homes, to support green-building practices across the state. NCCETC was recognized as an Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Institute of Power Quality (ISPQ) Accredited Training Program Provider in 2004, making the Center the only training provider in North Carolina to hold that certification at the time. During this time, the Center offered thermal and photovoltaic (PV) courses that were recognized as IREC ISPQ Training Programs. The Training program then worked to develop the Renewable Energy Technologies Diploma Series (RETDS), which provided technical and hands-on training on current policies and solar PV technologies. The series also supported a network of experienced renewable energy professionals who were able to incorporate lessons from the training in their own companies.
In 2006, David Del Vecchio joined the Center as a training instructor after receiving a PV professional certification from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Del Vecchio teaches the Center’s courses to this day and has since become a certified Master PV Trainer and Instructor through IREC. The Center has hosted programs and courseto that teach the best practices in PV system design for commercial, residential, and utility-scale systems since 2005. “The fundamentals of electrical design, maintenance, and safety are as important today as they were nearly 20 years ago. And we know that the technology and equipment continue to improve and evolve. Our programs support participants’ understanding of the essentials and the cutting-edge,” says Allison Carr, NCCETC Training Program Manager.
In 2007, North Carolina adopted a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard (REPS) that required utilities to meet 12.5% of the state’s energy demand with renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power by 2021. To support public education around this bill, the Center held a meeting at North Carolina State University’s Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST), where the potential for wind energy on the East Coast was explored. Many residents reached out to the Center about this topic, according to Lyra Rakusin, previous Senior Specialist at NCCETC, who organized a workshop that same year on financial and ownership models for community wind energy development.
2011 brought a significant increase in North Carolina’s clean energy industry, with employment growing by 18% from the previous year. The industry started to see more complexity, with tax credits and incentives rolling out and project development becoming more competitive. A year later, in 2012, the Center launched the Certificate in Renewable Energy Management (CREM) course and began offering the Renewable Energy Technologies Diploma Series online to make it more accessible. CREM, now a revised course titled Renewable Energy Project Development (REPD), focuses on utility-scale renewable energy technologies, finance, and national and state policies for those interested in project development. NC State University’s Energy Collaborative referred to CREM as the “first non-degree program of its kind in North America” in 2012.
Also in 2012, the Training program brought in twenty civilian engineers from the NAVFAC Atlantic-Naval Facilities Engineering Command to attend the REPV: Renewable Energy Generation with Photovoltaic Systems course. The same year, NCCETC partnered with Everblue, a green building training provider, to offer the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and Building Performance Institute (BPI) courses. The courses provided homeowners and home builders with the skills necessary to analyze energy consumption and money-saving conservation strategies.
The Center received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for a “Train the Trainer” program intended for inspectors and code officials that was launched in 2013. Four training sessions were held across the Mid-Atlantic region that spring, and by June 2013, a total of 126 code officials or inspectors had completed the training.
In 2020, the NCCETC training program was not immune to the impacts of the pandemic. But, knowing that resilience is critical, the training team, led by Allison Carr, transitioned the Center’s courses to a virtual format, ensuring continued access to vital training for skilled and essential workers. After the pandemic, the training program received renewed interest in in-person training courses that allowed for hands-on learning as well as face-to-face networking.
In 2023, the percentage of energy generated from renewable sources was 13.2%, showing significant growth since the adoption of the REPS requirement in 2007. Today, the Training team continually reviews the courses offered at the Center to ensure participants are up to date on rapidly changing industry technologies and topics. The current course offerings are catered to professionals at different levels in their careers, from the fundamentals of solar PV design and installation to operations and maintenance and solar storage to project development. “The ways people need and want to learn are evolving,” said Brittany Santore, Senior Training Specialist. “We are exploring innovative approaches to offer customized training pathways—both online and in-person—enabling timely and specialized topics to be delivered in ways that engage today’s learners.”
2025 will be an exciting year for the Training program as we work with our learners, alumni and industry partners to enhance our current training offerings and develop new courses that meet the needs of the moment. We look forward to celebrating 20 years of learning with you – and many more to come!