FSPV: Fundamentals of Solar PV Design and Installation
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Fall Session: September 15–19, 2025
Early Bird Price: $1,500
Regular Price: $1,725
Student Price: $350
Early Bird Deadline: August 1, 2025
Registration Deadline: September 12, 2025
The NABCEP PV Associate Exam fee is covered in the registration fee.
Length: 40 Course Hours / 5 Days
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes lunch and parking each day of the course, a textbook, and a course notebook.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites to take this course.
Course Description: This 5-day course is dedicated to the fundamental technical aspects of solar photovoltaic (PV) design and installation. This includes a study of system types, components, applications, design and best practices for installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The first four days are taught in a classroom format and focus on cumulative technical theory. On the fifth day, participants engage in a hands-on installation of a fully integrated grid-tied, residential PV system.
NABCEP PV Associate Exam: The course is based on NABCEP’s Learning Objectives for NABCEP PV Associate. After completing the FSPV course, participants are eligible to sit for the NABCEP PV Associate Exam. This training counts toward the entry-level educational requirement (if other requirements are met) on the journey to a NABCEP Board Certification. The NABCEP PV Associate Exam fee is covered in the registration fee.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Identify photovoltaic system components and system types
- Calculate electrical energy and power
- Identify optimum sites for solar electric systems
- Calculate electrical loads
- Correctly size system components
- Design series and parallel configurations for solar modules
- Design a basic grid-tied PV system
- Calculate PV system energy production
- Understand PV system equipment specification sheets
- Understand safety standards of installing PV systems
- Identify your competency level regarding the tasks on the NABCEP PV Associate Job Task Analysis and gauge readiness to take the NABCEP PV Associate Exam based on NABCEP PV Associate Learning Objectives.
ASPV: Advanced Solar PV Design and Installation
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Fall Session: October 20–24, 2025
Early Bird Price: $1,875
Regular Price: $2,150
Student Price: $250
Early Bird Deadline: September 5, 2025
Registration Deadline: October 15, 2025
Length: 40 Course Hours / 5 Days
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes lunch and campus parking each day of the course and the course notebook.
Prerequisites: Completion of NCCETC’s FSPV course or a comparable fundamentals course or working knowledge of solar PV (i.e. currently working in the solar industry) is highly recommended before registering for this course.
Course Description: This 5-day advanced photovoltaics course covers advanced topics on design and installation of residential and commercial PV systems and delves into the details of electrical standards and codes. The bulk of this weeklong course covers topics relating to the National Electrical Code® (NEC) requirements for PV systems and prepares the participant for proper code compliance, wire sizing, equipment specifications, permit processing, commissioning, and other necessary steps in the design and installation phases of residential and commercial systems. Activities in this course include designing a multiple inverter commercial PV system, from choosing equipment to processing forms, and a tours of multiple commercial rooftop PV systems.
NABCEP PV Certifications: ASPV counts for up to 40 approved advanced credit hours needed to sit for multiple NABCEP Certification Exams. Please visit the course listing on NABCEP’s website for complete information.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Apply grid-tied PV system design and understand DC/AC ratio and inverter clipping.
- Identify optimum sites for solar electric systems and accurately estimate power and energy production.
- Navigate and interpret NEC Article 690 and Article 705.
- Identify and interpret required disconnects, combiner specifications, and mechanical drawings.
- Calculate inter-row shading and wire sizing.
- Identify best practices for physical inspections, electrical testing, and commissioning.
- Troubleshoot ground faults.
- Design and draw a 3-line diagram for a multi-inverter commercial system.
Solar Storage
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Spring Session: Dates are coming soon!
Early Bird Price: $1,000
Regular Price: $1,150
Student Price: $175
Length: 24 Course Hours / 3 Days
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes lunch and parking each day of the course, and the course notebook.
Prerequisites: Completion of NCCETC’s FSPV course or a comparable fundamentals course or working knowledge of solar PV (i.e. currently working in the solar industry) is highly recommended before registering for this course.
Course Description: This 3-day course covers fundamental principles of battery-based systems, including understanding customer needs and utility requirements; specifying and sizing a battery bank, inverters, and charge controllers for battery-based systems; defining system architecture and functionality; battery metering; and understanding the code implications of these systems. The various benefits and challenges of lithium chemistries and lead batteries are analyzed. The course will end with a tour of a commercial PV installation with a battery system.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Perform a load analysis for sizing components of a PV system.
- Specify and size inverters, charge controllers for a battery-based system.
- Define system architecture options and functionality.
- Stand-alone and grid connected battery systems are explored.
- Understand construction drawings for battery systems.
- Add battery backup to existing grid direct PV system.
- Understand code implications of these systems.
- Explore the latest offerings in Energy Storage Systems.
O&M: Operations and Maintenance of PV Systems
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Fall Session: November 17–18, 2025
Early Bird Price: $875
Regular Price: $1,000
Student Price: $150
Early Bird Deadline: October 3, 2025
Registration Deadline: November 12, 2025
Length: 16 Course Hours / 2 Days
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes lunch and parking each day of the course, and the course notebook.
Prerequisites: Completion of NCCETC’s FSPV course or a comparable fundamentals course or working knowledge of solar PV (i.e. currently working in the solar industry) is highly recommended before registering for this course.
Course Description: This 2-day course focuses on the operation and maintenance of grid connected photovoltaic systems. The first part of this course is taught in a classroom format and covers evaluating the performance of systems, including specific data collection and evaluation, as well as protocols for collection; arc flash requirements; finding ground faults; thermal imaging; IV curve tracing, and fuse servicing. The second part of the course involves various hands-on activities in which participants are able to practice and utilize the skills they have learned throughout the course.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
- Take measurements to evaluate performance
- Test insulation resistance and find ground faults
- Interpret the fundamentals of IV curves
- Find underperforming/faulty modules and inverters
- Design an O&M work plan and protocol for safety
Preview to Agrivoltaics in Action: Enhancing Operations and Maintenance in Livestock-Integrated Solar Sites
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Date: November 19, 2025
Price: Free
Location: Dix Activity Center at the NC State Lake Wheeler Field Laboratory, Raleigh, NC
Course Description: This introductory program will provide an overview of essential skills necessary for navigating grazed solar sites, including working with electric fencing, guardian animals, and sheep-based vegetation management. This event is designed to improve understanding of potential operational barriers, empower solar professionals to confidently manage day-to-day O&M on sites with grazing sheep, and build communication strategies and tools for seamless collaboration between solar operators and grazing professionals. Join us for lamb brats and fixin’s at the beginning of the course, followed by additional presentations at the Nevados Training Center, a demo utility scale solar installation site with sheep.
Audience:
- Site Operations and Maintenance Teams
- Solar Developers
- Asset Managers
- Sustainability Teams
- Solar Company Employees
- Extension Agents
- Agricultural Educators
- Landowners
Course Instructors:
Dr. Andrew Weaver – Assistant Professor and Small Ruminant Extension Specialist – NC State University
Dr. Scott Bowdridge – Professor and Livestock Extension Specialist – West Virginia University
Dr. Camren Maierle – Director of producer education and research – American Lamb Board
Agrivoltaics in Action: Enhancing Operations and Maintenance in Livestock-Integrated Solar Sites
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Date: Spring dates are coming soon!
Course Description: Unlock new efficiencies in solar site management and the potential of agrivoltaics by learning how to safely and effectively perform operations and maintenance on livestock-integrated solar sites. This one-day training equips solar professionals with essential skills for navigating grazed solar sites, including working with electric fencing, guardian animals, and sheep-based vegetation management. Through solution-based procedures and expert-led instruction, the training is designed to break down operational barriers, empower solar professionals to confidently manage day-to-day O&M on sites with grazing sheep, and build communication strategies and tools for seamless collaboration between solar operators and grazing professionals.
Topics Include:
- Fenced In: How to navigate the electric fencing maze preventing you from doing your job
- Negotiating Obstacles & Landmines: Gates, equipment, guard dogs, and what you’ll step in
- Mowers with Minds of Their Own: The imperfect perfection of vegetation management with sheep
- The Sheep Advantage: Understanding sheep production and the value they add on your site
- Electrifying Communications: Practical tools and strategies for reporting and supporting grazing operations
Learning Objectives: At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:
- Identify hazards and best practices for safely working around electric fencing, gates, guardian animals, and sheep.
- Understand the function and significance of gate management, site security, and access considerations.
- Evaluate the ecological and operational benefits of integrating sheep on a solar site for vegetation control.
- Build communication strategies and tools to support collaboration between site owners, solar operations and maintenance professionals and grazing teams.
Continuing Education Credits:
- 6 PDHs for North Carolina Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, approved by the NC Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (NCBELS) are PENDING
- 6 LU|HSWs for Registered Architects, approved by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) are PENDING
- 6.0 CEs are PENDING by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Electrical Contractors (NCBEEC)
- This course is PENDING approval by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) for initial exam application JTA credits and recertification credits.
Audience:
- Site Operations and Maintenance Teams
- Solar Developers
- Asset Managers
- Sustainability Teams
- Solar Company Employees
- Extension Agents
- Agricultural Educators
- Landowners
Course Instructors:
Dr. Andrew Weaver – Assistant Professor and Small Ruminant Extension Specialist – NC State University
Dr. Scott Bowdridge – Professor and Livestock Extension Specialist – West Virginia University
Dr. Camren Maierle – Director of producer education and research – American Lamb Board
Hands-on Solar PV Lab
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Fall Session: September 19, 2025
Regular Price: $299
Student Price: $50
Registration Deadline: September 12, 2025
Length: 8 Course Hours / 1 Day
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes lunch.
Prerequisites: Completion of NCCETC’s FSPV course or a comparable fundamentals course or working knowledge of solar PV (i.e. currently working in the solar industry) is highly recommended before registering for this course.
Course Description: This day-long lab is held at NCCETC’s Solar Yard in Raleigh, NC and is for those who have taken the 40-hour FSPV online course or simply wish to gain more hands-on experience. This hands-on day begins with an overview of safety, system components, system design, and solar fundamentals. During the course of the lab, participants will be filling out “balance-of-system” worksheets to ensure comprehension of sound PV system design practices. Participants will also install a live, grid-tied PV system, from mounting the modules, to wiring the inverter, and finally, to commissioning the system.
REPD: Renewable Energy Project Development
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Dates: February 23, 2026 – May 10, 2026
Student Price: $99
Length: 40 Course Hours / 10 Weeks
Payment plans are available. Registration fee includes access to all course content.
Prerequisites: There are no prerequisites to take this course, although a working knowledge of solar PV is recommended.
Course Description: The goal of the 40-hour online Renewable Energy Project Development (REPD) course is to provide a sound foundation regarding existing renewable energy technology applications, solar fundamentals, and the business aspects of project development. The course also delves into the policies that currently dictate the market, the financial models involved in funding a project, and what considerations need to be made when developing a project.
This ten-week online course includes live and pre-recorded webinars and assignments completed virtually. Participants are required to submit a final project to successfully complete the course.
Learning objectives: At the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Understand the fundamentals of how solar energy technologies work.
- Describe renewable energy policy terminology.
- Understand how federal, state and local policies, incentives and regulations can affect the health of the renewable energy industry.
- Navigate the current financial landscape and assess different financial models.
- Evaluate the feasibility of a renewable energy project based on the available technologies, energy production, financial analysis for the project, and policies that will impact the success of the project.
Green Building & Energy Efficiency Self-Paced Courses Through Ed2Go
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