Photovoltaic System Professional

Hours: 130 / Access Length: 12 Months / Delivery: Open, Mentor Supported

Retail Price: $1,000.00

Course Overview:

The Photovoltaic System Professional is a comprehensive course and guide to installation of residential and commercial photovoltaic (PV) systems. This course covers the principles of PV electricity and how to effectively incorporate it into stand-alone or utility-connected electrical systems. We give detailed illustrations to clarify the concepts behind PV system operation.

After completing this course, you should be able to:

  • Define the core elements of photovoltaics and solar energy technology
  • Define systems components, configurations, and battery types
  • Identify elements of charge controllers and inverters
  • Identify components of mechanical and electrical integration
  • Identify permitting codes and regulations

Course Outline:

Photovoltaic System Professional Module 1   
Overview of Photovoltaic Systems
  • Photovoltaics
  • PV Applications
  • PV Industry
  • Solar Energy Technologies
  • Solar Radiation
  • The Sun
  • Sun-Earth Relationships
  • Array Orientation
  • Solar Radiation Data Sets
  • Estimating Array Performance
Photovoltaic System Professional Module 2   
Planning, System Components, Configurations
  • Site Surveys
  • Preplanning
  • Preliminary Assessment
  • Preparing Proposals
  • Installation Planning
  • Electrical Energy Sources
  • PV System Configurations
  • Photovoltaic Cells
  • Current-Voltage (I-V) Curves
  • Device Response
  • Modules and Arrays     
Photovoltaic System Professional Module 3    
Batteries and Charge Controllers
  • Battery Principles
  • Battery Types
  • Battery Systems
  • Charge Controller Features
  • Charge Controller Types
  • Charge Controller Setpoints
  • Charge Controller Applications
Photovoltaic System Professional Module 4     
Inverters, Systems Sizing, Mechanical Integration
  • AC Power
  • Power Conditioning Units
  • Inverter Features and Specifications
  • Sizing Methodologies
  • Sizing Calculations
  • Mechanical Considerations
  • Array Mounting Systems
  • Mechanical Integration
Photovoltaic System Professional Module 5   
Electrical Integration & Utility Interconnection
  • National Electrical Code
  • Voltage and Current Requirements
  • Conductors and Wiring Methods
  • Overcurrent Protection
  • Disconnects
  • Grounding
  • Battery Systems
  • Distributed Generation
  • Utility Interconnection Policies
Photovoltaic System Professional Module 6     
Inspection & Maintenance
  • Building Codes and Regulations
  • Permitting
  • Inspection
  • Commissioning
  • Maintenance
  • Monitoring
  • Troubleshooting
  • Economic Analysis
  • Incentives
  • Cost Analysis

All necessary materials are included.


System Requirements:

Internet Connectivity Requirements:

  • Cable, Fiber, DSL, or LEO Satellite (i.e. Starlink) internet with speeds of at least 10mb/sec download and 5mb/sec upload are recommended for the best experience.

NOTE: While cellular hotspots may allow access to our courses, users may experience connectivity issues by trying to access our learning management system.  This is due to the potential high download and upload latency of cellular connections.   Therefore, it is not recommended that students use a cellular hotspot as their primary way of accessing their courses.

Hardware Requirements:

  • CPU: 1 GHz or higher
  • RAM: 4 GB or higher
  • Resolution: 1280 x 720 or higher.  1920x1080 resolution is recommended for the best experience.
  • Speakers / Headphones
  • Microphone for Webinar or Live Online sessions.

Operating System Requirements:

  • Windows 7 or higher.
  • Mac OSX 10 or higher.
  • Latest Chrome OS
  • Latest Linux Distributions

NOTE: While we understand that our courses can be viewed on Android and iPhone devices, we do not recommend the use of these devices for our courses. The size of these devices do not provide a good learning environment for students taking online or live online based courses.

Web Browser Requirements:

  • Latest Google Chrome is recommended for the best experience.
  • Latest Mozilla FireFox
  • Latest Microsoft Edge
  • Latest Apple Safari

Basic Software Requirements (These are recommendations of software to use):

  • Office suite software (Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, or LibreOffice)
  • PDF reader program (Adobe Reader, FoxIt)
  • Courses may require other software that is described in the above course outline.


** The course outlines displayed on this website are subject to change at any time without prior notice. **