NABCEP Entry Level Solar Thermal – Solar Training Objectives
NABCEP has released its solar training learning objectives for their new Entry Level Certificate Exam. The latest release is for Solar Thermal and is added onto the list that consists of their Photovoltaic Installer Certification, Solar Thermal Installer Certification, Entry Level Photovoltaic Certificate of Knowledge and now the Entry Level Solar Thermal Certificate of Knowledge.
You can find the Entry Level Solar Thermal Learning Objectives here. This breaks down the various tasks of installing solar thermal into six sections.
- Conducting a site analysis, including load analysis
- Identifying ST safety practices, standards, codes, and certification
- Identifying systems for specific climates and applications
- Identifying proper operation and installation methods
- Identifying proper configuration of balance-of-system components and materials
- Identifying common ST maintenance items
The goal of this is to give a person seeking an entry level position the solar training required to obtain it. Candidates will solve generic, basic problems applicable to common solar thermal systems with the use of schematics, pictures and graphics to demonstrate the fundamentals of Solar Thermal listed above.
There are several courses out now that cover all these topics in depth. One online solar training course resource is Sun Pirate’s Online Fundamentals of Solar Hot Water Heating solar training course which covers all the topics listed and then some. This course is already IREC accredited and approved by NABCEP for 40 contact hours of training.
At this time NABCEP has not released applications for solar training course providers to get approved for the Entry Level Solar Thermal Exam so keep an eye out for this as once that is released you will see many solar training providers showing up as approved training providers for sitting for the Entry Level Solar Thermal Exam.
To learn more about other solar training topics and job positions visit our solar training home page.
