Feb 1, 2010

The U.S. is predicted to be the next booming market for solar in the world. The Obama administration’s focus on growing green jobs and increasing renewable energy capacity has been the major catalyst for economic stimulation in renewable energy.  Industry analysts predict that the U.S. will overtake Germany and become the world’s largest PV market by 2011. As demand for solar installations ramps up, so will the need to train new installers.

CENTROSOLAR, a German photovoltaic manufacturing firm, is helping to train green workers in America for these jobs.

CENTROSOLAR has been training businesses and licensed electrical contractors to install photovoltaic grid-tied systems with hands on courses and business seminars through CENTROSCHOOL since 2007. The German program played a pivotal role in Germany’s solar success story by training over 500 solar installers every year.

Now, CENTROSOLAR America (www.centrosolaramerica.com)  is adopting this strategy. It has introduced CENTROSCHOOL America and will be offering regional training programs across the U.S.

CENTROSCHOOL offers two programs: PV 101, a full day program broken down into two tracks: technical which covers the basics of grid-tied PV installation, and PV business which focuses on the business side of starting a business.  The second program PV 201 is a full day training course for individuals already in the industry who are looking for more advanced courses in designing PV systems.

CENTROSCHOOL is headed by Russ Campbell, one of the foremost PV engineers in the industry with over thirty years experience in module manufacturing, off-grid and grid-tied installations. “Some distributors offer programs which are no more than sales presentations,” said Campbell. “Vendors are invited to participate but there isn’t any real training. CENTROSCHOOL is designed to provide working knowledge to people who are just entering the market and want to learn how to install solar systems.”

According to the DOE solar energy creates more jobs per megawatt than any other energy technology today and solar jobs are expected to grow in the U.S despite the our present deep recession.

Legislation is the key to influencing how many green jobs will be created. “The 10 Million Solar Roofs and 10 Million Gallons of Solar Hot Water Act”, recently introduced in the Senate, would provide financial incentives to encourage the installation of 10 million solar systems on homes and businesses over the next decade, making the U.S. the world’s largest market for solar energy and creating over 750,000 solar jobs in all 50 states.

Who will fill these new jobs? The construction industry continues to suffer the most during what is the worst recession since the Great Depression and in January 2010 while the rest of the nation saw a slight improvement the unemployment rate in construction grew to 24.6%. With many trained construction workers and skilled electricians looking for work solar jobs can be the stimulus to get these workers back in the workforce and move the nation towards recovery.  A transition to solar installing is a natural fit for businesses and individuals in building related industries like Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC) and roofing contractors.

Two leading national photovoltaic training programs in the U.S. are sponsored by SEI (Solar Energy International) and FSEC (Florida Solar Energy Center). These are weeklong programs providing a comprehensive program for the installation & design of solar electric systems but no business component. CENTROSCHOOL differs from these courses by focusing on licensed electricians who do not have photovoltaic training, as well as construction related business owners looking to diversify and understand the basics of solar sales, payback and financial analysis. “CENTROSCHOOL bridges the gap for these businesses and individuals and provides a curriculum that addresses how to install grid-tied PV systems and how to grow your business to newcomers to the industry in an intensive one day training program,” said Deep Chakraborty, CEO of CENTROSOLAR America.

Solar incentives on the state level are a key driver to creating solar jobs. States that offer rebates, Power Purchase Agreements, Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), and Production Based Incentives (PBI’s) lead the other states in solar installations. The key solar states based on financial incentives, cost of electricity and available sunlight are NJ, CA, DE, MD, MA, HI, NY, NM, PA, CT, VT, AZ and CO. CENTROSCHOOL plans to offer programs in regions covering these states.

California has long been the leader for solar production with over 500 MW installed. Now New Jersey is the fastest growing market for photovoltaic in the country with over 100 MW installed. SREC sales are the primary driver for solar installations, which provide a 14% rate of return.  An owner can sell the environmental benefits associated with each 1,000 kWh of solar electricity produced. The price paid per 1,000 kWh (equal to 1 SREC) varies depending on supply and demand, but during 2010 the prices fluctuated between $500 – $600 per SREC. The electrical utilities are the primary purchasers of SRECs in order to comply with the state’s RPS.

A 5KW system on a residential house will generate approximately 7000 kWh a year. At $600 per SREC a homeowner can receive a check for $4200 per year. According to NJCEP there have been over 4,894 new solar installations in New Jersey since 12/31/09.

Pennsylvania is another key state where the solar industry is surging ahead. In May 2009, the state passed the PA Sunshine Solar Program, a rebate program that will pay up to 35% of the project cost. Pennsylvania is setting a target for 40 MW in four years.

In 2009 there were approximately 550 MW of solar installed in the U.S.  The projections for 2010 range from staying level with last year to 3.8 GW. The DOE claims that 25 jobs are created for each MW of PV installed.  Many factors will determine how many MW of solar will be installed this year. If favorable legislation is enacted and states pass RPS, then 3.8 GW of new solar would translate into an additional 95,000 solar jobs in 2010.  CENTROSOLAR America is poised to bring their expertise to this market by training these newcomers in this field.

Whitney Rauh is the Director of Strategic Marketing, CENTROSOLAR America, Inc.