A Glass-Slapper’s Guide to Solar Batteries Class List

Forget what you know about net-metered solar. To grow your solar practice, you need practical solar battery knowledge and will find it here. The total current curriculum is 34 hours long. You can take what you need, adjusting to your skill set. There are enough classes here suitable for 100% of NABCEP PV and ESIP certifications needs including all JTA, Building or Fire Code, and NEC hour requirements. Classes are updated on a rotating schedule, roughly eight hours per month. If taking this class for state architect or engineering continuing education, please confirm that your state accepts classes which are not directly registered with state licensing boards.

PV100: Learn Solar Fast – 4 hours
This course is intended to bring new hires up to speed as fast as possible on solar materials and fundamentals. Industry professionals should skip this course.

BATT150: Beyond Net-Metering – 1.5 hours
Adding batteries to solar requires a new approach to grid-tied project design. Learn about different applications, with an emphasis on hybrid inverters of all sizes.

BATT170: Sizing Energy Storage for Grid Independence – 1 hour
This class explores a method for converting PVWatts data into an energy model to simulate grid vs. solar use of grid-time systems, using simple 20%-100% daily battery cycling. The result informs the customer how many days per month they will use the electric grid, which can be substituted for generator run time in off-grid systems.

BATT175: Economics and System Optimization – 1 hour
This class explores how designing for time-of-use metering, as well as other grid export incentives such as virtual power plant DERMS partipation and variable export rates. Learn to better understand and evaluate how industry software is implementing solar battery economic models with an emphasis on rate-based consumption algorithms. Demand modeling is not part of this class.

BATT201: – Battery Technologies Revealed – 1.5 Hours
This class primarily focuses on components and features of residential lithium iron phosphate batteries. Essential viewing for any industry professional.

BATT250: EMS and Interconnection and Busbars Oh My! – 1 hour*
This is a more more relaxed, less pedantic approach than our NEC interconnection class, with a sidecar of busbar and power distribution block exploration.

BATT321: Hybrid Inverter Installation and Commissioning – 10 hours*
This class focuses on topic-specific installation and commissioning of residential and commercial hybrid inverters. Essential for any industry professional. Broken into one hour classes as follows:
– Whole Home Backup Design Considerations
– Paralleling Inverters and Batteries
– Tools, Wiring, CTs, Rapid Shutdown, and Communication Wiring
– Commissioning, Common Rate and Grid Settings
– EMP Hardened Systems, Intro to Modbus Integration, Wind Turbines, Generators, Three-Phase with Two-Phase Inverters
– Non-Backup and Essential Load Applications
– Commercial Applications and High Voltage Batteries
– Wiring, Commissioning, Project Documentation
– Generators, EV Chargers, and Smart Loads
– AC vs DC Coupling Deep Dive

NEC2023: 8 Hour Review for Solar Battery Professionals
These classes are really dry. Be prepared for lots of code discussion. Cut through code knots.
Broken into the following classes:
– Conductor and Overcurrent Protection Sizing 1.5 Hours
– Grounding and Bonding 1.5 Hours
– 690 Solar – 2 hours
– 705 Interconnection 1.5 hours
– 706 Energy Storage 1.5 hours

BATT335: Strategic Load Control – 1 Hour
Is load control worthwhile? Let’s explore differences between minimum viability and overcomplication.

BATT340: Lead Acid Post Mortem – 1 Hour*
Understanding lead acid provides a richer understanding of lithium battery technology. Learn more about C-rates, temperature, charge cycles, commissioning tips, and remaining applications which may surprise you.

BATT345: Introduction to Modbus – 1 Hour*
I am not a modbus expert, but you gotta start somewhere.

NFPA855: Building Code for Batteries: UL9540, UL9540a, and NFPA855 Explained – 2 Hours*
Be the smartest code wonk during inspection. Essential viewing for any industry professional.

ESIP900: Energy Storage Installation Professionals Exam Review – 1 Hour*
This class shores up any job task analysis found in NABCEP’s Energy Storage Installation Professional accreditation which are not otherwise covered in the above curriculum. It is another lecture class and does not include any exam sample instructions. You should not practice exam questions for the NABCEP ESIP exam. You should develop your industry knowledge.

*Recording not yet available but scheduled for recording by end of May 2024.