Professional education and training for photovoltaics: Reaching all the sectors
This paper considers a critical component of the PV infrastructure--the many non-installation related professionals--and how the PV industry and advocates can reach out to educate and train these groups. These professionals include inspectors, builders, developers, architects, utility engineers, lenders, appraisers, and realtors. Each one of these professionals plays a different role through the life of a PV project, and although some professionals are more critical than others, each needs PV-related education. This paper addresses each of these professional groups and their relevance to expanding PV markets. Recommendations are then made for bringing these professional groups to a reasonable stage of familiarity with PV. The focus here is on the development of an infrastructure for PV, but many of the ideas and recommendations apply equally well to other solar and renewable technologies. This paper does not address the training needs for PV installers because several other organizations are now giving attention to this audience since the authors conducted their original study in mid-1998. Many of the recommendations developed in this paper are based on a survey of individuals in the solar field. A survey of over 400 professionals involved in solar energy was conducted by the NC Solar Center in August 1998. Questions addressed both public and professional education needs for the expansion of markets for PV.
- Research Organization:
- North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 20050758
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SOLAR 99, Portland, ME (US), 06/12/1999--06/16/1999; Other Information: PBD: 1999; Related Information: In: Solar 99 conference: Proceedings of ASES annual conference -- Proceedings of 24th national passive solar conference, by Campbell-Howe, R.; Wilkins-Crowder, B. [eds.], 779 pages.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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