Posts Tagged ‘Sustainable Technologies’

Solar Technology at Durham Tech

Last night I went through the Continuing Education magazine that Durham Technical Community College sent to my mailbox.  I’d been getting these schedules for a long time, in addition to other material since about the time I left UNC with my master’s in ecology.  I had already become familiar with Durham Tech’s website as well as their Sustainability Technologies program well before I opened yesterday’s magazine, since I had really been thinking about doing the Renewable Energy diploma.  It was going to be a long wait until fall semester 2011 though, for the diploma program to open up.

So it was really exciting to see the Solar Technology course in the Continuing Education magazine.  It will be on M, T, and Th from 6-9:30 pm from February 7-May 17, 2011.   I’m very much thinking about signing up; it leaves my days open in case I did get a job, and if I don’t, it will give me something good to do with my days until the Renewable Energy diploma program opens up in fall 2011.

The course teaches students a basic understanding of the terms and operational aspects of a photovoltaic (PV) system.  Students prepare to take the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) PV entry-level exam and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) exam.  The book “Photovoltaic Design and Installation Manual by Solar Energy International” is the required textbook, and the course is 150 hours long.  Durham Tech also awards credit for ALT 220 – Photovoltaic Systems Technology, a Sustainability Technologies curriculum course at Durham Tech, for students that successfully pass the NABCEP entry-level exam.