Industry credentials
NABCEP EXAMS FOR SPRING 2013
GCC is administering the NABCEP Certificate of Knowledge in Photovoltaics and the COK in Solar Thermal Systems during the month of June. The PV exam will be administered on Saturday June 15th at 9am in room S338. The Solar Thermal Exam will be administered on Saturday June 22nd at 9 am in room S338. The exam itself is a 60 question exam that takes 2 hours but the administration of the exam takes a little longer.
These two NABCEP entry level tests are being proctored for GCC students and other students who have proof of attendance of 40 hours or more of training in Photovoltaic Systems or Solar Thermal Systems. You must contact Christine Copeland at copelandc@gcc.mass.edu to be put on the roster as exams are ordered. Please arrive 10 minutes in advance and have #2 pencils, photo ID, and proof of attendance at a training if you are not a GCC student. The cost of the exam is $120 payable by check to GCC. For more information on NABCEP, see our site at:
http://web.gcc.mass.edu/renewable-energy/credentials/ or the NABCEP site at: http://www.nabcep.org/3
NABCEP Entry Level PV Exam
Greenfield Community College is affiliated with NABCEP, The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners. GCC administers the Solar PV Entry level Certificate of Knowledge (COK) for GCC students as well as others who have completed 40 hours of approved photovoltaic instruction. This certificate demonstrates basic knowledge, comprehension and application of key terms and concepts of photovoltaic system design and installation. Many of the GCC students who take Introduction to Photovoltaics and Photovoltaic Installations also take the NABCEP exam, though this is not required. For more in depth information about NABCEP, please see
NABCEP Releases Entry Level
Solar Thermal Learning Objectives
Clifton Park, NY, January 17, 2011 - The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is pleased to announce the release of Learning Objectives and an exam blueprint for its new Solar Thermal Entry Level Knowledge Assessment program. The Learning Objectives, which were developed by a volunteer committee of Solar Thermal Industry practitioners and educators, are focused on ensuring that students will be able to demonstrate fundamental Solar Thermal knowledge. The knowledge assessment that is being developed by NABCEP according to the newly published blueprint will test students on their ability to solve generic, basic problems applicable to commonly installed Solar Thermal (ST) systems in North America.
Bill Guiney, Chairperson of the Technical Committee that developed these Learning Objectives and long-time participant in the Solar Thermal Industry says, “We are excited to release this document because it will assist renewable energy educators in developing curriculum for entry level Solar Thermal programs. These programs are critical to supplying new workers for our industry, which is experiencing record growth rates.”
Ezra Auerbach, NABCEP’s Executive Director says, “On behalf of the entire Board I want to thank the volunteers who developed these Learning Objectives. Their task was daunting; we asked them to distil a large and extensive body of knowledge into six major topic areas (domains). They worked long and hard to accomplish the task.” The six topic areas covered by the new Learning Objectives are: Conducting a site analysis; Indentifying ST safety practices, standards, codes and certification(s); Indentifying systems for specific climates and applications; Identifying proper operation and installation methods; Identifying proper use of balance-of-system components and materials; and Indentifying common ST maintenance items.
NABCEP expects the first round of examinations based on the Learning Objectives to be available in the late spring of 2011. Educators and others interested in seeing the full set of Learning Objectives are invited to visit NABCEP’s website at www.nabcep.org.
About NABCEP: The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is the most respected, well established, and widely recognized national certification organization for professional installers in the field of renewable energy. NABCEP is a volunteer board of representatives who are chosen based on their experience and involvement in the solar energy industry. NABCEP’s mission is to develop and implement quality credentialing and certification programs for practitioners by supporting and working closely with professionals and stakeholders in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. To learn more visit www.nabcep.org.
The Renewable Energy Program is developing a Building Performance Institute class for spring 2011. For more information on this organization, visit their site at:
