Energy Technology

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

1. What is LEED certification?
2. Can a person enter PV III if they have not taken PV I or PV II?
3. Are there any other pre-requisites for these classes?
4. What other courses should prospective students take?
5. Will there be any assessment of skills?
6. Will there be a wait list?
7. Will there be any adds to this class?
8. When are you going to start the next PV I class?
9. Will students have to wait a year to get in the next PV I class?
10. When can you register for class?
11. How much notice will prospective students receive before they can register?
12. How many students per class?
13. Are there any complimentary courses for PV I?
14. Are these Engineering Support Technology courses located at both campuses?
15. Will a WIND Turbine class start at Sierra College?
16. Who is hiring for Solar Energy – private or public industry?
17. What textbook will be used for this class?
18. Will there be international opportunities in solar energy?
19. Will there be financial aid or assistance through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Package)?
20. If you want to start up your own solar energy company, do you need to be an electrician?
21. Will the third course include stand alone system?
22. Do we have class locations yet?
23. Are there courses considered electives?
24. Will be receiving a degree from these courses?
25. If you have an AA or BA Degree in a different discipline, should you get an AA in PV?
26. How often are the NACEP tests offered?
27. How many units per semester?
28. What other colleges are offering PV programs in this region?

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1) What is LEED certification?

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED Certification) is a certification related to buildings meeting certain efficiency criteria and is not directly related to what we are doing in this program.

2) Can a person enter PV III if they have not taken PV I or PV II?

No, one must take PV I (ESS 30) and PV II (ESS 32) in that order before taking PV III (ESS 34).

3) Are there any other pre-requisites for these classes?

There are no reading, mathematics or English pre-requisites to enter PV I (ESS 30), PV II (ESS 32) and PV III (ESS 34 .

4) What other courses should prospective students take?

There are no required courses for students to take prior to entering the program; however, students may find it to their benefit to take any of the following courses:

CTR 60 Residential House Wiring and Codes
CTR 44 Conventional Framing
EST 1 Technical Drafting
EST 2 Technical Drafting II
EST 5 Computer Aided Drafting
EST 20 Architectural Drawing I
ENG 22A Engineering Drawing and CAD

* Courses from the Business Entrepreneurship program/certificate also would be beneficial if students are hoping to start their own business related to sola

5) Will there be any assessment of skills?

There will be no specific skill testing to enter the program but students will be assessed in the courses for both theoretical and technical competencies, in particular safety skills will be taught and assessed.

6) Will there be a wait list?

There will be no wait list for the program.

7) Will there be any adds to this class?

As with any Sierra College class if students who have registered do not show up to class, they may lose their seats, thereby creating the potential for other students to add into the course section. However, given the high level of student interest in this new program, we do not expect many available spots for adding students. The add process will involve “drawing names out of a hat” of those students wanting to add who are physically present on the first evening of class.

8) When are you going to start the next PV I class?

The course pattern will be PV I in the fall of 2009, PV II in the spring of 2010 and PV III in the following fall semester (fall 2010), with the hope that students will take internships during the summer. A series of the courses will start each fall so that fall semesters will include PV I & III and spring semesters will include PV II. Available laboratory space and instructors who meet Community College minimum qualifications requirements constrain the number of sections and courses that can be offered.

This is the initial plan for the first two years of the program at which time we will reassess to see if we are able to add additional offerings.

9) Will students have to wait a year to get in the next PV I class?

Yes, please see the answer to #8.

10) When can you register for class?

Registration for the fall 2009 sections of ESS 30 will occur sometime in June after the course has gone through our internal curriculum approval process. Students on our mailing list will receive at least a 72- hour notice prior to the posting of the open sections. Two sections of ESS 30 will be scheduled for Sierra College, Roseville Gateway Campus, one on Monday/Wednesday evenings from approximately 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. and again on Tuesday/Thursday evenings, same times. One section of ESS 30 will be scheduled for the same evening time at an industrial space in the Loma Rica Business Park in Grass Valley. The actual days of the week have yet to be determined, but the combination will either be MW or TTH.

11) How much notice will prospective students receive before they can register?

Please see the answer to #10.

12) How many students per class?

Our initial class sizes will be between 16 and 18 students dependent upon final facility construction and modification.

13) Are there any complimentary courses for PV I?

Please see the answer to #4 above.

14) Are these Engineering Support Technology courses located at both campuses?

No, we don’t teach the recommended EST courses at NCC at this time

15) Will a WIND Turbine class start at Sierra College?

Not in the foreseeable future.

16) Who is hiring for Solar Energy – private or public industry?

The industry has slowed with the downturn of the economy but private companies, state and local government and utility companies are/will be looking for trained energy professionals.

17) What textbook will be used for this class?

Dunlop, James. Photovoltaic Systems, American Technical Publishers, Inc. 2007.

18) Will there be international opportunities in solar energy?

There will be the Centers for International Trade Development is putting on a conference April 27-29 in San Francisco on the Implementation of Renewable Energy in the Emerging Markets of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. For more information contact the Bay Area CITD at admin@bayaeracitd.com or (650) 738-7098.

19) Will there be financial aid or assistance through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Package)?

The details of this act are still being worked out but there will be some impact to the solar industry.

20) If you want to start up your own solar energy company, do you need to be an electrician?

There are requirements related to who has the responsibility on every solar installation. A certified electrician is needed to sign off on the jobs.

21) Will the third course include stand alone system?

Yes, stand alone, commercial and hybrid systems.

22) Do we have class locations yet?

Yes, the labs are located at the Roseville Gateway Center and one in a donated industrial space near the NCC campus at the Loma Rica Business Park in Grass Valley.

23) Are there courses considered electives?

Courses in EST that are CAD related, Engineering 22A, CTR 44 & 60 are the best electives, but a comprehensive list will be compiled as we further develop the program.

24) Will be receiving a degree from these courses?

At this time the three course sequence will lead to a Skills Certificate but we are currently developing a degree pattern.

25) If you have an AA or BA Degree in a different discipline, should you get an AA in PV?

It depends on your career goals but if you are interested in working in the solar industry, particularly as an installer you should do the certificate sequence.

26) How often are the NACEP tests offered?

Information concerning the certification can be found at www.nabcep.org

27) How many units per semester?

Each course is a 4 unit course. This unit value equates to 3 lecture and 3 lab hours per week for 6 hours/week or 108 total instructional hours in our 16-week semester.

28) What other colleges are offering PV programs in this region?

The two nearest programs are located at American River and Diablo Valley Colleges.