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   Courses, Workshops Degrees & Certifications

The information provided is from a number of sources and is reliable but not guaranteed. We encourage you to research any educational opportunity in the renewable energy field. Requirements for certifications, degrees, local state and federal laws and utility specifications change and it’s not always possible to post them on this website. The schools listed below post class schedules on their websites.

Chart your career path and the training you will need to achieve your goals with the Solar Career Map, an interactive tool designed to assist persons interested in joining the solar energy workforce.

Texas Renewable Energy Education Consortium (TREEC) is a group of twelve Texas colleges committed to investigate, develop, and teach curricula in emerging renewable energy technologies and to meet the demand of the Texas workforce. The programs range from professional certificates to two-year degrees. Go to “Consortium” on the homepage for a list of the schools and contact information. Austin Community College has RESA, a strong student chapter of the American Solar Energy Society.

Eastfield Community College Mesquite, TX offers a Alternative/Sustainable Energy  associate degree and certificate program, established in 2011.

Western Texas College in Snyder has developed a curriculum for both wind and solar energy technologies.

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners-NABCEP  offers certifications and certificate programs to renewable energy professionals throughout North America. Their certification is recognized as the gold standard for renewable energy professionals.
ImagineSolar  in Austin offers workshops and training in solar installation and design, technical sales and marketing, and encourages its students to become NABCEP certified. Based in Austin and serving Texas and surrounding states, it is the first licensed school in Texas dedicated to the solar and smart grid industries. See the calendar of workshops and note their Solar Business Professional Series offered in the Spring of 2012.
SolPower People  is a national solar photovoltaic training organization based in Texas,  dedicated to providing the highest quality solar training at a competitive price to the far corners of the country. They have just launched a FREE NABCEP Exam Prep “Massive Open Online Course”, or MOOC, a more structured way of connecting people in a collaborative, guided course.
Solar Energy International    Solar Energy International (SEI) is a  non-profit organization whose mission is to help others use renewable energy and environmental building technologies through education. They are the oldest (20 years) solar training organization in the country and also the largest, offering  courses in the US and abroad.
Boots on the Roof  provides Wind and Solar Energy training the United States, with the mission of training the next wave of Renewable Energy Contractors, Engineers, Architects, Sales Professionals and Business Entrepreneurs.

K-12  Solar Education and Teacher Guides

Many of the utility providers in Texas provide energy conservation and renewable energy programs to schools in their territories. Please contact your local utility to discover what is available!

Texas Solar For Schools   Since 2001, Texas State Energy Conservation Office’s Texas Solar for Schools Program has supplied many small-scale solar energy systems and complimentary educational tools to school districts across the state. The schools save energy, thus save money on their electric bills, and the students learn first hand about renewable energy and energy conservation.

National Energy Education & Development Project  Created in 1980, NEED is made up of teachers, students, partners, and sponsors who are striving to make energy education a priority in the nation’s schools.
TXU Solar Academy   TXU Energy has partnered with NEED  to implement their nationally recognized solar energy education program into Texas schools. www.txu.com/residential/Solar_Academy4.htm

The Solar Car Challenge was established in 1993 to motivate students in science and engineering. The Challenge, a part of The Winston School in Dallas, teaches high school students around the world how to build roadworthy solar cars.