Bright Power conducted a comprehensive market assessment of the demand for a solar electric photovoltaic (PV) system installation technical training program in New York City. The study was funded by NYSERDA and was performed under contract to the Environmental Business Association of New York State, for the City University of New York (CUNY).

Report: PV Installation Training at CUNY - Market Assessment Abstract:There is a growing demand for solar photo-voltaic installation training in New York City. The City University of New York (CUNY) is developing a comprehensive training program for PV installers that will be accredited by the Institute for Sustainable Power (ISP). The demand for training is driven by an increase in solar installations in the New York metropolitan area. Proper training is necessary to ensure that PV systems are installed correctly. Typical PV installations in NYC have characteristics that differ from PV systems in many other places. In NYC systems are installed more often on flat roofs and integrated into building facades. This demonstrates a need for NYC-specific PV training that addresses the issues specific to the city. These issues include interconnecting with the local utility while obeying local electrical codes and training needs for the different types of labor forces involved in PV installations in the city. The report also outlines a marketing plan to attract students to the program. Download the full study. (PDF, 634 kB)