Home Workshops
How do I register for a workshop?
You can visit our online workshop calendar to register for a workshop. We also take registrations over the phone at 707-472-2450. To register for a workshop by mail, print and fill out the registration form in the back of our Workshop Catalog, and send it with payment to:
Solar Living Institute-Attn: Workshop Registration
P.O. Box 836
Hopland, CA 95449
How do I pay for a workshop?
All payments must be made in full. To hold a spot for a workshop, we require advance registration by credit card or by mailing a check (see above). Note: Active Solar Living Institute Partners DO NOT pay registration fees (see Support the SLI for more information).
How do I know I am registered for a workshop?
You should receive a receipt showing which workshop you paid for on the day of registration. A separate confirmation of registration via email will include location details, directions, parking, nearby accommodations, and other relevant information specific to your workshop within 5 working days of signing up.
What are the directions to my workshop? You will receive an email confirmation, after registration, which includes directions, parking information and nearby accomodations.
What if I need to cancel my attendance?
Cancellations or modifications to a registration (i.e. transferring to another workshop) made prior to two (2) weeks from the workshop date will be charged a $40 fee. Any cancellations made within two weeks from the workshop date are non-refundable.
How do I know if a workshop is sold out?
Sold out workshops will display online as sold out. If the Add to Basket button is active on the workshop you are interested in, there is still room in the class. What if I want to attend a sold out workshop?
If a workshop is sold out, you can add your name to a waiting list and you will be contacted should a space become available. Please call (707) 472-2450, press # for workshop questions to get on a wait list. What if the workshop is cancelled by SLI? If, for any reason, a workshop needs to be cancelled, we will give you as much advance notice as possible. We will issue you either a full refund or issue "escrow" on account towards a future workshop.
What if I’m unsure which workshop I should take? If you have a question about which photovoltaics class is right for you, read the information below. If you still have questions, give us a call at 707-472-2450, press # for workshop questions and we’ll be happy to assist you in course selection.
If you are a beginning PV person, homeowner, or general public looking for an introduction to solar: - PV 101 & 102 for general intro to PV
- For more on off-grid, proceed with PV 190 then 290
- For immersion, PV 200 Design & Installation Intensive 5 days
If you are an electrician, electrical contractor, or serious PV career seeker looking to get into the PV industry:
- Fore immersion, PV 200 Design & Installation Intensive 5 days
- For more immersion, take the PV 300 after the PV 200
- For those interested in off-grid applications PV190 then 290
If you have some experience with PV and are looking to prepare for the NABCEP Installer Certification exam:
- PV 300 Advanced PV Systems, 5 days
NOTE: PREREQUISITE STRICTLY ENFORCED (PV 200, NABCEP Entry Level Certificate, 2 years working in PV with documented experience, or permission of the instructor) Can I skip PV 200 and go directly into PV 300?
You can, if you meet the following criteria: - Certificate of Completion from Solar Living Institute for "PV Design & Installation Intensive" (or equivalent from an ISPQ accredited institution such as Solar Energy International)
Or
- 2 Years of design, installation, or related experience with proper documentation
Or
- Entry Level NABCEP Certification with proper documentation
Or
- Permission of the Instructor
Will your workshops provide me with any sort of certification?
We can provide certificates for any of our workshops, upon request, signed by our Workshop Director and include your training time.
As of 2/19/09, our PV200 and PV300 are accredited training programs through the Institute for Sustainable Power Quality. The PV200 course prepares you to take the NABCEP Entry Level Exam, and the PV300 course prepares you to take the NABCEP Installer Certification test and become NABCEP certified.
NABCEP’s PV Installer Certification is a high-level credential based on proven installation experience, an extensive application process, and successfully passing a rigorous written examination. It verifies that the certificant has met predetermined and standardized criteria. It is a mark of excellence for the PV practitioner and it becomes a way for consumers to differentiate among vendors. For information about applying, visit http://www.nabcep.org/certification/how-to-apply-2.
Now that our PV200 workshop is an accredited training program and as of 4/16/09 we have become an "Approved Provider" through NABCEP, we can now administer NABCEP Entry Level Exam after taking this workshop. To take this exam you must sign up for it in addition to signing up for PV200 on our website. The PV entry level program is an instructional program that stresses basic concepts and specific skill sets that underlie photovoltaic system applications. Participants receive the PV Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge after attending and completing our PV200 course, and passing the NABCEP Entry Level Exam. If you are not familiar with the Entry Level Exam, click http://www.nabcep.org/certificates/entry-level-certificate-program for information.
These are voluntary solar certifications and the only standard in the industry today. If you are interested in eventually making a career out of solar installation, a NACEP Installer Certification makes one stand out in a crowd of installers. How do I get to the Solar Living Center?
Directions to the Solar Living Center in Hopland are listed on our website. For directions to other workshop locations, please check your confirmation email.
At what time should I arrive and depart? All workshops run from 9am to 5pm, except for our solar intensives (PV 200 and PV 300) which are from 9am to 6pm. We ask that you arrive at the workshop location at least 10 minutes prior to the beginning of class, to give yourself time to get oriented, check-in, and get settled in.
Where can I stay in Hopland? Accommodations near the Solar Living Center are listed on our website. For accommodations convenient to other workshop locations, please check your confirmation email.
Where is the nearest airport to fly in?
You can fly into San Francisco Airport or Oakland Airport. Search www.Google for airport information.
Where can I stay at other workshop locations?
Please refer to your email confirmation for places to stay at locations other than Hopland.
Do you offer any kind of financial assistance for workshops?
Yes! The Solar Living Institute has a worktrade program in which people can come and volunteer onsite in order to gain workshop credit. We trade one workshop day for (two) 8 hour days volunteering at the SLI. You can offset part or all of workshop fee through volunteering, but it is important to note that the SLI requires that all volunteers do their worktrade shifts before the beginning of the workshop. If you are interested in doing worktrade, please see our Volunteers page. Volunteers are welcome in workshops on a space available basis. What if I want the Solar Living Institute to come give a custom workshop to a group?
Please email Orion Walker our Outside Events Coordinator, or call him at 707-472-2459. Where can I go to find out more about the subject matter in which I am interested?
Our website has extensive websites for further information under the “resources” tab. We also sell educational books and dvds, both online and at the Solar Living Center.
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