Welcome to the IGEN PV Development Course homepage! Thanks to support from the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN), in addition to the Office of the Secretary of the State of Illinois, this Solar PV Development Course is available to all IGEN member colleges.
The IGEN Solar PV Development course is a 12-week online on-demand course available to IGEN member colleges interested going solar. The course is intended to assist college administrative teams, boards, sustainability staff, faculty, and even the school’s Finance, Engineering and/or Design Consultants (“solar planning teams”) better understand the solar PV process. Information will be presented about the technology, how to assess site prioritization, finance, and procurement strategies used to deliver on-campus solar. The best part of the course is up to 5 individuals per college can participate, collaborate, and learn from one another. Experience shows teams with diverse backgrounds produce better outcomes.
IGEN/MREA Opportunities for Solar: Course Online & Technical Assistance Services
A Lunch Hour Webinar: Wednesday March 11th, 12-1pm CDT
Is your college interested in solar but not sure how or where to start? The Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN), in partnership with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), is offering Illionois community colleges (active members of the network) opportunities for going solar, including a course online and technical assistance services.
Watch the recorded webinar (below) to learn more about how to take advantage of these free opportunities!
Speakers Include:
- Brad McCormick, Vice President, John A. Logan College
- Nate Keener, Director of Sustainability, Lewis and Clark Community College
- Amanda Schienebeck, Solar Program Coordinator, Midwest Renewable Energy Association
Office hours will be made available weekly to allow program participants up to 30-minute prescheduled conference calls. During these prescheduled calls program participants will be able to ask questions and receive answers and feedback from MREA technical assistance team members.
Instructions on how to schedule office hour appointments can be found within course material in Module 1.
The course includes 8 topic modules packed with information and resources integral the solar development process. Through the course, solar experts will share their knowledge and insights to assist your team gain the skills and confidence to initiate and complete a solar roadmap or business case for your college.
Video topics include, among others:
- General PV Market Trends
- What Does Success Look Like?
- Strategies for Engaging the Right Group of Stakeholders for your Solar Planning Team
- Energy Analysis
- System Siting Identification Considerations
- PV Project Development Steps
- What to Look for in a PV Contractor
Through the partnership between IGEN and the MREA, IGEN member colleges are able to begin working with MREA’s technical assistance team at any time before March 31, 2020.
To get started, first complete the Program Application Form to gain access to the course material. Module 8 includes six (6) topic shorts, each summarizing the technical assistance services offered by IGEN and provided to your teams by the MREA, as listed below.
- PV Project Plan
- Solar PV Site Assessment Report
- Solar PV Economic Feasibility Analysis
- Solar PV RFP Development Assistance
- Solar RFP Evaluation Assistance
- PV System Inspection and Report
Technical assistance services can be applied for directly within Module 8 of the course.
Program Contact
Marta Monti
Solar Program Manager
Email: marta@midwestrenew.org
Phone: 414.988.7963
Download/Print Informational PDF Handouts:
