This Seminar will provide participants with the knowledge, resources and information required to conduct Solar Audits, identify, develop and evaluate the feasibility of Solar thermal and electric Photovoltaic (PV) applications for providing heat for processes, building service water or air and/or electric power for facility use. Solar energy, the worlds most abundant resource, is readily available everywhere, it's free and uninterruptible and going strong!. Solar water and process heating is, and has been, the biggest producer of energy from the sun. Solar electric power from Photovoltaic systems is being used in increasing amounts in both remote or Stand Alone and utility connected applications. Solar systems are appearing in increasing numbers today in Sustainable Buildings and areas that have experienced utility problems from storms or simple disruptions of power .

Given the present uncertainty over the cost and availability of conventional fuels and power, many Building Owners and Managers are beginning to take a hard look at Solar. The recent increase in Tax Credits for Businesses and Incentives from State and others for Solar Applications in the commercial sector only adds to the many reasons to use Solar Energy today! This Seminar is designed to enable participants to identify, evaluate and recommend cost effective Solar Applications (Thermal & PV) to the Business community.

In this course you will learn how to develop, design, size and evaluate conceptual designs of the variety of Solar thermal and electric systems for C&I facilities. As part of this seminar solar systems are developed for specific sites, sized, designed and evaluated to determine the cost effectiveness of applications. Case studies of successful projects are reviewed to illustrate the design decisions necessary to implement successful projects. Resources and references are provided to assist participants in developing and evaluating future solar projects.

Topics covered include:

o Solar Heating (water, air, process)
o Solar Electric (Photovoltaic)
o Other Renewables (Daylighting, Geothermal, Wind etc.)
" Environmental Issues & Sustainability
" Energy Economics
" Energy Efficiency & Conservation
" Solar Audits and load determination
" Solar Energy-the resource
" Solar applications & technologies
" Solar system types (Thermal & PV) and associated components.
" Solar system design, sizing & performance
" Economic Feasibility
" Solar Tax Credits
" Implementation options
" Resources and references
" Case Studies: Solar Thermal System for KSC, Stand alone PV System for NPS and others as time permits

Solar Seminar Modules

Part 1 - Introduction: An overview of Solar Applications and Technologies that can today be cost effectively installed on, or integrated into, Commercial and Industrial (C & I) and Sustainable Facilities are presented & discussed. Topics include a discussion of Solar Applications and with an emphasis on developing and installing reliable and cost effective solar systems for heating (water and air) or electric power at C & I facilities. Technologies discussed include active & passive solar thermal applications, solar electric (PV) and geothermal systems.

Part 2 - Project Development: This section presents and discusses the technical information necessary to develop potential solar projects. This segment provides the background information on Solar Thermal and PV systems as well as the Solar Resource. As well as information necessary to size and evaluate the economic feasibility of solar thermal or electric (PV) projects. Solar Basics, Design Considerations, System Type, Hardware and Performance, of potential solar projects are the major focus of this session. The presentation focuses on the technical aspects of solar water heating or electric (PV) systems. Design considerations necessary to implement successful (cost effective, efficient and reliable) commercial solar water heating and photovoltaic systems are presented and discussed to enable participants to determine and select appropriate hardware, system types, sizes and configurations to maximize performance, value and longevity of solar applications.

Part 3 -Evaluation: Solar projects for specific sites will be developed and evaluated using the approaches and information discussed in the previous session. Audits of the sites will be discussed and used to develop conceptual designs of appropriate systems to enable participants to gain experience in selecting system types, sizes, and configurations to maximize performance, value and longevity of solar applications.

Part 4 - Case Studies, Procurement Options and References: In this session, case studies of recently installed solar thermal and electric projects will be discussed and reviewed to illustrate the design process, system procurement, installation issues and options that arise in the development solar projects. Procurement and implementation options, resources and references are also presented and discussed to introduce participants to readily available resources and information related to the design, acquisition, and installation of successful solar applications.

Upon completion of the general aspects of this Seminar, participants will be introduced to one of the best Energy Project Analysis Tools available today-the RetScreen International Project Analysis Software-the RETScreen International Project Software. The software, provided free by the Canadian Government, is available on the internet. RETScreen can be used to develop and evaluate the performance and economics of the Renewable Energy Projects discussed in this seminar and more.