NABCEP News NABCEP Releases Eligibility Criteria for PV Technical Sales Certification

NABCEP Releases Eligibility Criteria for PV Technical Sales Certification

Clifton Park, NY, September 30, 2010 – NABCEP

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) has released the eligibility criteria for its new Photovoltaic Technical Sales Certification. The organization is also pleased to announce that applications to sit for the Certification exam will be available on October 12, 2010 – a date selected to coincide with NABCEP’s presence at the Solar Power International conference in Los Angeles, Booth # 1330

For the first time, NABCEP will offer a certification exam in a computer based format. Testing at more than 200 centers nationwide will be open from January 15 to 29, 2011. The application deadline – the date that completed applications must be received at the NABCEP office in Albany, NY – is December 10, 2010.

This new credential is being met with wide enthusiasm in the PV marketplace because it brings the credibility of NABCEP to the PV sales process. Already the “gold standard” in PV installer certification, NABCEP has responded to stakeholder requests to develop and launch a certification aimed at the non-installing sales and other professionals who are critical to achieving PV system customer satisfaction.

Ezra Auerbach, executive director of NABCEP, says, “No matter how well a PV system is installed, the end use customer will be dissatisfied if the sale experience results in over stated performance predictions, flawed site analysis or poor system design. The PV Technical Sales Certification is aimed at PV sales people and others who are responsible for the ethical presentation and accurate analyses and projections of electrical, environmental and financial performance of PV systems.”

Don Warfield, Chairperson of NABCEP, states, “As the PV industry matures and grows, jobs that have specialties continue to emerge. The PV Technical Sales Certification is a recognition of this trend and offers an additional meaningful career pathway for renewable energy professionals.” He continues, “It is gratifying to see how this certification builds on NABCEP’s other programs. Of the seven eligibility pathways, four require successfully passing the NABCEP PV Entry Level Exam and one allows NABCEP Certified PV Installers to take the Technical Sales exam.”

The complete Eligibility Criteria and Job Task Analysis are available on the NABCEP website.