Solar Energy Development and Design Series

Program Description

Under­stand the tech­nol­o­gy behind solar pow­er as you acquire a foun­da­tion­al under­stand­ing of solar pow­er and walk through the plan­ning, design, and devel­op­ment process required to install a solar project. Learn about the mechan­ics of solar pow­er gen­er­a­tion and the tech­ni­cal aspects of its inte­gra­tion into pow­er grids. Explore the eco­nom­ics of dif­fer­ent solar pow­er projects as you prac­tice fore­cast­ing the out­put of projects in real time and assess the prof­itabil­i­ty of poten­tial new projects. Dis­cuss the promis­ing future tra­jec­to­ries of the industry.

The renew­able ener­gy sec­tor employs 12.7 mil­lion work­ers world­wide in 2021 and over 400,000 in Cana­da, with a pro­ject­ed growth for the next decade of 50% in Cana­da and 160% in Alberta.

Is This Program Right For You?

Solar Ener­gy Devel­op­ment and Design will be of spe­cial inter­est to those who want to devel­op, man­age, or improve their under­stand­ing of the rapid­ly evolv­ing clean ener­gy sec­tor. This includes, among oth­ers, envi­ron­men­tal pro­fes­sion­als, project man­agers, indus­try exec­u­tives, devel­op­ers and investors inter­est­ed in expand­ing their career or busi­ness with renew­able energy.

Learning Objectives 

• Offered as a complement to the foundational series Renewable Energy Essentials.

What will I receive?

Upon completion of all program requirements, you will receive a Record of Achievement in Solar Energy Development and Design

Cost  

• The approximate cost of this series is $995 CAD
• Course Fees are $995 CAD
• Pay as you go - students pay on a course-by-course basis as they register. You do not need to pay all of the course fees at once
• Cours­es are GST-exempt
• Consider applying for the Cana­da-Alber­ta Job Grant
• Some courses may require additional resources such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details
   

Program Details

• This series is com­prised of a 42-hour course, “Solar Ener­gy Devel­op­ment,” which is offered as a com­ple­ment to the foun­da­tion­al series Renew­able Ener­gy Essen­tials. To earn your Solar Ener­gy Devel­op­ment and Design Record of Achieve­ment, you must com­plete this solar ener­gy course and, in addi­tion, the three 14-hour cours­es offered through Renew­able Ener­gy Essen­tials.
• This program is designed for part-time study and can generally be completed within 4 months.
• Typically students complete 1-3 courses per semester depending on the course durations
• Courses are graded with assessments. This might include quizzes, exams, discussion forums, papers, and presentations
• Courses are offered online asynchronously or synchronously. Please check the course section for details. Further details on delivery formats can be found here 
• Course materials are shared in eClass. Some courses may require additional resources, such as textbooks. This information can be found in the course section details

Your Instructors

• Our instructors are not just educators; they are industry experts, adult learning specialists, and professionals deeply connected to the pulse of their respective fields. 

How to Apply

• There are no admission requirements or process students need to complete when pursuing a Continuing Education Professional Microcredential

How to Apply for your Record of Achievement 

• Once students have completed the required courses they can Request their Record of Achievement for Series completion 
• Record of Achievements are sent electronically to the student's UAlberta email address.

Transferability and Professional Designations

• Com­plete one more course (Wind Ener­gy) to earn another Record of Achieve­ment.
• Com­plete the Renew­able Ener­gy Tech­nolo­gies Cer­tifi­cate and be eli­gi­ble to write the Sus­tain­able Ener­gy Tech­nolo­gies Pro­fes­sion­al Exam (admin­is­tered by the Foun­da­tion­al Tech­nolo­gies Insti­tute) for a dis­count­ed stu­dent rate of $200 CAD (reg­u­lar $800 CAD).

International Students 

• International Students are welcome to enroll in our courses, with the only requirement being a stable internet connection. There are no differential course fees for international students completing courses in this program
• Students are responsible for ensuring that they are proficient in English so that they can fully participate in classes
• Please note that non-credit programming does not qualify for a study permit, therefore this program cannot be used for immigration to Canada. Foreign nationals authorized to work in Canada who are prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of their work permit are allowed to engage in distance learning courses. For more information please contact University of Alberta International Student Services

Student Services and Policies

Further information can be found on withdrawals, refunds+ transfers, assessment and grading, Program Admission

Support Services 

Student Service Centre - for payment and registration inquiries

• Program Office - for course/program inquiries and the Canada Alberta Job Grant
• eClass support
• IT assistance
• Learning remotely

Contact us