The Solar PV Project Feasibility Analysis certificate course is based on a case-study learning approach and expands on the curriculum initially developed by the RETScreen division of Natural Resources Canada. The training material for the course includes multimedia presentations on Solar PV technologies, RETScreen (clean energy project analysis software) and RETScreen Engineering & Cases electronic textbook, as well as various other related resources. The learning is guided by one or more facilitators available to participants via Skype VoIP or text messaging, weekly teleconferencing, discussion forums, etc.

The course covers solar PV for:

• Residences
• Businesses
• Industries
• Off-grid applications
• Grid-connected applications
• Water pumping
• Developing countries

Course content:

• Overview of solar PV systems
• Components of solar PV systems
• Off-grid systems
• On-grid systems
• Water pumping systems
• Solar resource assessment & optimization
• Solar-load correlation
• Solar PV system and project costs
• Solar PV project feasibility tools, methods, and elements
• Guided exercises on performing RETScreen solar project analysis
• Assignment on planning and conducting of a solar PV project feasibility analysis based on a case study
• Real-world feasibility analysis projects

What you will learn:

By the end of the course, successful participants will have acquired the essential skills and knowledge to perform a feasibility analysis that will enable stakeholders to decided whether or not to proceed with a potential renewable energy project. Specifically, successful participants will have learned:

• The technologies of solar PV systems, the various types of solar PV projects, the equipment and processes involved, in what context they are most interesting and appropriate
• How to identify economically viable potential solar PV projects
• How to perform full-scale project feasibility analysis for solar PV projects
• How to use RETScreen to evaluate the quantitative technical and economic factors of solar PV projects
• The complete method to calculate the payback, return on investment, and other financial ratios for solar PV projects
• Essential business, technical and project management skills

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