Free solar energy training that shows how solar works, how projects move from opportunity to operation, and how development, engineering, finance, construction, legal and asset management come together to get them built.
Solar Energy Explained
Understand how solar projects come together—from technology and development to finance, construction, and long-term operations.
Solar energy is energy from sunlight converted into electricity. Turning it into an operating project takes professionals across business, engineering, finance, law, construction, operations and energy markets. The Energy Academy shows you how that work fits together, so you can see where you can contribute.
Understand the fundamentals of solar PV, from sunlight and modules to inverters, electricity, and the grid.
Follow a project from origination and site selection through development, financing, construction, and operations.
Meet the developers, engineers, attorneys, financiers, contractors, utilities, asset managers, and other professionals involved.
Explore the disciplines and careers behind solar projects, or test yourself in the What Would You Do? construction challenge.
FreeHigh-quality learning for everyone.
Self-pacedLearn on your schedule, anytime, anywhere.
PracticalReal-world insights and examples.
Built by industry professionalsTrusted knowledge from people in the field.
Find Where You Fit
Solar projects require far more than installers. Professionals across business, engineering, finance, law, construction, operations, and energy markets all play a role in turning an opportunity into an operating energy asset.
Commercial
Find project opportunities, customers, sites, and commercial partnerships.
Development
Advance projects through site control, permitting, interconnection, stakeholder coordination, and approvals.
Technical
Design safe, efficient, constructible solar systems and model their expected performance.
Financial
Evaluate project economics, structure financing, and determine whether projects make financial sense.
Legal
Negotiate contracts, manage risk, and establish the rights required to build and operate projects.
Delivery
Turn designs into operating assets through procurement, scheduling, field execution, commissioning, and quality control.
Operations
Monitor operating projects, manage contracts and warranties, and protect long-term project performance.
Markets
Understand tariffs, wholesale markets, incentives, and the rules that determine how solar electricity is valued.
You don’t need an engineering degree or previous solar experience. Solar Energy 101 is designed to give anyone a practical foundation in how the industry works.
Build your solar foundation from the ground up.
Translate experience from another industry into the solar sector.
Learn the language, roles, and fundamentals employers expect you to understand.
See how your role connects to the rest of the project lifecycle.
Bring experience in finance, law, construction, real estate, engineering, or other fields into solar.
Give new hires a shared understanding of how solar projects work.
From Sunlight to the Grid
From a rooftop array to a utility-scale plant, every solar system follows the same basic path. Explore the six stages that turn sunlight into usable electricity.
01Solar modules collect sunlight. The energy available depends on the solar resource at the site, the array’s tilt and orientation, and shading.
02Solar cells produce direct-current (DC) electricity when sunlight interacts with the semiconductor material inside them.
03Inverters convert DC electricity into the alternating-current (AC) electricity used by buildings and the electric grid.
04On larger systems, transformers and switchgear raise the voltage and protect equipment before power leaves the site.
05Electricity serves a building behind the customer’s meter or is exported to the grid through an interconnection point.
06Monitoring systems track production, availability and losses so owners can catch underperformance and optimize output.
Key Insight
The technology is the common thread — every solar discipline exists to get this system built, connected and performing.
Solar Energy Learning Center
Build a practical foundation across the technology, project types, economics, lifecycle, and people that make the solar industry work.
Learn how modules, inverters, racking and balance-of-system equipment work together.
Create a free account to view this course CourseFollow a solar project through site control, permitting and interconnection.
Create a free account to view this course CourseSee how solar systems are designed, modeled and specified.
Create a free account to view this course CourseLearn how solar projects are procured, built and commissioned.
Create a free account to view this course CourseUnderstand how solar projects are valued, financed and invested in.
Create a free account to view this course CourseLearn how tariffs, markets and incentives determine what solar electricity is worth.
Create a free account to view this course ToolsAccess calculators, trackers and templates used across solar projects.
Browse Tools CourseNew to the industry? Build the foundation before you specialize.
Create a free account to view this courseExplore the Disciplines
Take your foundation further with focused training across the disciplines that bring solar projects from opportunity to operation.
Find, qualify and advance new project opportunities.
Explore TrackMove projects through site control, permitting and interconnection.
Explore TrackUnderstand project economics, capital and investment decisions.
Explore TrackNavigate contracts, rights, obligations and project risk.
Explore TrackTranslate project concepts into technical solutions.
Explore TrackPlan and execute safe, high-quality project delivery.
Explore TrackProtect the performance and long-term value of operating projects.
Explore TrackUnderstand how electricity, incentives and market value work.
Explore TrackSee how every discipline fits into the renewable energy industry.
Explore the IndustryCommon Questions
Understand how solar works, how the market is organized and what it takes to build a career in the solar industry.
Still have a question?
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Solar energy is energy from sunlight that can be converted into electricity or heat. Solar photovoltaic systems use semiconductor cells within solar modules to convert sunlight directly into electricity.
Solar cells produce direct-current electricity when sunlight interacts with semiconductor material inside the cell. An inverter then converts that DC electricity into alternating-current electricity used by buildings and the electric grid.
Most systems include solar modules, racking or mounting equipment, inverters, electrical wiring and equipment, monitoring systems, and a connection to a building or electric grid. Some projects also include battery energy storage.
The categories primarily differ in size, location, customers, ownership structures, and how electricity is consumed or sold. Residential and commercial projects are often located behind the customer's utility meter, while community and utility-scale projects commonly export electricity to the grid.
No. Solar companies employ professionals in development, sales, finance, law, construction, project management, operations, policy, marketing, engineering, procurement and many other fields.
Roles span origination, project development, engineering, finance, legal, construction, procurement, project management, asset management, operations, energy markets and executive leadership.
A learner can build a useful conceptual foundation relatively quickly. Developing professional expertise depends on the role, but understanding the basic technology, terminology and project lifecycle is an excellent starting point.
Yes. The Energy Academy provides free access to its renewable-energy learning platform and solar training resources. The broader site likewise positions the Academy as free renewable-energy education.
Start Learning
Start with the fundamentals, then go deeper into the discipline that fits you, at your own pace.
Free. Self-paced. Built around real industry work.
