Seven Candidates Receive ISPQ Award in December 2009

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc. (IREC) is pleased to announce that seven awards of the Institute for Sustainable Power Quality (ISPQ) accreditation and certification were presented in December 2009.

Springfield Technical Community College, in Springfield Massachusetts, has been awarded ISPQ Training Program Accreditation for their course entitled “Photovoltaic Practitioner Certificate Program.”This course offers a 60 hour program designed for Architects, Engineers, Licensed Electricians, Journeyman Electrician students, General Contractors and students interested in preparing for the NABCEP Entry Level Exam.  The course is taught by NABCEP- certified solar professionals. This PV course is taught through the Center for Business and Technology, a division of Springfield Technical Community College, which was established 25 years ago to offer training programs to teach skills required for local businesses and industry.

Solairgen, of Dehlonega Georgia, has been awarded ISPQ Training Program Accreditation for their course entitled “PV System Design and Installation.”  This course is an introductory class for electricians, engineers and designers who are interested in entering the renewable energy industry.  It is designed to prepare the student for certification by NABCEP.  Taught by NABCEP- certified practitioners, this course is approved by NABCEP for 21 hours of continuing education credits.

Solairgen’s owner and president, Kelly Provenance, has been working in the renewable energy field for over ten years and has operated Solairgen, a solar installation company since 2002.  The PV System Design and Installation training program was developed in 2007.

Quinntas, in Denver Colorado, has been awarded ISPQ Continuing Education Accreditation for their course entitled “Photovoltaic Installation.”  The Photovoltaic Installation course was developed under the guidelines of the NEC and OSHA.  The course is a 40 hour/10-day course which ends with a Field trip to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  It covers all aspects of PV installation in the following topic areas:  introduction to PV; solar fundamentals; PV modules; batteries; sizing stand- alone systems; grid- tied systems; system installation; and safety.

Quinntas first offered this PV installation course in February 2009.  They are certified by the Department of Labor’s work investment act to train clients on PV systems and Renewable Energy, and on contract with the Denver Department of Economic Development to provide training to displaced workers in renewable energy, OSHA-30 and life skills training. 

James Cormicanhas been awarded ISPQ Instructor Certification affiliated with AtlE University in Massachusetts.  Mr. Cormican has an Associate’s Degree in Renewable Energy from San Juan College and has designed hundreds of systems for customers as well as technically trained the sales staff at AltE.  In September 2009 Mr. Cormican was also awarded NABCEP PV Installer Certification.

Mr. Cormican teaches the PV 301 Basic Photovoltaics and Site Assessment for Installers Course; the PV 302 Intermediate Photovoltaic Design and Installation Course; and the PV 303 Advanced Photovoltaic Design and Installation Course.  He has taught over 600 students at AltE University. 

Ryan Mayfieldhas been awarded ISPQ Affiliated Master Trainer Certification affiliated with Lane Community College in Oregon.  Mr. Mayfield is also a certified NABCEP PV installer.  In addition to his extensive practical installation experience, he has developed and delivered PV courses focused on several targeted audiences such as electricians, solar contractors, building inspectors, and code officials.

Mr. Mayfield has been in the field since 1999.  He has written many articles for several trade magazines and has been involved in the development of Lane Community College’s online PV design and installation course being offered this year.

Christopher Sommerfeldhas been awarded ISPQ Instructor Certification affiliated with SunPower Corporation in California.  Mr. Sommerfeld is a NABCEP certified PV installer and has been involved in the solar industry for over six years.  As a trainer for SunPower, Mr. Sommerfeld has trained over 600 students in the design and installation of PV.  He has been a project manager for a solar contractor, taught a grid-tied PV course to high school students, and is responsible for hundreds of kilowatts of PV installations.

Francine V. Nottehas been awarded ISPQ Instructor Certification affiliated with Dr. Gay Canough of ETM Solar Works in New York.  Ms. Notte has been in the renewable energy field for the past 13 years.  She became a NABCEP certified PV installer in 2007, is a NYSERDA Eligible Solar Installer, and also a Pennsylvania Certified Installer.  Ms. Notte teaches the Photovoltaic Installer’s Course which includes NEC, safety, mounting systems, hands-on building of a simple array, and off-grid battery design.  As a trainer in the employ of Dr. Gay Canough, an ISPQ Certified Independent Master Trainer, Ms. Notte has taught over 425 students.

To achieve the award of Accreditation or Certification, each of these candidates has gone through a comprehensive application and audit process.   During IREC’s ISPQ accreditation and certification process all documentation is examined and verified through the audit.   Each of the recipients listed above who has been awarded Accreditation as a Training Program has also gone through a thorough on-site audit of their facilities, equipment, and quality management systems.  The IREC ISPQ Award Committee makes the final determination to grant status or not based on the auditor’s report and scrutiny of the candidate’s material.

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council, Inc.is the North American Licensee for the ISPQ International Standard #01021 for the Accreditation and Certification of Renewable Energy Training Programs.  IREC, a non-profit organization, is responsible for the full accreditation and certification cycle including processing applications, assigning registered auditors, awarding the credential, and maintaining all records of applicants, candidates and awardees.

A listing of all ISPQ Accreditation & Certification Awardees can be viewed on the IREC website.  Click here to go to this page.

For more information about IREC’s ISPQ Accreditation and Certification Programs, please visit www.ispqusa.org or write to [email protected].

Pat Fox

Pat is IREC's Director of Credentialing Development. She serves as a member of the working groups for IREC standards development efforts, and is part the team working with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to develop and manage the ANSI-IREC Accreditation Program. Pat is also co-founder of the Waltham Energy Action Committee in Massachusetts.