SLCC Solar Training Yard Expands; Receives Cutting Edge Equipment Donations
Judy Fisher
Rocky Mountain Region | Salt Lake Community College
Solar Energy International, Utah Solar Association
[email protected]
Salt Lake Community College’s solar training yard continues to grow, thanks in large part to very generous support received from the PV and electrical industry within the Salt Lake Valley. The initial phase of construction was completed in the fall of 2012.
The latest equipment received is a state-of-the-art battery backup Schneider Electric SW inverter and all associated components. This is in addition to the extensive inventory of PV systems and equipment the solar yard already has, such as residential and commercial grid-tied, battery backup and off-grid systems and components. All systems have different roofing/mounting types along with common real world problems and how those problems are accounted for and designed around. Donations have also been received by, among others, Aspen Roofing, Evosolar, Solartek Solutions, Sunlight Solar and Synergy Power.
“We are extremely pleased with the support from local industry,” says Jennifer Saunders, Associate Dean of the Division of Continuing Education at SLCC. “It reflects their desire and intent for our students to get the most current and comprehensive hands-on learning experience possible.”
With the growth of the training yard, SLCC is expanding workshop offerings to include even more system configurations. This benefits not only current students, but former students and professionals already working within the solar industry in Utah.
“Working together, business and higher education are creating a highly skilled workforce for this growing industry,” added Saunders.
For more information about the yard, including a fun time-lapse video of the construction process and a complete list of Donors, visit SLCC’s Solar Training Yard.
Images: Salt Lake Community College
