Solar Thermal Installation Course Curriculum

Program Goal and Outcomes

Program Goal

To provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to know best practices for installing, troubleshooting, and repairing solar thermal systems on residential and small commercial buildings.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...

Explain the fundamentals of solar energy systems for generating heat and electricity
Identify the components of a solar thermal heating system and explain their function
Describe how to install, commission, and troubleshoot a solar thermal heating system

Starting Your Program

Succeed by learning how to use your Penn Foster program.

Objectives:

Understand how to use your Student Portal.
Access the Penn Foster Community and use it to find answers.
Connect with Penn Foster on various social media sites.

Orientation to Solar Technology

Learn how to be a successful Penn Foster student by learning about your student portal. Explore how the universal solar system works in relationship with the solar energy systems. Examine how the location of the sun in the sky effects the amount of energy produced by a solar energy system and how the suns energy produced by a solar energy produces electricity and heat for hot water.

Objectives:

Identify skills needed to be a confident and independent online learner
Describe the solar industry and how the sun affects solar energy
Define the electrical fundamentals, language, tools, and safety procedures used in the solar industry

Solar Thermal Heating Components

Identify the components of a solar thermal heating system, describe how the components function, and explain how to use them in a system.

Objectives:

Identify the components of solar thermal heating systems and describe how they work
Determine the optimal sized system to meet hot water heating needs in a house and small business

Thermal Installation, Commissioning, and Troubleshooting

Determine how to install solar thermal heating systems in accordance with building codes, commissioning procedures, and troubleshooting techniques.

Objectives:

Describe how to install solar thermal heating systems
Outline how to commission solar thermal heating systems
Explain troubleshooting solar thermal heating systems

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in this field are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered in the Penn Foster Program. Prospective students should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where they plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in this Program. Click here for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.

Please review your state board requirements that are applicable to your field of study. State boards may impose a variety of different requirements. This is particularly important for residents of Wisconsin.

Computer Specifications

As you know this is an online academic program. This means you will need high-speed internet access to begin your program. In addition, you will need access to a Microsoft® Windows® based computer running Windows 7® or later or an Apple® Mac® computer running OS X® or later, and an email account to participate in and complete your program.
We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.
Apple, Mac, and OS X are trademarks of Apple, Inc. registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.

Solar Thermal Installation Skills Course Outline

Program Goal and Outcomes

Additional Details

Sample Solar Thermal Installation Skills Lesson