Solar Thermal & PV Energy Systems Education Receives Federal Funding

The U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced that the Department will invest more than $200 million over five years to expand and accelerate the development, commercialization, and use of solar and water power technologies throughout the United States. This funding underscores the Administration’s commitment to foster a robust clean-energy sector in the United States – that will create American manufacturing jobs and a workforce with the required technical training to speed the implementation of cutting-edge technologies. Today’s announcement represents a down payment that will help the solar and water power industries overcome technical barriers, demonstrate new technologies, and provide support for clean energy jobs for years to come.

“Expanding the U.S. clean-energy manufacturing base is an important part of the Administration’s goals to diversify electricity supply options, increase national security, and accelerate green jobs development,” said Secretary Chu. “These investments will help strengthen American competitiveness in renewable energy and transform the U.S. into a lasting manufacturing presence in the 21st century clean-energy economy.”

The solar portion of these investments:

National Administrator of the Solar Instructor Training Network – up to $4.5 million over five years

This funding opportunity will select a National Administrator that will act as a central coordinating body for the Training Network. The Network was created in 2009, by the Department of Energy to establish high-quality, local and accessible training for personnel involved in the sales, design, installation, commissioning and inspection of solar photovoltaic and solar heating and cooling systems. Awards were made to nine regional resource and training providers.

The National Administrator will manage the collaboration of the Training Network members, disseminating their products and conducting other outreach efforts such as providing recommendations for the adoption of best practices. The selected organization will also serve as a national point of contact for the Training Network and will work with a broad set of stakeholders to define, prioritize and address issues related to solar training and workforce development.

Applications are due June 15, 2010.

Additional clean technologies provided for in the funding:

• Photovoltaic Manufacturing Initiative – up to $125 million over five years
• Photovoltaic Supply Chain Development – up to $40 million over three years
• Marine and Hydrokinetic Technologies (MHK) – up to $39 million over four years

Tags: “solar career”, “solar education”, careers, jobs, Jobs in Solar Thermal Energy, solar thermal, Solar Thermal Cooling Systems, Solar Thermal heating systems, solar training

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