Renewable Energy and Solar Installation

By the end, you can explain how a solar PV system works, size a simple home system on paper and describe safe installation practice, and you are ready for formal installer training and assessment (this path does not qualify you to install or sign off systems).

Career pathwayAbout 70 hours3 stagesFree

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Career pathway. This is a regulated career. Online learning gives you strong foundations and a clear plan, but you will need to study and register formally to work in it. The route is explained on this page.

Lessons play here, from free YouTube courses.

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Solar installation is the design, mounting, wiring and commissioning of solar panels, inverters and batteries for homes and businesses. Load shedding and rising electricity costs have made rooftop solar one of South Africa's fastest-growing technical fields.

Turn on JavaScript to track your progress. The lessons are:FoundationsUnderstand how solar cells turn sunlight into electricity and the main parts of a solar PV system.Task: Draw a block diagram of a hybrid solar system with batteries (panels, combiner or DC isolator, inverter, battery, distribution board, grid). Label each part and explain in one sentence what each does. Explain the difference between grid-tied, off-grid and hybrid systems.Core skillsLearn the basics of system sizing: loads, panel output, inverters, batteries and voltage and current limits.Task: List the appliances in your home with their power (W) and daily hours of use, and calculate the daily energy use in kWh. Then estimate how many 550 W panels and how much battery storage (kWh) you would need to run the essential loads during 4 hours of load shedding. Show all working.Applied practiceSee inverter and battery setups in practice and learn about protection, commissioning and safety.Task: Write a site survey and safety checklist for a rooftop installation: roof type and orientation, shading, mounting points, cable routes, DC and AC isolation, earthing, fire safety and working at heights. Note which steps must be done or signed off by a registered electrician.

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What competent looks like

Can explain how a PV cell works and name every part of a hybrid solar system
Can calculate daily household energy use in kWh from an appliance list
Can roughly size panels, inverter and battery for a simple home backup system
Can list the main DC and AC safety and protection requirements
Knows which work must be done or signed off by a registered electrician

The South African route

SAPVIA's PV GreenCard programme certifies installers who pass a theory and practical assessment, and certified installers issue a PV GreenCard for each installation. Electrical connection work must be done and certified by a registered electrician who can issue a Certificate of Compliance, so many installers also follow the electrician trade route through a trade test.

Free resources

PV GreenCard installer and installation quality programme
South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA)
Solar Energy Basics (free to audit)
Coursera (State University of New York)

These links go to free courses and sites run by other organisations. We chose them in October 2026 but do not run them, so check costs, dates and entry requirements on their site. Broken link? Tell us.

Jobs it can lead to

Solar installer assistant
PV installation team member
Solar sales and site survey assistant
Solar maintenance and cleaning technician
Apprentice electrician