Training and certification of PV installers in Europe

The high photovoltaic (PV) market growth rates, which are further favored by the EU supporting policies and the national regulatory frameworks, may result to a threat for the PV industry due to the lack of adequately skilled workforce for PV installation and maintenance. This fact may result in poorly installed systems with negative impact on the industry's credibility and development. The PVTRIN, an Intelligent Energy Europe project, addresses to these issues by developing a training and accreditation scheme for technicians/engineers focusing to the installation and maintenance of small scale PV systems. The training and certification will incorporate the criteria set by the 2009/28/EC Directive regarding requirements for certified training courses and training providers, providing a supporting instrument for EU Member States to meet their obligations for acknowledged certifications for RES installers till 31/12/2012. Creating a qualified PV installers workforce, the increased confidence of potential PV owners will lead to market growth. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.