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NABCEP PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis 09.10 • 1Small Wind Resource Guide Rev 1.0 06/07/2010 © NABCEP 2010

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Job Task Analysis

PV Technical Sales

2 • NABCEP PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis 09.10 Small Wind Resource Guide Rev 1.0 06/07/2010 © NABCEP 2010

NABCEP PV Technical Sales Examination Specifications

N Items Content Domain15 QualifytheCustomer10 SiteAnalysis14 ConceptualDesign5 FinancialCosts,Incentives,andSavings4 FinancialBenefitAnalysisandFinancing3 Non-financialBenefitAnalysis5 PerformanceAnalysis4 PrepareProposals60 (total)

Job Description:APVTechSalespersonisasolarelectricprofessionalwithdemonstratedexpertiseinthesiting,design,analysisandperformanceofPVsystemswhogatherssitespecificinformation,analyzescustomerneedsandenergyusageforthepurposeofadvisingandprovid-ingcustomerswiththemostappropriatesolutionfortheirsituation.

A. Qualify the Customer

1. Analyze electric bill

• Gatherbills

• Lookforseasonalpatterns

• Lookatdifferentfuelsourcesbeingused

• Reviewutilityrates

• Explainwhysolarmaynotbeappropriate

2. Perform remote site assessment

• Determinehouseorientation

• Determinerooftilt/angle,availablearea

• Determineshading

• Evaluateobstructions

• Inquireabouttypeandconditionofroof

• Determineownershipstatus

• Determinetypeofproperty(residentialcommercial,non-profit)

Knowledge of:

- Howsiteconditionsimpactfeasibilityofsolarsystem

- Internettools

- Thelimitationsofremotetools

- Magneticdeclination

NABCEP PV Technical Sales Content Outline


3. Identify customer needs

• Askaboutreasonsforgoingsolar

• Evaluatefutureenergyusage

• Determinedesiredtimeframe

• Determinewhethercustomerneedsfinancialassistance

• Determineelectricusagepattern,timeofday

• Discusspros/consofbatterybackupvs.generator

Knowledge of:

- Basicsalesskills

- Financialtools

- Theuseelectricratesfunction

- Batteries

- Electricalterminology

- Correlatingusagetospecificappliances

4. Perform ball park estimate

• EstimatearraysizebasedonkWhconsumptionandavailablearrayarea

• Pricearraysizebasedonaverage$/watt

• Evaluatepotentialpriceadders

• Factorinincentives

• Developpricerange

• Developsavingsestimate

• Developpreliminaryeconomicanalysis

• Present(verbally/brief)initialballparkproposalandbenefits

• Discusscustomerbudgetlimits

Knowledge of:

- Priceadders

- Rooftype

- Licensingrequirements

- Howtheheightofbuildingimpactsinstallationcosts

- Impactoflongrunsofconduit,wiringoncosts

- Steepness

- Distancefromloadcenter

5. Identify jurisdictional issues

• Determinezoning

• Determinefiremarshalawareness

• Determinereservationissues

• Checkcity,countyandutilityrequirements

• Identifyutility

• Identifyhomeownerassociation

Knowledge of:

- Zoningissuesforyourarea

- Codesforyourarea

- Utilitiesprocess,interconnectionprocedures,rules

- Lawsrelatingtohomeowner’sassociations

- Insurancelimitations

6. Manage customer expectations

• Advisecustomerthatsystemdoesn’tprovidebackuppower;whengridisdown,itwon’twork

• Explaindifferencesbetweenbatteryandnon-batterysystems

• ExplainthatPVdoesnotheatwater,space,orpools

• ExplainthatPVgenerateselectricity,doesnotoffsetgasloads

• Explainseasonalvariationsinoutput

• Explainrequiredlevelofroutinemaintenance

• Explainsystemequipmentmanufacturerwarranties

• Reviewlifeexpectancyofequipment

• Discussaesthetics

• DiscussROI

• Explainemergingvs.existingtechnologies

• Explainexpectedoutputvs.systemcapacity

• Explaininstantaneouspowervs.annualenergyproduction

• Explaininstallationwarranties

• Explainmanufacturerwarranties

• Explaininsuranceissues,workers’comp,liability

• Explaineffectsonhomeowner’sinsurance

• Explainpotentialimpactonroofwarranty

• Explainperformancevalidationmethods


Knowledge of:

- Basicsolarsystemknowledge

- Generalfinancialunderstanding

- Productknowledge

- Knowledgeofreturnoninvestment

- Productlimitations

B. Site Analysis

1. Inspect electrical service

• Determineserviceratingcurrentandvoltage

• Identifybussbarandmainbreaker

• Identifylinetapvs.panelupgrade

• Determineavailablebreakerspace

• Determinegrounding

• Identifymanufacturerofpanel

• Determinemethodofinterconnection

• Determinelimits(maxbackfedbreaker)basedonlocalelectricalcode

• Informcustomerofpotentialadditionalcostsrelatedtoutilityhardware,transformers

• Discussfindingswithcustomer

Knowledge of:

- Electricalsafety

- OSHA

- Electricalprinciples

- Electricalcodes

2. Identify locations for system components

• Identifyinverterlocation

• Identifyarraylocationoptions

• IdentifyAC&DCdisconnects

• Identifyjunctionbox

• Locateconduitruns

• Identifyutilitydisconnectifapplicable

• Determinelengthsofconduitruns

Knowledge of:

- NECandmanufacturerclearancerequirements

- Solarexposure

- Hazards(e.g.,powerlines,gaslines,meters)

- ThedifferencebetweenAC&DCdisconnects

- Voltageratingsonfuses,AC&DCswitches

- Utilitydifferencesonrequirementsfordisconnects

- Tapemeasure

- Laserlevel

3. Assess mounting location

• Identifyroofingmaterial

• Identifyframing

• Identifyspacingandspans

• Determineifthereisanatticspacevs.flatroof

• Assessstructuralintegrityofroof(lookatunderside)

• Documentconditionofroof(photos,notes,etc.)

• Determinesoilcompositionforground/polemounts

• Identifyundergroundobstructions(septic,gaslines)

• Determinesolarexposure

• Measureroofareaorgroundarea

Knowledge of:

- Roofingmaterials

- Basicframing

- Standardbuildingpractices(spacing)

- Roofingterminology

- Risksoffalling

- Walkingonroofswithoutcausingdamage

- Readingblueprints

- Anglegauge

- Safetyharness


4. Perform shade analysis

• Identifyexistingshadingobstructions

• Considerfutureshadingobstructions

• Performinter-rowshadinganalysis

• Completeshadestudy

• Analyzeannuallossfromshading

• Analyzeseasonal/dailyvariationsinshade

• Determinewhetherrooftopanalysisisnecessary

• Ifsafe,proceedwithrooftopanalysis

• Ifnecessary,bringincrewforrooftopanalysis

• Ifrooftopanalysisisnotfeasible,incorporatebuffer

• Calculatewithinacceptablelimitsofthird-partyaudit,3-5%

• Preparethereport

Knowledge of:

- Theimpactofshadeonsolarsystems

- Theproperuseoftheavailabletools

C. Conceptual Design

1. Select appropriate equipment

• Explainmoduleaestheticoptionstocustomer

• Explainefficiency,cost,aestheticdifferences

• Considergeographiclocation,climate

• Selectthemodule(s)

• Matchinvertertoarray

• Matchinvertertoservicevoltage

Knowledge of:

- Product

- Voltagewindows

- Websitesthatprovideinsolationdata

2. Determine equipment location

• Avoidlocationsthatwillexposemodulestosaltwater

• Complywithmanufacturerspecificationsforinverterlocation

• Discusspotentialsitesforinverterwithcustomer

• Askcustomeraboutlongtermplansforrenovations,etc.

• Considertypeofmonitoringsystem,broadbandvs.wired

• Discussconduitruns

Knowledge of:

- Noiselevelgeneratedbyequipment

- Risksofdamagetoequipment

- NECrequirementsandlocalcodes(AHJ)

- Coolingrequirements

- Manufacturer’sclearances

- Firedepartmentrequirements


3. Plan system layout

• Determinemodulelayout

• Determineelectricallayout

• Determinewhichfacesofrooftouse

• Sketchsystemlayout

Knowledge of:

- Stringlayout

- Roofsetbacks

- Geometry

- Computerskills

- Spacingbetweenmodules

4. Perform string sizing

• Selectstringsizingmethod

• Considermin,maxtemperatures,site

• Standoffdistance(re:airflow)

• Matcharrayvoltagetoinvertervoltagewithapplicabletemperatureconditions

• Considermodulevoltagedegradationovertime

Knowledge of:

- Applyingtemperaturecoefficients

- Correlationbetweentemperatureandvoltage

5. Determine breaker size or supply side connection

• Determinemaxinverteroutputgivenbussbar

• Evaluatewhetherthereisroomforabreaker

• Evaluatetheserviceamperage

• Determinewhethernewelectricalserviceisneeded

• Determinewhetherlinesidetapcanbeused

Knowledge of:

- Spacingbetweenmodules

- Electricalservicesizes

- Currentratings

- Linesidetap

6. Determine mounting method and tilt angle

• Evaluaterooftypeandmaterial

• Evaluateroofpitch

• Evaluatestructuralmembers(wood,steel,trusses,rafters)

• Determinespacerequiredundermodules

• Considerimpactonroofingwarranties

• Selectracking

• Determinenumberandtypeofroofpenetrations,flashing

• Evaluateperformanceandaestheticimpactofvarioustiltangles

• Identifytrenchingconsiderations

• Determinelocalheightrestrictions

Knowledge of:

- Roofing

- Product

- Mountingsystems

D. Financial Costs, Incentives, and Savings

1. Explain types of incentives and net cost

• Explainlocalnetmeteringpolicies

• Explainfeed-intariffs

• Identifyutilityfinancialmodels

• Explainstate,cityandfederaltaxcredits,treasurygrants,depreciation,propertytaxexemptions,RECs,PBIs,rebates,taxdeduc-tions,transfercredits,salestaxexemptions

• Calculatenetcostafterincentives


2. Explain types of utility rates and net electric bill savings

• Explaintimeofuse

• Explaintieredratestructures

• Explainwhatenergyanddemandchargesare

• Explainhowsolarimpactsdemandcharges

• Explainhowsolarimpactsenergycharges

• Discusspossibilityofswitchingfromoneratestructuretoanother

• Explainpotentialfuturerateescalations,decreases

• Calculateelectricbillsavings

• Calculateinternalrateofreturn(excludefinancingcosts)

• Calculatesimplereturnoninvestment

• Calculateyearstopayback

• Explainpre-taxandafter-taxbenefits

• Calculatetheoreticalresalevalueincreaseonproperty

• Explaintocustomerpotentialpropertyequityimpact

• Explaindegradationrate

• Calculatenetsavings

• Informcustomerthatprojectionsarenotlegallybinding,disclaimer

Knowledge of:

- Financials

- Compoundinterestcalculations

2. Evaluate appropriate financing options

• Cashupfront

• Homeequityloan

• Leasing

• PowerPurchaseAgreement(PPA)

• Consumerloans

• Communitybasedfinancing,PACE

• Utilityloans

Knowledge of:

- Financingoptions

F. Non-Financial Benefit Analysis

1. Calculate/quantify environmental benefits proportional to estimated production

• CalculateCo2avoidance

• Calculatetonsofcoalsaved

• Calculatewatersaved

• Calculatemilesnotdrivenincar

• Calculateacresoftreessaved

• Calculatebarrelsofoilsaved

E. Financial Benefit Analysis and Financing

1. Calculate financial analysis

• Calculatecashflowanalysis

• Calculatebillsavings

• Calculatemaintenanceexpenses

• Calculatereplacement/repaircostsforinverter

• Developmulti-yeartimelinedetailingcosts/benefits


2. Describe non-financial non-environmental benefits

• Articulate/calculateenergyindependence

• Articulatesocialbenefits

• Articulateothernon-environmentalbenefits

G. Performance Analysis

1. Calculate production

• Considerinsolationdata

• Reviewtemperaturedataforthearea

• Considermicroclimatedataifavailable

• Considerimpactofdustanddirt

• Modulenameplaterating

• Considertimeofuse

• Considershading

• Considerwirelosses

• Considermoduleoperatingtemperature,regionalambienttemperaturesandairflow

• Considercomponentefficiencies(e.g.,inverter,DCmodules)

• Considertilt

• Considerazimuth

• Considerdiodesandconnections

• Considermodulemismatch

• Considersystemavailability

• Considertracking,dualorsingleaxis

• Considersystemageordegradation

Knowledge of:

- Sitesthatcanprovidedata

- PVWATTSorSAM

- RETScreen

- Howvariousfactorsimpactproduction

2. Identify factors that degrade system performance over time

• Moduledegradationovertime

• Landscapingissues,treegrowth

• Newconstruction

H. Prepare Proposals

1. Create minimum acceptable proposal

• Includeproductionestimate

• IncludeSTCDCsystempowerrating(andCECACorotherratingasapplicable)

• Includeaveragemonthlyelectricbillsavingsestimate

• Includetotalcost,rebates,taxincentives,andnetcost

• Identifyandestimatepermitfees,interconnec-tionfees,taxesandotherforeseeablecosts

• Identifyvariableorunknowncostsandprovideestimatedrangeofcost

• Includepaymentschedule

• Identifyincentivespaidovertime(PBI,FIT,SRECs)

• Includeconstructiontimelineandmilestonedates

• Includemajorequipmentlist,powerratings,andpartcount

• Listassumptions,specialfactors,andlocationsforequipmentinstallation

Knowledge of:

- Readingmanufacturerdatasheets

- Ratingspecs

- Documentsrequiredforcompletingthesale

2. Include additional elements as applicable and/or appropriate

• Includefinancialbenefitand/orfinancingdiscussionasapplicable

• Includenon-financialbenefitdiscussionasapplicable

• Includeenergyefficiencyandconservationdiscussionasapplicable


PV Technical Sales Certification Requirements

Eligibility Requirements for the PV Technical Sales Certification

Tobecomecertifiedandmaintaincertification,theapplicantmustminimally:

• Beatleast18yearsofage

• Meetprerequisitesofrelatedexperienceand/oreducationasoutlinedbelow

• Completeanapplicationformdocumentingrequirements

• Signandagreetoupholdacodeofethics

• Payapplicationandexamfee

• Passawrittenexam

• Completecontinuingeducationandinstallationrequirementswithintherecertificationtimeframe

Education, Training and Experience Requirements

ToqualifytositfortheNABCEPPVTechnicalSalesCertificationexamination,thecandidatemustdemon-stratethathe/shemeetsatleastoneofthefollowingminimumentryrequirementtracksoutlinedatright.

Note: All USA applicants must have OSHA 10 Hour Construction Class Card. Applicants from other countries must provide an equivalent safety training credential from your jurisdiction as a prerequisite for the exam.

Additionallytraininginsalestechniquesandcustomermanagementisstronglyrecommendedforallcandidates.

Qualifying Categories for the PV Technical Sales Certification Examination

a) Aminimumofsixty(60)hourscumulativetrain-ingcoveringthePVTechnicalSalesJobTaskAnalysis:ANDaminimumofone(1)yearofverifiablesalesexperience;ANDhavesuccessfullypassedtheNABCEPEntryLevelPVExam;OR

b) Aminimumofthirty-two(32)hourscumulativetrainingcoveringthePVTechnicalSalesJobTaskAnalysis;ANDaminimumoftwo(2)yearsofverifiablesalesexperience;ANDhavesuccessfullypassedtheNABCEPEntryLevelPVExam;OR

c) Two(2)-yearrenewableenergytechnologyortechniciandegreefromanaccreditededucationalinstitution;ANDaminimumofone(1)yearverifi-ableexperience;ANDhavesuccessfullypassedtheNABCEPEntryLevelPVExam;OR

d) Four(4)-yeardegreefromanaccreditededuca-tionalinstitution;ANDone(1)yearverifiablesalesexperience;OR

NOTE: A minimum of 30 hours of additional training in all aspects of the

PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis is strongly recommended.

e) BeaNABCEPCertifiedSolarPVorNABCEPInstallerEmeritus;OR

NOTE: A minimum of 30 hours of additional training in non-installation

aspects of the PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis is strongly recommended.

f) HoldJourneymanorlicensedElectriciancreden-tials;ANDhavesuccessfullypassedtheNABCEPEntryLevelPVExam;OR



g) Aminimumoffive(5)yearsverifiablesalesexperience.




Definition of Verifiable Sales Experience

Forpurposesofthisprocess,verifiablesalesexperi-encesellingPVsystemsrequiresbeinginaresponsibleroleinsalesandordesignprocessforthejob.Thisincludestitlesincluding(butnotlimitedto),salesmanager,siteanalyst,financialanalyst,systemdesigner,technicalsupportperson,etc.

Definition:1yearverifiablesalesexperience=beingtheleadsalesperson,analystordesignerofamini-mumof4PVsystemsoccurringatsomepointinthe12monthspriortosubmittinganapplicationfortheexam*.Atleast2ofthe4PVsystemsmustbelargerthan2kWDC(peak).Atleastone(1)installationmustbeasystemthatisgridconnected.

Allsystemsclaimedmusthaveaccompanyingdocu-mentationincludingproposal,electricalpermittingandinspectionrecords,andcustomerconfirmationthatthesystemsoldmettheirexpectations.Thecandi-dateisaskedtodescribethescopeofworktheywereresponsibleforoneachinstallation.(Allproposalsandrelatedproprietaryinformationwillbetreatedasstrictlyconfidential.)

Inregionswhereelectricalinspectionisnotpossible,theApplicationReviewCommitteewilljudgeexperi-encebasedonsupplieddocumentation.

*Ifapplyingthroughtrack(G),youwillneedtosubmitdocumentationfor20verifiablesystemsalesorpro-posalsthathaveoccurredinthelast5years.10ofthe20systemsmustbelargerthan2kWDC(peak)andatleast5systemsmustbegridconnected.

Training Requirement for the PV Technical Sales Certification

Candidatesapplyingthroughcategoriesthatrequiretraining(AorB)mustdocumentthattheyhavereceivedtheminimumhoursoftrainingspecified.ThistrainingmustcoverthePVTechnicalSalesJobTaskAnalysis(JTA).

Whileadditionaltrainingisnotrequiredforeachqualifyingcategoryitisstronglyrecommended.TheexamissuchthatsomeleveloftrainingonallaspectsofthePVTechnicalSalesJobTaskAnalysiswilllikelybenecessaryformostapplicantstoachieveapassingscore.Candidatesarethereforeencouragedtoseektrainingclassesasneeded.

ItisrecommendedthatapplicantslookfortrainingcoursesaccreditedbytheInstituteofSustainablePowerQuality(ISPQ)ortaughtbyinstructorscerti-fiedbyISPQ.Pleasevisitwww.IRECusa.orgforfulllistings.NOTE: The minimum of 10 hours of OSHA or equivalent training is in addition to the training hours specified for each qualifying category.

NABCEPwillaccepttrainingtomeettherequirementswhenthetrainingmeetsthefollowingoutcomes:Haveaformaltrainingformat,withateacher-learnerstructure.Thisimpliesaconnectionbetweenalearnerandalearningsource.Itcanincludeclassroomtimeledbyaninstructorand/ordiscussionleader.Itcanalsoin-cludeactivitiesinwhichalearnerisengagedinaplannedlearningeventinwhichhe/sheisseparatedfromfacultyandotherstudentsbutwherethelearnerreceivessomesortoffeedbackandthelearner’sprogressismonitored.


Examplesincludecomputer-assistedinstruction,interac-tivevideo/CD/DVDand/orwebsitelearning.CoverscorecompetenciesfromthePVTechnicalSalesJobTaskAnalysis.

Acceptabletrainingprovidersinclude:

• Anyinstitutionaccreditedbyanagencyrecog-nizedbythefederalDepartmentofEducation(Universities,CommunityCollegesetc.);

• DedicatedindependentRenewableEnergytrainingprograms(accreditationbyISPQisstronglyrecommended);

• ApprenticeshiptrainingprogramsrecognizedbytheDepartmentofLabororequivalent;

• ThoseapprovedbyStateorProvincialContractorLicensingBoards;and;

• Vocational/Technicaltrainingprograms.

Education Requirements for the PV Technical Sales Certification

Ifqualifyingthroughentrytrack(C)or(D),youmustsubmitacopyofyourdiplomaortranscriptfromaninstitutionaccreditedbyanagencyrecognizedbythefederalDepartmentofEducationshowingthatyouhaveobtainedatwo-yearorfour-yeardegree.

Documentation of Training, Education & Credentials

FormaleducationandtrainingareoptionaldependingontheQualifyingCategoryyouchose,eventhoughNABCEPbelievesthatapplicantswillbenefitfromqualitytrainingwhenpreparingtotakethecertifica-tionexam.IfyourQualifyingCategoryrequirestrain-ing,educationoraspecificcredential,copiesofofficialtranscriptsordiplomaswillneedtobeattachedtotheapplicationform.

Ifqualifyingundercategory(A)or(B),acopyofyourproofofcompletionthecumulativehoursofrequiredtrainingwillneedtobeattachedtotheapplication.

Ifqualifyingundercategory(C)or(D),copiesofofficialtranscriptsanddiplomasattestingtoyourattendanceanddegreesearnedwillneedtobeattachedtotheapplication.Ifqualifyingundercategory(A),(B),(C),(E)or(F),youwillhavetoindicateintheapplicationwhich

credential(s)youholdandattachacopyofyourcertifi-cateorotherproofofhavingachievedthecredential(s)tothisapplication.

About the NABCEP PV Entry Level Exam Requirement

SomeofthepathwaystoqualifyrequirethatcandidatespasstheNABCEPPVEntryLevelexam.PassingthePVEntryLevelexamshowsthatindividualshaveachievedabasicunderstandingofPVsystemdesignandinstalla-tion.TheEntryLevelexamisnotacertificationexam.

ForinformationonhowtobecomeeligibletositfortheEntryLevelexamandforthecompletelistofallcurrentregisteredEntryLevelProviders,pleasevisit:http://www.nabcep.org/entry-level-certificate-program/for-students

mailto:http://www.nabcep.org/entry-level-certificate-program/for-students%20?subject=


Documentation of Verifiable Sales Experience

Pleaseview“DefinitionofVerifiableSalesExperience”aboveforthedefinitionofverifiablesalesexperienceandsystemrequirements.

Allsystemsclaimedmusthaveaccompanyingdocu-mentationincludingtheproposal,electricalpermittingandinspectionrecords,andcustomerconfirmationthatthesystemsoldmettheirexpectations.Ifpermitsarenotavailableawrittenexplanationdocumentingyourroleandresponsibilitiesinthesaleprocessalongwiththeoutcomeofthesalesprocessmaybesubmit-tedforreview.Applicantsmayalsoattachphotosasoptionaldocumentation.Whencompletingtheapplica-tion,applicantswillbeaskedtodescribethescopeofworktheywereresponsibleforoneachinstallation.Allproposalsandrelatedproprietaryinformationwillbetreatedasstrictlyconfidential(SeeSection15oftheCandidatesHandbookfordetailsonconfidentialityofapplicationdocuments).

Inaddition,foreachsystem,applicantswillneedtoprovide:a)locationofthejobsite,includingsomecombinationofthefollowing:datesduringwhichthejobwasperformed,system-ownercontactinforma-tion,sizeofthetotalsystem,systemcomponents,and

ifrequiredinthejurisdiction,copiesofanyinspectioncertificatesorpermitsinvolved(includingcounty&lot#ifavailable).

NABCEPreservestherighttocontactsystemown-ers/operators,permittingauthorities,andresponsiblecontractorstoverifyworklistedinthissection.TheApplicationFormwillpromptyoutoattachcopiesofanypermitsorinspectioncertificatesacquired.Incaseswherenoinspectionorpermittedprocesswasre-quired,theApplicationReviewCommitteewillmakedecisionsabouteligibilitybasedonsupplieddocu-mentation.Optionaldocumentationincludesanythingthatyoufeelverifiestheinstallationanddemonstratesyoursuccessfulrole.

Licensure Requirement

Ifalicenseisrequiredinthejurisdictioninwhichtheworkisperformed,candidatesmustsubmittheirlicensenumber—orthelicensenumberunderwhichtheworkwasperformed.

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners56CliftonCountryRoad,Suite202CliftonPark,NY12065800-654-0021/[email protected]

www.nabcep.org