Published on Intelligent Energy Europe (https://ec.europa.

eu/energy/intelligent/projects)

Training of Photovoltaic Installers

PVTRIN

The high photovoltaic market growth rates, further favoured by the EU supporting
policies and the favourable national regulatory frameworks, may cause some concern to
the PV industry due to the lack of adequately skilled workforce for PV installation and
maintenance. Furthermore, the interested parties (manufacturers, developers,
investors) seek skills certification and quality assurance in all phases of a PV installation
(design, installation and maintenance).The PVTRIN (Training of Photovoltaic Installers)
project addressed the market needs by developing a training and certification scheme
for technicians who are active in the installation and maintenance of small-scale PV
systems.This scheme incorporates the criteria set by the 2009/28/EC Directive for
qualification schemes and certified training courses in each Member State, taking into
account the national framework and legislation. Initially, it has been implemented in six
(6) countries: Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania and Spain. In order to
incorporate the genuine market needs and to assure the broadest possible support, the
key stakeholder groups were involved in the project’s activities.

Results
Eight (8) pilot training courses implemented in six (6) countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Cyprus, Romania and Spain); a pool of 185 skilled/certified PV installers, 145 already certified;
Operational certification/qualification scheme for PV installers ;
Training "package" for installers and their trainers (handbooks, e-learning platform, assessment
forms; other training materials/tools); also for training providers, assessors and certification
bodies;
All key stakeholder groups actively involved and supported the initiative;
More than 1.000.000 EU citizens informed; more than 40.000 technicians aware of the scheme
in EU level.

Lesson learned
The active engagement of the key stakeholders groups in the PVTRIN scheme’s development
process was critical to ensure that the scheme addresses the actual needs of the market and of
the technicians, also and to reinforce its value and credibility; therefore this was essential for
the training and qualification scheme acknowledgement and sustainability.
The major differences in legal aspects also the diversity of building and PV requirements
amongst countries, makes difficult to harmonise horizontally a very detailed scheme;
qualification schemes for installers have to take into account the national markets different
aspects, and the national legislative framework about technicians training/ qualifications/
certification. Common requirements set have to be verified by competent bodies at national
level.
Although the PV market recognises the high risk of accidents and technical failures due to the
lack of qualified technicians, and supports that established quality standards and certification
 schemes will improve the market function and competiveness, they are actual opposite of any
measure adds more bureaucratic barriers and may increase the cost for the investors,
especially within the current economic crisis period. There is need to highlight that the
appropriate qualified workforce will save the market from bad installations and safety accidents,
safeguarding the PV technology’s credibility and will protect the European markets from low
cost imports.

Partners and coordinator

Environmental Engineering Department/Technical University of Crete [1] Greece
European Photovoltaic Industry Association [2] Belgium
Sofia Energy Centre [3] Bulgaria
Energetski Institut Hrvoje Pozar [4] Croatia
Building Research Establishment Ltd [5] United Kingdom
Agentia pentru Managementul Energiei si Protectia Mediului - Brasov [6] Romania
Technical Chamber of Greece - Section of Western Crete [7] Greece
TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATION FOUNDATION [8] Spain
TECHNICAL CHAMBER OF CYPRUS [9] Cyprus

Contact
Environmental Engineering Department/Technical University of Crete
Greece

Contact point

Name: Theocharis Tsoutsos

E-mail: Theocharis.Tsoutsos@enveng.tuc.gr

Tel: +302821037825

Name: Prof. Theocharis Tsoutsos

E-mail: theocharis.tsoutsos@enveng.tuc.gr

Tel: +30 28210 37825

Budget
Overall budget: 900.750,00 € (EU contribution: 75,00 %)

Key documents
Final Report - PVTRIN [10]
 PDF 5.56 MB
PVTRIN Training Methodology and Curriculum [11]
PDF 439.55 KB
Good examples of PV installations [12]
PDF 878.1 KB
Common failures on PV installations [13]
PDF 772.1 KB
TRAINERS GUIDE [14]
PDF 1.64 MB
PVTRIN Training course WORKSHEET [15]
PDF 4.05 MB
Troubleshooting Guide for Installers [16]
PDF 2.54 MB
Checklist & Practical Tips on PV installations [17]
PDF 2.24 MB
Certificate for trained installers - SAMPLE [18]
PDF 69.36 KB
Brochure - PVTRIN [19]
PDF 367.75 KB
Poster - PVTRIN [20]
PDF 639.39 KB
Leaflet - PV investors [21]
PDF 511.92 KB
Leaflet - Trainees [22]
PDF 465.76 KB
Project Slides [23]
PDF 708.43 KB
PVTRIN Training Course - Handbook for Solar Installers [24]
Installing Photovoltaics - Practical aspects for installers [25]

In brief
Sector: Small-scale applications

Duration: 01/05/2010 to 30/04/2013

Contract number: IEE/09/928

Website: http://www.pvtrin.eu

Tags:

photovoltaics
solar
workforce
Related projects
[ACCESS [26]] Accelerated Penetration of Small-Scale Biomass and Solar Technologies
[PROSTO [27]] Best Practice Implementation of Solar Thermal Obligations
[BEST RESULT [28]] Building and Energy Systems and Technologies in Renewable Energy Sources...
[EUROPEAN SOLAR DAY [29]] Expanding the existing annual "Solar Day" in Austria,...
[PV’S IN BLOOM [30]] Farming photovoltaic flowers: a new challenge for land valorisation within...
[POLIS [31]] Identification and Mobilization of Solar Potentials via Local Strategies
[SOLAR COMBI+ [32]] Identification of most promising markets and promotion of standardised...
[SOLAIR [33]] Increasing the market implementation of Solar-air-conditioning systems for...
[DESOLASOL [34]] Photovoltaic for small investors in Germany, Spain, France and Portugal
[PURE [35]] Promoting the Use of Photovoltaic Systems in the Urban Environment through...
[ICOSAW [36]] Promotion of the Intelligent Combination of Sun and Wood for Producing...
[PV-UP-SCALE [37]] PV in Urban Policies: a Strategic and Comprehensive Approach for Long-term...
[PV LEGAL [38]] Reduction of legal-administrative barriers for PV system installations in...
[SOLCO [39]] Removal of non-technological barriers to Solar Cooling technology across...
[SOLCAMP [40]] Solar energy for camping sites
[SOLPOOL [41]] Solar Energy Use in Outdoor Swimming Pools
[EAST-GSR [42]] Solar thermal applications in Eastern Europe with Guaranteed Solar Results
[URBANSOLPLUS [43]] Solar Thermal in Major Renovations and Protected Urban Areas
[PV-NMS-NET [44]] Supporting Development of Photovoltaics in the EU New Member States Network
[INSTALL+RES [45]] Training courses for installers of small-scale renewable energy systems in...

Source URL: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pvtrin

Links
[1] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/envtuc-0
[2] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/epia
[3] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/sec
[4] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/eihp-1
[5] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/bre
[6] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/abmee
[7] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/technical-chamber-greece-section-western-crete
[8] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/tecnalia
[9] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/partners/etek
[10]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/final_report_pvtrin_en.pdf
[11]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_training_methodolog
y_and_curriculum_en.pdf
[12]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_good_examples_of_p
v_installations_en.pdf
[13]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_common_failures_on_
pv_installations_en.pdf
[14]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_trainers_guide_en.pdf
[15]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_training_course_work
sheet_en.pdf
[16]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_troubleshooting_guid
e_for_installers_en.pdf
[17]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_checklist_practical_ti
ps_on_pv_installations_en.pdf
[18]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_certificate_for_traine
d_installers_sample_en.pdf
[19] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/brochure_pvtrin_en.pdf
[20] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/poster_pvtrin_en.pdf
[21]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_leaflet_pv_investors_
en.pdf
[22]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_leaflet_trainees_en.p
df
[23]
https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/sites/iee-projects/files/projects/documents/pvtrin_project_slides_en.pdf
[24] http://pvtrin.gr/assets/media/PDF/flipbook/training_material/PVTRIN_TRAINEES/1.D...
[25] http://pvcert.gr/assets/media/PDF/Publications/Informational%20Material/Installi...
[26] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/access
[27] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/prosto
[28] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/best-result
[29] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/european-solar-day
[30] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pvs-bloom
[31] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/polis
[32] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/solar-combi
[33] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/solair
[34] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/desolasol
[35] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pure
[36] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/icosaw
[37] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pv-scale
[38] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pv-legal
[39] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/solco
[40] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/solcamp
[41] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/solpool
[42] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/east-gsr
[43] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/urbansolplus
[44] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/pv-nms-net
[45] https://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/projects/en/projects/installres