Clean Energy Educational Resources

No matter where you find yourself in your career, all clean energy stakeholders—including authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), fire departments, clean energy contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, electric utilities, building owners, facility managers, and others—benefit from current and timely information related to renewable energy developments. This Clean Energy Clearinghouse offers access to free educational resources and CEU bearing courses to make sure you have the information you need, when you need it. 

Please note: You may have to scroll down on some CEU bearing course links in order to access all relevant information.

EMPOWERED Solutions Clean Energy Question of the Week

Check out this week’s question and answer below. Come back each Monday to explore something new about distributed energy resources. Read previous questions and answers about solar, storage, electric vehicles, and efficient building technology here.

Code officials play a critical role in ensuring that solar PV systems are installed correctly and safely. If PV systems are new to you, or you’re getting ready to inspect your first system, you’ll want to understand how rooftop PV works and your role in ensuring that safety regulations and requirements have been followed during the design and installation process. 

Learn More:

Take the next step with this resource, Preparing to Inspect Your First PV System, and learn the components of a typical system, relevant codes and standards, and permitting and inspection guides,and more.

Category: Solar
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Training Solutions from EMPOWERED Partner: Southface Institute

  • Model Codes and Distributed Energy Resources (Free CEU Online Course). Model codes set the standards for buildings and infrastructure. They are key to understanding distributed energy resources (DERs; solar panels, electric vehicles, and home weatherization, etc.) that consumers use to generate and manage energy on site.
  • Utilities, DERs, and Interconnection (Interactive PDF; Article). In this course, learn about the role of distributed energy resources (DERs) in the energy sector and interconnected processes with utilities. Homeowners, government officials, developers, and other community members can benefit from understanding the changing dynamics between utilities and (DERs) on the customer end of utility transmission and distribution systems.
  • High Performance Building Solutions: HVAC and Mechanical Code Training (Free CEU Online Course). Code officials must understand high-performance HVAC and mechanical systems to effectively address issues with inconsistent code compliance that occur when these systems are renovated or replaced. Learn how to select and assess proper installation and verification of HVAC and mechanical systems prior to adding other distributed energy resources.
  • High Performance Building Solutions: Building Envelope Code Training (Free CEU Online Course). Use of distributed energy resources (DERs) is growing in small to mid-sized commercial buildings, driven by incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act. Architects and code officials must know the fundamentals of design, specification, and verification of high-performance building envelopes. This training will comprehensively address commercial high-performance building envelopes, including benefits and key code considerations.

Solar (PV)

Energy Storage

High Performance Buildings

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment

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Permitting and Inspection

CEU-Bearing Training Opportunities


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Bookmark this page and check back frequently. It will be continuously updated and we hope it will become your go-to place to learn about clean energy technologies, how to ensure safe operation of equipment and systems, associated safe work practices, and applicable codes. 

Need more information, have questions, feedback, or suggestions for future resources? Contact us at [email protected].

The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) in partnership with the International Code Council, International Association of Electrical Inspectors, National Association of State Fire Marshals, Slipstream, Florida Solar Energy Center, South-Central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, New Buildings Institute, Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, Southface Institute, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory assembled these resources to provide you with up-to-date, reliable, vetted information and training related to existing and emerging technologies.