Clean Energy Clearinghouse
No matter where you find yourself in your career, all clean energy stakeholders—from authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs), fire departments, clean energy contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, electric utilities, testing labs, building owners, facility managers, and others—will benefit from current and timely information relevant to their professions.
Renewable energy, electric vehicle charging, grid-enabled and advanced building products, and energy storage systems are just a few of the technologies you might be hearing about, or even seeing in your community.
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.
Clean Energy Educational Resources
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. Click here to view all previous questions.
Given the increased frequency of natural disasters, many have wondered about temporary ways to power their home while waiting for utility grid power to be restored. Some car manufacturers describe this capability. A little background: Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) is the broader term used to describe the storage of energy within an EV and its ability to supply power for particular end uses, including buildings (V2B), homes (V2H), load (V2L), and the grid (V2G). Vehicle to grid (V2G) is not yet in use throughout the U.S., but the technology, equipment, and related codes and standards recognize the possibility.
Learn More
- This short course that summarizes the key points of V2H, V2G, and V2X.
- Interested in the comprehensive technical details? Read the report produced by IREC in January 2022: Paving the Way: Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Standards for Electric Vehicles.
- Look at pilot projects happening to test bi-directional charging: General Motors and Pacific Gas Electric are planning to test the use of electric vehicles as a backup power source for homes in 2022 (NPR, March 2022)
EMPOWERED Solutions Webinar Series
Upcoming Webinars:
- (Feb. 21) EMPOWERED Solutions: Residential Building Electrification Pathways (Register Here)
- (Mar. 21) EMPOWERED Solutions: Commercial Building Electrification Pathways (Register Here)
Previous Webinars:
- EMPOWERED Solutions: The Possibilities of EV Charging (Webinar & Resources)
- EMPOWERED Solutions: What Impacts the Safe Installation of Energy Storage Systems (Webinar & Resources)
- EMPOWERED Solutions: Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps—Efficacy and Building Readiness (Webinar & Resources)
- EMPOWERED Solutions: High Performance Homes and Materials Safety (Webinar & Resources)
Solar

- Preparing to Inspect Your First PV System (Article)
- Solar PV Systems: Job Aids for a Consistent Plan Review Process (Downloadable Checklists)
- Efficient and Accurate Validation of PV and Energy Storage System Designs: An Introduction to SolarAPP+ (Article)
- A Checklist for Building Owners Considering Solar Energy (Downloadable Checklist)
- Plan Review of Residential Rooftop PV Systems (CEU Bearing Course)
- How to Use SolarAPP+ for Rooftop Solar Projects (CEU Bearing Course)
- How to Use SolarAPP+ for Solar and Storage Projects (CEU Bearing Course)
- Inspecting a SolarAPP+ System (CEU Bearing Clean Energy Course)
- Inspecting a SolarAPP+ System: PV + Energy Storage (CEU Bearing Course)
- Solar PV Field Inspection Basics – Training Series (CEU Bearing Course; Includes inspections of residential rooftop and ground-mounted systems; energy storage systems; commercial carport)
- Solar PV Safety for Firefighters (CEU Bearing Course)

Energy Storage
- Energy Storage Basics for AHJs and Beyond Webinar (Webinar)
- Recap: The Basics of Energy Storage and Beyond (Online Course)
- Energy Storage Systems: Based on the IBC, IFC, IRC, and NEC (Downloadable Report)
- What Impacts the Safe Installation of Energy Storage Systems (Webinar and Resources)
- Distributed Energy Resource Codes and Standards (Downloadable Fact Sheets)
- Solar-Plus-Storage Permitting and Inspection Guidelines (Downloadable Resource)

High Performance Buildings
- Inspecting the Building of the Future (Video)
- Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps: Efficacy and Building Readiness (Webinar and Resources)
- Whole Home Performance HVAC — Good for the Contractor and the Building Owner (Interview and Resources)
- Net Zero Buildings Week: Clean Energy Resources from Industry-Leading Organizations (Article)

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment
- Electric Vehicle Charging Safety (Short Course)
- Vehicle-to-Home Charging: Can I Power My House With My Car? (Short Course)
- The Possibilities of EV Charging (Webinar and Resources)
- Electric Vehicle Charging for Building Owners (Short Course)
- Electric Vehicle Supply Permitting and Inspection Guidelines (Downloadable Resource)
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, FSEC Energy Research Center, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, New Buildings Institute, 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.
