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Resilient Solar + Storage has re-launched with policy and landscape updates in January 2026. Register now!
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About this Course

This course will prepare owners and managers of community facilities to evaluate and create plans to implement solar and storage solutions, to enable a resilient, reliable, and renewable supply of electricity for their building. 

By the end of the course, course participants should be able to:

  1. Explain how solar + storage can benefit a building owner by guaranteeing continuity of services
  2. Explain the physical components of a solar and storage project and how they work together to achieve resilience
  3. Conduct a preliminary evaluation of the potential opportunities and benefits of incorporating solar + battery energy storage into a project serving one or more buildings
  4. Make informed choices, with additional support from technical experts, about the design of your project
  5. Evaluate whether a solar and storage project is financially worth it for a building owner based on available options for ownership, sources of financial support, and regulatory and permitting issues and opportunities
  6. Find and vet a developer or installer to help you with your project
  7. Manage key risks for you as a building owner both during development and during the project lifetime

For lenders (extra module): 

  1. Incorporate the unique aspects of solar and storage projects into how you structure and underwrite a loan

  • Open to:

    All interested parties, with a focus on owners and managers of community facilities.

  • Deadline:

    Participants will gain access to the course for 180 days. After the expiration of the course, participants can re-enroll if needed.

  • Language:

    Offered in English.

  • Tuition

    This course is free and open to all.

  • Certificate

    Successful completion of this course confers a Certificate of Completion.

  • Time commitment:

    You should expect to spend 3-5 hours on this course. You can start and stop at any time.

Course curriculum

    1. About this Course

    2. How to use this course

    3. Course Guidebook

    4. Course Waiver

    5. Technical requirements and support

    6. Using the Thinkific Mobile App

    1. Module 0.5 Overview

    2. Impacts of Climate Change on U.S. communities & Opportunities for Resilience

    3. Community Facility Stories

    1. Module 1 Overview

    2. Videos: The Vocabulary of Solar

    3. Why Solar + Storage? Understanding and achieving resilience as a part of solar projects

    4. Net metering and interconnection

    5. Tools and Resources

    6. Benefits Prioritization Tool

    7. Quiz 1

    1. Module 2 Overview

    2. Guide: Assessing the Solar Potential of Your Building

    3. Electricity usage and critical loads

    4. Sizing a solar PV system

    5. Sizing a battery storage system

    6. Designing your project to last

    7. Using the Simple Solar+Storage Calculator

    8. Module 2 Quiz

    1. Module 3 Overview

    2. Finding and working with a developer/installer

    3. Installer agreements

    4. Technical assistance providers

    5. What quality work looks like

    6. Partnership Tools and Documents

    7. Module 3 Quiz

    1. Module 4 Overview

    2. Direct ownership models and 3rd-party financing

    3. Financial support for solar PV and battery storage systems

    4. Sizing up the costs and benefits of a project

    5. Tax credits and Direct Pay for nonprofits

    6. Module 4 Quiz

About this course

  • Free
  • 47 lessons
  • 2 hours of video content