Spring 2013 Business Training Courses offered by TC3
Clean Energy Entrepreneurship
In this class you will learn about what it takes to start and run a successful business in the energy efficiency or renewable energy fields. Get insight and learn from practitioners of local insulation, building envelope, solar PV, solar thermal, wind, and geothermal businesses. Topics covered include building a business plan, acquiring initial financing, company organizational structures, typical job descriptions, profitability, sales and marketing, and quality assurance mechanisms. Learn how to make yourself a leader in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry!
Lieberman Extension Center, Ithaca
CEPE 558 30 / 1.2 CEU
Feb 18, 25, Mar 4, 11 / 6 – 9 p.m.
$249 fee, includes materials
Writing a Business Plan
Want to start or expand your business but need a roadmap forward? This course will help you craft a business model and write a business plan.
Your business plan will include:
- Market and customer analysis
- Competitive analysis
- Unique value proposition
- Marketing strategy
- Action plan
- Basic measurements to gauge your business as you grow
This course is for all entrepreneurs, for those wishing to grow a successful company in services, retail, product, e-commerce, or tech. The aim of the course is to leave with a business plan rough draft as well as understanding the drivers associated with success in your startup.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPR 593 01 / 1.2 CEU
Apr 9, 11, 16, 18 / 6 – 9 .pm.
$449 fee, includes materials
Entrepreneurial Accounting
A perfect complement to “Writing a Business Plan”, this course will show you how to create financial projections for your business expansion or startup. You will also develop an understanding of how the three primary financial statements (profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statement) are connected.
Note this course is about the mechanics of creating projections and understanding the numbers behind business. It is not about creating a business model, which is covered in Writing a Business Plan course.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 594 01 / 0.9 CEU
Apr 25, 30; May 2 / 6 – 9 p.m.
$249 fee, includes materials
New! Geothermal Design and Installation Level I
Introduction to geothermal heat pump systems - the primary clean renewable energy technology for heating and cooling buildings. The class will cover the state of the industry, as well as geothermal heat pump technology from the building envelope through well-field design, the heat pumps themselves, and distribution systems.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 590 01 / 0.8 CEU
March 30 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$269 fee, includes materials
New! Geothermal Design and Installation Level II
Advanced geothermal design and building science topics - including alternate models for well-field design and DHW supply, as well as envelope retrofit and net-zero designs. The class will also include hands-on exercises with geothermal well-field design and distribution systems.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 591 01 / 0.8 CEU
April 27 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$269 fee, includes materials
New! Geothermal Design and Installation Level III
Design and implementation of monitoring and control systems. The class will also include the debugging and troubleshooting of systems, including standard problems encountered in the field. Finally, the class will also discuss the design and implementation of more complicated geothermal systems for light commercial applications.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 600 01 / 0.8 CEU
May 11 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$269 fee, includes materials
Solar Thermal Level I
This course is an excellent starter or refresher for anyone looking to get into the solar thermal market. Many of the topics are broad and easily digestible. Prerequisites: None
Attendees can expect to gain an understanding of:
- The US solar thermal market past, present, and future
- The various solar hot water applications & system types
- The different types of collector technology and pros/cons for each type in various conditions.
- The various main components used in solar thermal systems
- Sizing & designing solar hot thermal systems
- Conducting a solar thermal site survey, as well as commissioning and troubleshooting a solar hot water system
- Financials, incentives and paybacks.
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 565 01 / 0.8 CEU
Apr 6 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$259 fee, includes materials
Solar Thermal Level II
The course covers sizing, designing and installing domestic hot water systems, and will also offer hands-on experience in the installation and commissioning of a DHW solar thermal system.
Attendees can expect to gain:
- An understanding of how to interpret performance ratings for various collectors, to determine instantaneous collector efficiency
- An understanding of storage, piping, and exchanger considerations for various solar thermal designs
- Hands-on experience in the installation and commissioning of a DHW system
- An introduction to various sizing software, such as TSOL and Retscreen, for use in predicting solar gain relative to BTU load
- Experience using Solar Pathfinder for site survey analysis.
- Practical experience in roof mounting strategies
Prerequisites: Solar Thermal Systems Level I or permission of instructor
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 566 01 / 0.8 CEU
Apr 20 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$259 fee, includes materials
Solar Thermal Level III
Combi-system design and installation. This course is designed to help the attendee develop a deeper understanding of how solar thermal systems can be integrated into any building's heating system. Additionally, the course will include information regarding solar thermal financials, complete project quotes, and costing.
Attendees can expect to gain:
- An understanding of the various heating system types and how to incorporate a solar thermal system
- Proper sizing techniques and how to find the most appropriate solar fraction for various systems
- Hands-on experience with integration of a solar thermal system into an existing or new heating system
- An understanding of heat dump options and proper sizing
- Hands-on experience with programming the proper control sequence
- Practical experience in developing a customer quote from sizing, design and costing
Prerequisites: Solar Thermal Systems Level II or permission of instructor
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 567 01 / 0.8 CEU
May 4 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$259 fee, includes materials
Solar Thermal Level IV
This course will cover the second half of the National Electric Code (NEC) 690 and referenced sections including such topics as grounding practices, ground fault protection and interruption, interconnection methods, batteries, and system marking and labeling. In addition, students will learn about troubleshooting scenarios including techniques for diagnosing problems in the field and how to design corrective actions. The course will also include the design and commissioning of other types of solar electric systems including Critical Load Battery Backup Systems and Off-Grid Systems.
Prerequisites: Solar Thermal Systems Level III or permission of instructor
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 579 01 / 0.8 CEU
May 18 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$259 fee, includes materials
Solar Thermal Level V
This final course will focus on additional preparation for taking the NABCEP exam. In addition, the course will introduce the broader skills useful to working in the solar industry, including understanding renewable heating options, heat loads and audits in order to size solar electric systems to meet the needs of geothermal heating and cooling systems, as well as how to compare solar electric to wind systems from the stand points of site, power production, life-time and economics.
Prerequisites: Solar Thermal Systems Level IV or permission of instructor
TC3 Main Campus, Dryden
CEPE 580 01 / 0.8 CEU
Jun 1 / 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
$259 fee, includes materials
