I recently got an e-mail from the folks at Boots on the Roof (Boots), a Fremont, California company that provides education and training for people interested in learning about solar technology and entering the solar industry.Â
Boots offers a 7-day Solar Boot Camp that covers photovoltaic (PV) design and installation in the first five days and solar industry and business development in the last two. The program provides contractors, electricians, sales reps or anyone else who wants to enter the solar business knowledge about PV equipment and design, installation and solar industry economics and business models.
The company’s credentials include certification by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). NABCEP is a volunteer board of renewable energy industry representatives that develops national certification programs to promote renewable energy and consumer confidence.
NABCEP owns U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2,971,642 (nabcep_reg.pdf) for the NABCEP logo:
NABCEP also owns Application No. 77/203,628 (nabcep_app.pdf) for the certification mark NABCEP CERTIFIED SOLAR THERMAL INSTALLER, which verifies that the certification holders “have demonstrated professional knowledge competency to apply the appropriate professional skills necessary in the field of solar thermal systems technology” in accordance with NABCEP’s standards.
Boots leverages the NABCEP certification in two ways. First, it offers instruction from NABCEP-certified PV installers.Â
Second, Boots is a NABCEP certification testing center. That means students who attend the Solar Boot Camp sit for NABCEP’s Entry Level Certificate of Knowledge of PV Systems exam, which tests basic understanding of PV system operations. The certificate holder has the requisite knowledge for a supervised, entry level position with a PV installer or industry company.
The relationship between Boots and NABCEP is a good example of the use of certification marks to enhance a company’s green credentials. Not that Boots’ credentials need enhancing: their instructors are seasoned veterans and include, among others, a former NASA scientist.
