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Solar Energy

School of Energy

Photovoltaics, solar thermal and project-ready solar skills

Solar radiation is among the most abundant renewable resources on earth. This track builds a practical understanding of how sunlight is converted into useful electricity and heat — from the physics of irradiance through photovoltaic (PV) and concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies, to rooftop and utility-scale project design, yield thinking and bankable project workflows.

You will learn how to assess sites, select technologies, configure systems, interpret performance, and connect solar with storage and emerging use-cases such as EV charging — so you can contribute confidently to solar planning, engineering support and operations roles.

What you will learn

  • Attributes of solar radiation and how sunlight is used for electricity and heat
  • Photovoltaic technologies, module behaviour and system building blocks
  • Concentrating solar power (CSP) / solar thermal concepts and where they apply
  • Grid-connected solar generators versus off-grid and small-scale access use-cases
  • Site assessment, feasibility study and go / no-go decision framing
  • Rooftop and large / utility-scale concept development and layout thinking
  • DCDB / ACDB, single-line diagrams (SLD) and BOQ-oriented design awareness
  • Yield, CUF, CAPEX / OPEX concepts and project bankability reporting mindset
  • Pairing solar with batteries and hybrid on-grid configurations
  • Solar-powered EV charging station design concepts end-to-end

Curriculum modules

  • 1. Solar resource & energy fundamentals

    Energy and electricity vocabulary for solar work: irradiance, irradiation, tilt and orientation effects, measurement basics, and how resource data informs generation forecasts for a chosen site.

  • 2. PV technology & system architecture

    How PV converts sunlight to electricity; modules, inverters, stringing concepts, balance-of-system components, performance drivers and common application patterns for residential, commercial, industrial and public-sector systems.

  • 3. CSP / solar thermal pathways

    Overview of concentrating solar power and solar thermal approaches, where they complement PV, and how thermal storage concepts fit into dispatchable solar generation thinking.

  • 4. Project design: rooftop to utility scale

    Concept development, site identification, feasibility, detailed system design and engineering awareness, construction and commercial operation readiness, and operational performance monitoring — including SLD, quotation structure and bankability report logic.

  • 5. Finance & techno-commercial lens

    DPR-oriented thinking, DSCR / ROI / CUF estimation concepts, CAPEX and OPEX modelling awareness, and how technical choices affect project economics without turning the module into a fee catalogue.

  • 6. Storage, hybrids & solar EV charging

    Hybrid on-grid simulation mindset, lithium-ion and other storage pairing with solar, and solar EV charging station design from site assessment through power-up — linking PV, storage and charging technology in one workflow.

  • 7. Quality, inspection & programme readiness

    Component quality awareness, installation process discipline, documentation for feasibility and inspection readiness, and how national rooftop / distributed solar programmes expect technical–commercial competence from project teams.

Skills you build

  • Electrical power & basic electrical systems for solar
  • Site assessment and feasibility framing
  • System design, SLD and BOQ awareness
  • Yield / performance and cost estimation concepts
  • Project planning across design → construction → O&M

Who this is for

  • Engineering and diploma graduates entering solar roles
  • Working professionals shifting into PV design or EPC support
  • Entrepreneurs exploring solar project or consulting pathways
  • Learners who want solar depth before broader renewables

Enquire about Solar Energy

Explore other School of Energy tracks

Renewable Energy Systems
Wind Energy
Fuel Cells
School of Energy hub

Ready to start this energy track?

Enquire with RIA for batch schedules, mentoring pathways and project support.

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