<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>PRESS RELEASE CONTENT:</div><div>May 5, 2010<br></div><blockquote class="webkit-indent-blockquote" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 40px; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; border-width: initial; border-color: initial; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Clifton Park, New York<br><br>NABCEP Charges Ahead with New Credentialing Opportunities<br><br>The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) announces new credentialing programs in response to growing renewable energy markets. NABCEP Chairperson Don Warfield says Keeping pace with the rapid changes in the renewable sector is a priority for NABCEP. Our new credentialing programs are part of our commitment to continue to provide quality assurances for the renewable energy workforce.<br> <br>NABCEPs newest credential will be for qualified electricians (i.e. journeyman/journeyperson) who work in non- supervisory roles on PV installation crews. This certification will focus on installing PV systems safely and will also cover the principals of the application, design and operation of grid-tie PV system. It is being developed in close collaboration with NABCEP Board members who represent; Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), National Joint Apprenticeship Training Center (NJATC), and NABCEP Certified PV Installers.<br><br>Ezra Auerbach, NABCEPs Executive Director, says; This new credential is being developed in recognition that as the industry has grown the work of an installer has become multifaceted and more Certifications have become necessary. On many jobs, especially those with larger scope, the installer is a qualified electrician who is called upon to perform work that has already undergone engineering review and is on a job site that is prepared for the electrical trades.<br><br>NABCEPs flagship PV Installer Certification is offered to individuals who can show responsible installation experience and advanced training. Passing the PV Installer Certification exam demonstrates the candidates knowledge of the design, installation, commissioning and troubleshooting of grid-tie and stand-alone PV systems. This certification is widely held by supervisory personnel who lead PV installation crews. <br><br>In conjunction with making this announcement, NABCEP welcomes UL Universitys (ULU) recent announcement that they are entering the business of offering PV Training to qualified electricians. NABCEPs Executive Director, Ezra Auerbach, says; I encourage ULU to use the nationally recognized Task Analyses and practitioner credentialing programs developed by NABCEP for their training programs. We have no doubt that they will do an excellent job at ULU in their PV training and we would hope that their students will have the opportunity to demonstrate their educational successes by sitting for NABCEPs professional credentialing exams.<br><br>NABCEP offers the most widely recognized personnel credentialing program in the Renewable Energy industry. New credentialing programs are being rolled out including the Small Wind Installer Certification and the PV Technical Sales Certification. The PV Entry Level exam will soon be available through computer-based testing. Please check in at <a href="http://www.nabcep.org/">www.nabcep.org</a> for more details.</blockquote><div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Ezra Auerbach<br>Executive Director<br><br><a href="mailto:eauerbach@nabcep.org">eauerbach@nabcep.org</a><br><br>North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)<br>634 Plank Road<br>Clifton Park, N.Y. 12065<br><br>1 800 654 0021<br>1 518 670 4553 Direct<br><br><a href="http://www.nabcep.org/">www.nabcep.org</a></div></div></body></html>