Solar energy: the self-consumption boom

You may already be familiar with SMA Solar Technologie AG, one of the leading manufacturers of photovoltaic inverters. However, the SMA Solar Academy is less well-known. Nonetheless, it's a great initiative by the brand: an educational center that offers free seminars both at its headquarters and occasionally throughout France.

SMA Solar Technology

SMA is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and distribution of solar inverters (link). With a presence in 21 countries and 5000 employees, the company trains hundreds of experts each year through its academy. On its website, the company emphasizes that success comes from expertise, and part of this expertise is shared through its training programs.

The Concept of SMA Solar Academy

SMA France aims to share its expertise in the photovoltaic sector to create a positive impact within the industry. That's why it has established its academy and seminar program, covering topics from inverters to broader subjects like system design and monitoring. The seminars primarily target industry professionals (installers, design firms) but are also open to individuals interested in learning about installations or improvements. The seminars are organized by theme and level, and it's recommended to have basic electronics knowledge to fully benefit from the training. They are held at the headquarters near Lyon and may be particularly interesting for specific small-scale entities. They are structured as follows:

• Designing a photovoltaic system, in two parts

• Optimizing the monitoring of a photovoltaic system, in two parts

• Implementing an off-grid system with the Sunny Island range

• Service and maintenance

Details about the courses are available on the website (link). One crucial point to note: most courses include a practical component where you can, for example, use software like Sunny Design for planning or develop backup systems like Sunny Back Up.