What NABCEP certification means to solar installers

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Nearly 90% of American homeowners who have installed solar panels are satisfied with their decision, according to a 2024 Forbes Home’s survey. That leaves roughly 10% customers who are not.

Recently, pv magazine USA took an informal survey of hundreds of negative comments on public review sites of solar companies. Among the top categories of complaints concerned the installation itself: lack of proper roof inspections, wiring that was not code-compliant, incorrect or failed equipment, and roof penetrations.

These concerns are mirrored by data in the 2025 Solar Industry Survey, released in February by SolarReviews. Asked to identify the “most prominent weakness” in the solar workforce, installers identified “not enough skilled labor” as the second-most common factor (after “higher wage expectations”). Yet 59% of installers surveyed trained their workforce themselves, rather than relying on third-party training organizations.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is an organization that offers accreditation programs for solar installers. According to NABCEP President and CEO Shawn O’Brien, some 18,000 employees have received one of its many certifications, from PV Associate to PV Installation Professional (PVIP), as well as special certificates for sales, design, service, inspection, and energy storage.

In its recent review of successful practices among solar installers, EnergySage saw strong success among companies with employees who have NABCEP certification. But NABCEP certification is voluntary in all but a handful of jurisdictions in the U.S., and even then, only for installers’ customers to be eligible for certain tax credits.

According to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s database of U.S. licensing requirements, only fifteen states have solar-specific licenses above and beyond an electrician’s license. A small number of states have no licensing requirements at all or leave licensing up to local jurisdictions. In the majority of states, an electrician’s license is the only license required to install solar.

Because NABCEP certification is voluntary in most service areas, its value stands out even more, especially in states without solar-specific licenses. This was made abundantly clear when pv magazine USA spoke with two employee-owners of PV Squared, a Massachusetts-based installation company.

Seth Mellen, who holds a PV Installer Professional (PVIP) certification, spoke about how important certification is for the reputation of the company, especially in a state like Massachusetts, which requires no solar-specific licensing.

“It’s easy for a company to say they’re good, but we specifically wanted to be able to point to third parties that say we’re good,” Mellen said.

He noted that having certified employees in every stage of the business builds trust in the relationship between the company and the customer.

Daniel Berry, a PV Squared employee with a PV Technical Sales (PVTS) certification, noted how important accreditation is for the sales team, especially in an industry with a broad spectrum of sales practices, some of which give the industry a bad reputation.

“A lot of layers go into a proposal,” Berry noted, as new products, incentives and financing options emerge all the time. Berry stated that NABCEP’s certification and continuing education requirements allow PV Squared’s sales team to speak knowledgeably to potential customers about what they are offering. Certification comes up frequently in sales discussions, he said.

In an industry “worried about the future,” according to the 2025 Solar Industry Survey, certification provides a bit of job security and company stability. According to Seth Mellen, a NABCEP certificate is “a feather in the cap,” an asset when companies are looking to hire new employees. It can also help keep a company in business. PV Squared is one of only ten companies to receive NABCEP’s company-wide accreditation. Said Mellen, “We put the NABCEP logo on all of our promotional materials.”

The annual NABCEP conference recently wrapped up in Reno, Nevada. This is the only industry event that allows NABCEP Board Certified Professionals to obtain as many as 24 hours of continuing education units needed to recertify. PV Associates can obtain 12 continuing education units needed to renew.  It’s also an opportunity for noncertified renewable energy professionals can earn up to 18 hours toward becoming NABCEP certified.

Now is a great time to begin your solar and battery storage journey. If you want to make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. They have hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20% to 30% compared to going it alone. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.

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