As part of its continued effort to promote education, certification for installers and quality assurance, SMA America recently entered an official yearlong partnership with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), which includes a premier sponsorship of NABCEP's Continuing Education Conference, scheduled for spring 2013 in Sacramento, Calif.

“With our ongoing commitment to training and education, partnering with NABCEP is a natural fit,” said Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America and president of SMA Canada. “We have a shared mission to promote industry growth through supporting programs that promote quality assurance in the sales and installation process, and this is an important step to realize that mission.”

SMA has long supported NABCEP, especially through its Solar Academy. Most classes offered through SMA’s Solar Academy trainings qualify for NABCEP continuing education credit.

Through its continued support of NABCEP, SMA helps the organization further promote safety, certification, quality installations and consumer confidence. SMA and NABCEP share a common goal to offer educational opportunities for solar professionals that will continuously improve their knowledge and skills, a key element of a maturing industry.

“SMA exemplifies true leadership for this industry, and we are very pleased to have them on board as a major sponsor and partner,” said Don Warfield, chairman of NABCEP. “Their support makes it possible for us to continue to fulfill our mission, and we hope other dynamic organizations will join them as NABCEP sponsors.”

NABCEP’s Continuing Education Conference is the second annual conference the organization will host. Last year’s event drew hundreds of solar professionals, manufacturers and presenters. SMA will host two technical training sessions at the conference, and will also host a networking reception. Attendees will be able to earn up to eighteen hours of Continuing Education Credits. Several additional corporate sponsorships at a variety of levels are currently available, and SMA encourages its colleagues in the PV industry to support the NABCEP initiative.

About SMA
The SMA Group generated sales of €1.7 billion in 2011 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 21 countries on six continents. The Group employs more than 5,500 people worldwide, plus a number of temporary employees that varies on a seasonal basis. SMA’s broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all PV plant sizes. The product range includes inverters both for grid-connected PV plants and for off-grid systems. SMA can therefore provide an ideal inverter solution for all plant sizes and types. Since 2008, the Group’s parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and also in the TecDAX index. In recent years, SMA has received numerous awards for excellence as an employer and in 2011 and 2012 achieved first place in Germany’s nationwide Great Place to Work® competition. www.SMA-America.com/www.SMA-Canada.ca

About NABCEP
The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) is the most respected, well established, and widely recognized national certification organization for professional installers in the field of renewable energy. NABCEP is a volunteer board of representatives who are chosen based on their experience and involvement in the solar energy industry. NABCEP’s mission is to develop and implement quality credentialing and certification programs for practitioners by supporting and working closely with professionals and stakeholders in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries. To learn more visit www.nabcep.org.