National & International Accreditation | CPD credits for Solar Training

Solar Certification & Accreditation

Proper accreditation is just as important as the actual training. Therefore, we have accredited our solar courses with national and international institutions. All participants receive an internationally-recognized certificate of participation upon successful completion of a course. The certificate is issued jointly by the GREEN Solar Academy and the German Solar Energy Society (DGS).

Certification

We offer three levels of certification designed to support progression at different stages of a solar career, from entry-level skills to advanced specialisation:

GREEN Solar Mounter

Beginner
Start here
Hands-on installation skills
First step into the industry

PV GreenCard Installer

Intermediate
Industry standard
Required for many projects
Entry into the market

GREEN C&I Designer

Specialist
Advanced skills
System design & optimisation
Differentiate your offering

GREEN Solar Mounter

Beginner
Start here
Hands-on installation skills
First step into the industry

PV GreenCard Installer

Intermediate
Industry standard
Required for many projects
Entry into the market

GREEN C&I Designer

Specialist
Advanced skills
System design & optimisation
Differentiate your offering

The GREEN Solar Mounter certification is aimed at beginners entering the solar industry. It focuses on practical, hands-on installation skills and provides the first step toward becoming job-ready on site. It is positioned as an industry-aligned standard for developing core installation capability.

The PV GreenCard serves as the recognised entry point into the professional solar market. It is intended for installers and practitioners who want to work on projects that require compliance with established installation standards and best practice. In many cases, it is a required or expected certification, making it a key milestone for accessing opportunities in the industry.

The GREEN C&I Designer certification is designed for professionals looking to move beyond installation into system design and optimisation. It focuses on Commercial & Industrial (C&I) system design, building the technical and commercial skills needed to work on larger, more complex projects. This enables individuals to differentiate themselves and stay competitive as the market shifts beyond residential installation.

Explore the courses and assessments for each certification level on our course guide page:

Accreditation

Overview of our most important accreditation:

  • Courses have CPD validation by SAIEE as per ECSA policy (5 CPD points for SuperSolarSchool)
  • Courses have SAPVIA accreditation as PV GreenCard training (SuperSolarSchool)
  • GREEN is a DGS endorsed training provider (German Solar Energy Society)

The following courses have been awarded with CPD accreditation by the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE):

SuperSolarSchool: 5 CPD Points for the course (CPD validation SAIEE-3237-RV1)
Commercial PV Design: 3 CPD Points for the course (CPD validation SAIEE-3256-RV1)
Compliance for PV Systems: 1 CPD Point for the course (CPD validation SAIEE-3239-V)
PV Mounter: 2 CPD Points for the course (CPD validation SAIEE-3238-V)

International Accreditation by DGS – German Solar Energy Society

Our courses are accredited by DGS Germany and are internationally recognized. DGS is short for German Solar Energy Society. It is the oldest consumer protection association in Germany, founded in 1975. The DGS has many active members who work on advancing the PV industry – in Germany as well as worldwide. The main focus of the DGS is education. The DGS has long term experience in renewable energy training worldwide. DGS has operated the further education programme DGS SolarSchool since 1996. With the maxx-solar academy, the DGS established a DGS SolarSchool branch in South Africa. GREEN Solar Academy now continues the trainings as a partner organisation of the DGS.

Visit the German DGS website or subscribe to the German DGS weekly news (German language).

National Accreditation SAPVIA PV GreenCard Installer Assessment Centre

The GREEN Solar Academy is a SAPVIA endorsed training provider. Our SuperSolarSchool is in line with the SAPVIA 5-Day Solar PV Installer Course. This makes it the perfect course to help prepare you for the SAPVIA PV GreenCard assessment.

GREEN Solar Academy operates 5 SAPVIA PV Installer Assessment Centers in South Africa, in Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London, Cape Town and Ballito, KZN.

Graduates of the PV GreenCard Installer Assessment will:

National Qualification QCTO “Solar PV Service Technician“

SAPVIA developed reference training material for a 5-day Solar PV Installer Course in accordance with the exit outcomes of the curriculum specific to the Solar PV Installer Part Qualification of the Solar Photovoltaic Service Technician, Curriculum Code 313109001, NQF Level 5. The Solar PV Service Technician qualification is an occupational qualification containing 4 modules, or part qualifications:

  • Solar PV System Mounter
  • Solar PV Installer
  • Solar PV Farm Technician
  • Solar PV Stand-Alone Service Technician

SAPVIA, Greencape and the GREEN Solar Academy are currently working on the accreditation of the 5-Day Solar PV Installer Course under the Curriculum Code 313109001 with MerSETA. The objective is to enable successful participants of the PV Installer Assessment / 5-day Solar PV Installer Course to apply for the Solar PV Installer Part Qualification under the QCTO Solar PV service technician.

The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) is the custodian and regulatory body for occupational qualifications.