Renewable energy · Free · ₹0

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation

Design, install and commission a 3 kW to 100 kW rooftop solar system: irradiance and PVGIS, modules and inverters, sizing from an electricity bill, site survey and shading, string sizing, cable sizing, protection, earthing and lightning, batteries and hybrid systems, net metering and PM Surya Ghar, safe installation, IEC 62446 testing, and yield and payback.

14 modules 11h 10m of video English · self-paced

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation course cover

Inside the course

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation: Syllabus at a glance

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation: What you will be able to do

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation: Tools and credits

From the lessons

The sun, irradiance and peak sun hours
ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance
Load and consumption analysis from an electricity bill
Design of photovoltaic systems
Array layout and string sizing
HeatSpring
Protection: DC fuses, isolators, SPDs, RCDs and MCBs
ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance
Batteries and hybrid system sizing
ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance
Mounting, installation sequence and safety at height
ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance

Lesson frames belong to the creators named in the Credits below and are shown from YouTube.

What you will learn

Read irradiance data from PVGIS and turn it into peak sun hours; read module and inverter datasheets; size an on-grid array from a year of electricity bills; survey a roof and find shade; size strings against the inverter's voltage and MPPT limits at the site's coldest and hottest temperatures; size DC and AC cables for current and voltage drop; specify fuses, isolators, SPDs, breakers and RCDs; earth the array and keep it clear of lightning protection; size a battery for a hybrid system; take a home system through net metering and PM Surya Ghar approval; install it safely at height; test and commission it to IEC 62446-1; and work out performance ratio, yield and simple payback.

Turn PVGIS irradiation into peak sun hours and an energy estimate
Read module and inverter datasheets and correct them for temperature
Size an on-grid array from a year of electricity bills
Survey a roof, find shade and plan the layout
Size strings for the coldest and hottest days and the MPPT window
Size DC and AC cables, protection, earthing and SPDs
Size a battery and a hybrid inverter for backup
Get a system net metered, install it safely and commission it to IEC 62446-1

The course project · about 10 hours

Designing a 5 kW on-grid rooftop system for a home from its electricity bill

Design a 5 kW on-grid rooftop solar system for a family home in Pune from a year of electricity bills: size the array, lay it out on the roof, size the strings, cables and protection, draw the single-line diagram, list the materials, estimate the yield and set out the payback method, and write the commissioning checklist the inspection will need.

Sample document pack, 5 documents, filled in for the scenario

ReportDesign basis and yield: 5.45 kWp rooftop system
Single lineSingle-line diagram: 5.45 kWp on-grid system
Cable scheduleCable schedule: 5.45 kWp system
BOMBill of materials: 5.45 kWp system
Commissioning procedureCommissioning checklist and record

Read inside the course and download as a workbook. The project is optional practice, marked when you submit it; the certificate needs only the modules and the final assessment.

Course content

14 modules · 63 lessons · 11h 10m

In order, at whatever pace suits you. Each module ends with a practice task that builds on the last.

01The sun, irradiance and peak sun hours3 lessons38m
02Panels and inverters, and reading their datasheets6 lessons59m
03Load and consumption analysis from an electricity bill3 lessons35m
04Site survey, shading and roof structure5 lessons51m
05Array layout and string sizing7 lessons60m
06DC and AC cable sizing and voltage drop4 lessons36m
07Protection: DC fuses, isolators, SPDs, RCDs and MCBs5 lessons33m
08Earthing and lightning protection for rooftop PV3 lessons59m
09Batteries and hybrid system sizing6 lessons56m
10Net metering and the approval process6 lessons41m
11Mounting, installation sequence and safety at height3 lessons37m
12Testing and commissioning5 lessons1h 17m
13Operation, monitoring, yield and payback6 lessons1h 21m
14Final Assessment1 lesson7m

Show all 14 modules

Requirements

Who it is for: Beginner. For electrical and electronics graduates and diploma holders, electricians moving into solar, and installers who want the design behind the work. You should know volts, amps and watts; no solar experience is needed.
Software: Free tools only: PVGIS (web), SolarEdge Designer (web, free account), SAM, the System Advisor Model (free download, free account), Google Earth and a spreadsheet. What to download, and how
Hardware: None. A tape measure, a compass app and access to a roof you can reach safely make the survey task more real.

Software you need

What to download, where from, what it costs and how to install it. Every link goes to the maker's own site, never a mirror.

PVGIS is used from module 1; SolarEdge Designer helps with the layout in module 5; SAM is optional for the payback work in module 13. Every calculation can also be done by hand or in a spreadsheet.

Required

01
PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System)
European Commission Joint Research Centre, in the browser
Free
Runs on
Any modern web browser
Account
None needed
PVGIS is a free online tool from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. It covers Europe, Africa, most of Asia including India and the Gulf, and the Americas, from satellite data. No account is needed.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the PVGIS tools page.
2. 2.Click your site on the map, or enter its latitude and longitude.
3. 3.Choose the grid-connected tool and enter the kWp, tilt and azimuth.
4. 4.Read the monthly energy and irradiation table, and download the report or the CSV.
5. 5.Use the TMY tab to download hourly temperature data for string sizing.
- PVGIS azimuth is measured from south: 0° is south, east is negative and west is positive.
Open PVGIS (Photovoltaic Geographical Information System)re.jrc.ec.europa.eu

Optional

Useful, not needed to finish the course.

02
SolarEdge Designer
SolarEdge, in the browser
Free
Runs on
Any modern web browser
Account
A free SolarEdge account
SolarEdge Designer is a free web tool for laying out modules on a roof, checking strings and estimating energy. It is built around SolarEdge products; the layout and shading work applies to any system.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open designer.solaredge.com and sign up for a free account.
2. 2.Create a residential project and find the site on the map.
3. 3.Draw the roof faces, obstacles and setbacks.
4. 4.Place the modules and run the string and energy checks.
5. 5.Export the layout for your design file.
Open SolarEdge Designerdesigner.solaredge.com
03
SAM (System Advisor Model)
National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly NREL)
Free
Runs on
Windows, macOS or Linux
Account
A free registration on the SAM website
SAM is a free desktop application for the performance and financial modelling of energy projects, from the US National Laboratory of the Rockies (formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory). Its source code is open on GitHub.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the SAM website and register for a free account.
2. 2.Download the installer for your system.
3. 3.Install and open SAM, then start a new photovoltaic project with a residential financial model.
4. 4.Load weather data for your site and enter the system design.
5. 5.Run the simulation and read the energy and payback results.
Official download pagesam.nlr.gov
04
Google Earth Pro on desktop
Google
Free
Runs on
Windows, macOS or Linux
Account
None needed
Google Earth Pro on desktop is free. Google has announced it will no longer be available for new downloads from 25 June 2027; copies installed before then keep working, and Google points users to Google Earth on the web.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the Google Earth versions page.
2. 2.Select Download Earth Pro on desktop.
3. 3.Accept the terms and download the installer for your system.
4. 4.Run the installer and start Google Earth Pro.
5. 5.Use the ruler, placemark and historical imagery tools the course asks for.
- Install it before 25 June 2027 if you want the desktop version.
- Google Earth on the web now has many of the same tools and needs no installation.
Official download pagegoogle.com
Alternatives
- Google Earth on the web: Free in a browser; Google's recommended replacement for the desktop app.
05
LibreOffice
The Document Foundation
Free
Runs on
Windows 10 or 11, macOS 11 or newer (Intel or Apple silicon), Linux
Account
None needed
Size
up to 1.5 GB of disk space on Windows
LibreOffice is free, open-source software under the Mozilla Public License 2.0, for any use including business. Calc is its spreadsheet.
Show the 5 stepsHide the steps
Steps
1. 1.Open the LibreOffice download page.
2. 2.Check the page has picked your operating system, then select Download.
3. 3.Run the installer (administrator rights are needed on Windows).
4. 4.Start LibreOffice Calc for spreadsheet work.
5. 5.Save as .xlsx if you need to share files with Excel users.
- Choose the latest main version unless your organisation asks for the older, more conservative release.
Official download pagelibreoffice.org

Checked against each maker's own page on 27 September 2026. Trial lengths and editions change; the maker's page is the final word.

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation at a glance

Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation is a free, self-paced online course from EDWartens for electrical graduates, diploma holders, electricians and installers moving into rooftop solar in India, the Gulf and worldwide. It has 14 modules and 11h 10m of video lessons by ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance, Design of photovoltaic systems (NPTEL, IISc), SolarEdge and others, with written notes and worked problems, a practical project with a document pack and a 15-question final assessment (pass mark 60%). Learning is free with an account; an optional certificate with a public verification code is issued when you pass. Last updated 27 September 2026.

All course facts

Price: ₹0, free for good. No trial, no card. Comparable classroom training of this length costs about ₹5,999.
Who it is for: Electrical graduates, diploma holders, electricians and installers moving into rooftop solar in India, the Gulf and worldwide
Format: 14 self-paced modules, 11h 10m of video, written notes, a practice task per module and one final assessment.
Level: Beginner. Beginner. For electrical and electronics graduates and diploma holders, electricians moving into solar, and installers who want the design behind the work. You should know volts, amps and watts; no solar experience is needed.
Brand: Vendor-neutral
Software: Free tools only: PVGIS (web), SolarEdge Designer (web, free account), SAM, the System Advisor Model (free download, free account), Google Earth and a spreadsheet.
Hardware: None. A tape measure, a compass app and access to a roof you can reach safely make the survey task more real.
Certificate: Optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, verifiable by code. Not a vendor credential.
Video lessons by: ISA Academy - International Solar Alliance, Design of photovoltaic systems (NPTEL, IISc), SolarEdge, Mayfield Renewables, Seaward USA, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (independent creators, credited below)
Language: English
Last updated: 27 September 2026

A shareable EDWartens certificate

Finish every module and pass the final assessment, and the optional EDWartens certificate is yours. It carries a unique verification code on a public page anyone can check, so it stands up when a recruiter looks it up. See it below.

Add it to your LinkedIn profile in one click
Link it from a CV or portfolio, the URL is permanent
Publicly verifiable by code, not a PDF anyone can edit
Issued by EDWartens India, the training centre itself

The course itself stays free whether or not you ever buy one.

Stuck? Ask a practising engineer

A free course usually means a comment section and hope. This one does not. Every module has an Ask-your-trainer panel that reaches the same engineers who teach our paid programme: people who commission panels for a living, not moderators.

Questions answered in the context of the module you are on
The same engineers who teach the AEP programme
Career tools, CV help and public job listings included
Your progress and notes stay in your account for good

Pairs well with

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TIA Portal: Build a Machine free course cover

PLC programming · FreeTIA Portal: Build a MachineOne machine, start to finish. Take a bottle filling line from a written specification and an I/O list to a structured S7-1200 program with a fill station, a capper, a reject sorter and an operator screen with alarms, then test it against a written record and archive it for hand-over. The lessons are the reference; the machine is yours, and it is what you submit.

Instrumentation for PLC Engineers free course cover

Instrumentation · FreeInstrumentation for PLC EngineersThe half of the loop that is not code. Follow one measurement from the transmitter in the field, down the 4-20 mA loop, into the analog card, through NORM_X and SCALE_X into engineering units, out again to a valve, and back to the control room when the reading is wrong.

More free courses: Free solar and renewable energy courses

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Reviews here are written only by learners who have finished every module of Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation, and they are published exactly as written. Finish the course and yours will be the first.

Common questions

Who is this rooftop solar course for?

Electrical and electronics graduates and diploma holders, electricians moving into solar, and installers who want the design behind the work, in India, the Gulf and elsewhere. You should know volts, amps and watts; no solar experience is needed.

Is the Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation course really free?

Yes. Every module, the notes, the worked problems, the project and the final assessment are free. The only paid item is the certificate, if you want it.

What software do I need?

Only free tools: PVGIS in the browser, SolarEdge Designer with a free account, SAM (the System Advisor Model) as a free download, Google Earth and a spreadsheet. Every calculation can also be done by hand.

Does it cover PM Surya Ghar and net metering?

Yes. It explains net metering, net billing and gross metering, and walks through the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana route from registration on the national portal to inspection and the net meter, with the general approval route used outside India. It states no subsidy amounts; the portal gives the current figures.

Which standards does it follow?

It works to IEC practice: IEC 62548 for array design, IEC 62446-1 for testing and commissioning, IEC 62305 for lightning protection and IEC 60364 for the AC side, with Indian codes such as IS 3043 and IS 875 where they apply. Standards are paraphrased, never copied.

What certificate does the Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation course give?

An EDWartens Certificate of Completion, issued when you finish the modules and pass the final assessment, with a number anyone can verify on our site. It is not an electrician's or installer's licence, or a Skill Council for Green Jobs qualification; electrical work must be done or supervised by people licensed under the rules where you work.

How long does the Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation course take?

About 11 hours of video, or about 17 hours with the notes, worked problems and practice tasks, at your own pace. The optional project takes about 10 hours more.

How is this different from the PVsyst course, and what job does it lead to?

This course is rooftop systems from 3 to 100 kW with free tools; PVsyst Solar Power Plant Design goes on to utility-scale simulation. It prepares you for roles such as solar design engineer, rooftop installer or supervisor, and commissioning technician.

Is the Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation course free in India, and what does the certificate cost?

Yes. Learning costs ₹0 in India: every module, the written notes, the practice tasks and the final assessment, with no card and no trial period. The only paid item is the optional EDWartens Certificate of Completion, ₹459 including GST for this beginner course, paid in rupees through Razorpay, and only if you want it after passing the final assessment.

What you walk away with

Your certificate for Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation

Finish the course, pass the final, and this is the document with your name on it.

Sample EDWartens Certificate of Completion for Rooftop Solar PV Design and Installation — Sample. The issued certificate carries your name, admission number, a unique certificate number and its own QR code.

Verifiable by anyone
A unique certificate number and a public verification page. A recruiter checks it in ten seconds.
Adds to LinkedIn in one click
Issuer, credential ID and URL prefilled, with 6 matching skills to pin to your profile.
QR code on the certificate
Scans straight to the verification page, so a printed copy proves itself.
Names what you can do
Lists the topics covered, from irradiance, pvgis, modules, inverters and datasheets to safe installation at height, iec 62446-1 commissioning, yield and payback.
A permanent link
Put it on a CV, a portfolio or an application. The URL never changes.
Earned, not attended
Issued only after every module and a final assessment at 60%, with 3 attempts. That is why it stands up.

Learning is free. The certificate is optional.

Add it now and pay only when you have finished the course, or come back for it later. One-off, US$23.99, with a receipt.

Issued by EDWartens India (Wartens Automation Private Limited) as a Certificate of Completion for this self-paced course. It is not a vendor certification, a university award or a CPD-accredited activity, and it does not certify competence on live equipment. Delivered electronically; see the refund policy.

Credits

Who made the video lessons

The video lessons in this course were created by the people below, not by EDWartens. Every lesson streams from its creator's own YouTube channel; EDWartens neither hosts nor sells that footage, and the creators are not affiliated with EDWartens and do not endorse this course. What EDWartens wrote is the study plan, the notes, the practice tasks and the assessments.

ISA Academy - International Solar Alliancethe I-SED training modules on solar radiation and the sun path, PV cells and modules, inverters, electrical components, protections and marking, energy storage, grid integration of distributed solar, site assessment and sizing, mounting structures, installation and operations, protection and maintenance, standards and performance indicators, and the general aspects of solar energy
Design of photovoltaic systems (NPTEL, Prof. L. Umanand, IISc Bangalore)the NPTEL lectures on insolation and irradiance, datasheet study, the effect of temperature and a worked temperature example, interconnecting modules, the MPPT concept, protecting cells in series, the load profile, battery capacity, days of autonomy, battery sizing and the grid connection principle
SolarEdge (SolarEdgePV)the SolarEdge Designer tutorials on residential projects, site design creation, tree shading, consumption profiles, adding storage and financial analysis
Mayfield Renewablesthe lessons on PV string sizing calculations, grounding and bonding fundamentals, PV electrical test setup and insulation resistance testing
Seaward USAthe webinar on safely testing and commissioning PV systems
chriskitcher (Chris Kitcher)the demonstrations of the PV open-circuit voltage test and the insulation resistance test
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (mnreindia)the official PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana videos on how a consumer submits an application and how a vendor registers
SepiSolarthe lesson on performing a solar site survey
EnergyUMEthe lesson on site assessment and shading analysis
UNICEF Solar Hubthe lesson on taking irradiance and temperature data from PVGIS
ReneSola Globalthe lesson on reading a module datasheet and its I-V curves
The Solar Energy Channel by Paradise Energythe comparison of string inverters and microinverters, and the explainer on net billing and net metering
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowsethe lesson on sizing a solar power system from energy use
HeatSpringthe short explainer on string sizing
Sterling Solar Worksthe lesson on voltage drop calculations
Cleversolarpower by Nickthe lesson on sizing solar cable for voltage drop
IECCalcthe lesson on DC voltage drop to IEC 62548
Greenwood Solutionsthe lesson on DC string fusing calculations
Solar Power Worldthe interview on surge protection for solar PV with CITEL
DEHN Internationalthe short lesson on surge arresters for PV systems
Mohamad Nassereddinethe lecture on lightning design requirements for rooftop PV systems
Photovoltaics Explainedthe lessons on lightning and surge protection and on PV system yield
SolarReviewsthe lessons on battery size and on how net metering works
Unbound Solarthe start-to-finish rooftop installation
SafeWork NSWthe film on managing the risk of falls in solar installation
Prof. Dr. Henrik te Heesenthe lecture on performance ratio
Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA)Paul Gilman's introduction to the System Advisor Model (SAM)

If you are one of these creators and would like a lesson removed or credited differently, write to info@wartens.com.