Greenwood Academy and Gil Rhodes (RPEQ) take you through each and every step of the Commercial Solar install. This specialist training is immersive and will give you confidence to learn each process step in detail. Our only Brisbane training for the year.
The all-day “Commercial Solar Design & Install” course will provide you with invaluable insights and practical knowledge. This is your chance to kick-off, jump-start or propel your career in the renewable energy industry.
Hosted by 20-year industry veteran and the Academy's Lead Education Veli, from CEC award-winning Greenwood. With special guest RPEQ Mr Gil Rhodes, helping you navigate through the intricacies of what DNSPs, Ergon and Energex, require. Accredited by the SAA, this course provides you with a whopping 60 CPD Points!
Included with the full-day course is a free networking pub lunch, and morning tea delivered to your desk!
DATE: 10th September 2025
LOCATION: Geebung RSL , 323 Newman Rd, Geebung QLD 4034
RUN TIME: Course starts at 8:00am and finishes 4:30pm
BREAKS: 40 min lunch, 15 min afternoon tea
CPD POINTS: 60
This is an unmissable, full-day training event tailored for solar professionals ready to scale.
Gil Rhodes—one of only two certified PowerCAD trainers in Australia—will break down the nitty-gritty of AC design, compliance, and the Energex/Ergon process. Veli covers DC design, project management, and site documentation for 1MW systems. Whether you're looking to move beyond 100kW installs or need clarity navigating Queensland’s approval steps, this is the complete package. Face-to-face insights, industry-proven tips, and practical guidance to grow your capabilities.
Meet OUR PRESENTERS:
RPEQ / RPEV Elect, FIEAust, CPEng, NER
Gil is a Registered Professional Engineer Queensland (RPEQ), Chartered Engineer, Fellow of the Institute of Engineers Australia as well as a qualified electrician.
Gil has spent over 25 years working in HV/LV industries including solar, storage, distribution, heavy power and complex process control applications.
From microgrids to large scale solar farms, his project list spans across Energex/Ergon areas in Queensland including factories, breweries, shopping centres, facilities and other rooftop installations.
Gil’s knowledge of Australian Standards and the Queensland DNSP approval processes shows you how to streamline designs, best utilise available information, include the right documentation and tips & tricks for a successful application.
Expect laser focus detail, practical cost and time saving tips and expert Q&A you wont find in any manual.
Meet OUR PRESENTERS:
SAA On Grid / Off Grid Accredited
There’s only one Veli Markovic, and he’s dedicated his career to Australia’s renewable-energy scene for more than two decades.
Veli leads Greenwood Academy, crafting every SAA-accredited online course and running live CPD workshops Australia wide since 2018.
He flat-out refuses the “expert” tag. Why? Because the industry (and the planet) keep evolving, and Veli’s first in line to learn something new and pass it straight on.
He’ll dive into process, compliance and the economic realities of a project, then zoom out to the bigger picture of sustainability with a flair few can match.
What he can’t stand is stagnation. Sit in on just one of his classes and you’ll catch the bug: keep learning, keep improving, and have a good laugh while you’re at it.
Create an early-stage estimate of the total project cost, based on initial site data, proposed system size, and component selection.
It’s essentially a ballpark financial snapshot to help stakeholders gauge interest.
The end-to-end workflow of designing, approving, and installing a solar energy system for a business or industrial site.
Think of it as the blueprint from concept to kilowatt and everything that goes on in between.
On-location inspection to gather critical data for designing a solar system, such as roof condition, shading, switchboard layout, and structural integrity.
It’s the boots-on-the-ground step that turns assumptions into facts, ensuring the system design is accurate, compliant, and install-ready.
The detailed client-facing document that outlines your final solar system design, costs, expected performance, warranties, and terms of agreement.
It’s the polished pitch that turns technical plans into a professional offer, ready for client sign-off and project green light.
Project management in solar involves coordinating all phases of the installation—from procurement and scheduling to compliance, logistics, and communication.
This ensures the system is delivered on time and within budget. It’s the behind-the-scenes engine keeping the whole show running smoothly, on time and on budget.
The collection and organisation of all required technical, regulatory, and project-related paperwork—like engineering designs, compliance forms, connection applications, and warranties.
It’s the paper trail that keeps your project traceable and ready for future servicing.
A step by step guide on pre - approvals through to engineering sign off and post install connection and DNSP approvals.
Without these steps being adhered to, you risk your new PV system not being accepted by the distributor.
-Or worse.
A solar system that cant be switched on.
The technical blueprint of your solar system, translating the concept into actionable construction plans with precision.
It includes electrical schematics, layout drawings, structural calculations, protection settings, and compliance docs.
Everything needed to build the system right the first time.
The brain of any solar system—it converts DC electricity from the panels into AC power that can be used onsite or exported to the grid.
Beyond conversion, it manages grid compliance, system monitoring, safety shutdowns, and sometimes even battery integration or export control - a critical choice for install.
Solar panels convert sunlight into DC electricity, and their efficiency, durability, and warranty directly impact system performance and ROI.
Rails and mounting equipment form the structural backbone, securing panels to rooftops in all weather conditions.
The safety device installed between the solar system and the grid.
Typically required for larger commercial systems. It provides extra layers of protection—like overvoltage, overcurrent, anti-islanding, and network monitoring—to ensure the system disconnects safely.
The safety device installed between the solar system and the grid.
Typically required for larger commercial systems. It provides extra layers of protection—like overvoltage, overcurrent, anti-islanding, and network monitoring—to ensure the system disconnects safely.
Exclusive Live Training is SAA ( Solar Accreditation Australia) accredited.
Hidden costs labour and materials
Understanding whats involved from a commercial solar perspective:
Network Application Costs
Grid Protection Costs
Testing of Grid protection Costs
Roof structural engineering costs
Cost of materials
Cost of labour
DNSP requirements
What it is
What are the cost implications
What is needed documentation wise
Importance of attention to details
DNSP requirements:
Difference between Primary and Secondary protection
Where and when it applies
What settings are looked at
What does the relay do
DNSP requirements:
What it does
What's its purpose
Who requires it
What does it cost
Initial scope:
What is its role
The importance of the preliminary costing
What it looks like
What should and shouldn't be included
Bill analysis
Authority to act
Design based on financials
Data:
The site vist aim
Organising where, whem and whom
General information collected
Detailed electrical information collected
Time spent based on project complexity
Decider:
Want to include about your company
Focus on your strengths
Other sevices offered
Site and project scope
How to present the data
Guarantees, logistics and contract
How, why and when:
What it is
RACI
Importance of PM
What and who gets managed
Documentation
Site equipment
Task responsibility
Inverters:
Inverters Selection criteria
CEC list approval
Design flexibility
Production loss comparisons
Reputation, warranty and technical help
Solar panels:
Selection criteria
CEC list approval
Design flexibility
Panel degradation, efficiency, pricing
Reputation, warranty and technical help
Installation material costs ratios
Payback
Rail:
General and structural
What standards apply
Basic roof structural concepts
Penetrative verus non
Inverters:
Inverter Number of inverters and inputs
DC cable selection
Current carrying capacity and heat dissipation
Inverter table
DC voltage drop
Importance and referenced standards for DC voltage drop
Actual cable runs and how to calculate
The calculations
DC, Earth and tray:
DC and Earth cable and cable tray
Limitations of the standards when looking at 1500V 120degree rated Dc cable
Should and shall
Parallelling versus single strings
Cost comparison between DC sting options
Earthing and material costs
Cable tray costing comparison
Option comparison
AC protection:
Inverter circuit breakers
Calculating inverter current
The 1.25 rule
Breaker sizing and derating
AC main protection:
Main Breaker
Calculating the cummulative current
Sizing the main breaker do's and don'ts
What sized breakers are available, MOCB
Inverter station:
Inverter station
Where can they go
Spacing requirements
Example diagram
How far away from the DB or MSB
Cable tray requirements
Run number one - CCC and tray:
Inverter to GridSafe -CCC and Cable tray
Correct AC cable selection
Advantages of high temp cable
Using AS3008 to determine CCC
Understanding the derating tables
Looking at differences in CCC due to cable tray covers
Heat dissipation and its effects on CCC
Run number one - Vrise:
Inverters to GridSafe - Vrise
Apps that do it for you
Calculations based on the impedance method
Which inverter to base the calculation
Resistance, reactance, impedance
How to calculate accurately
Importance of conductor temperature
Run number two - complete:
GridSafe to MSB
Step by step approach
Relevant tables in AS3008
CB protection and Cable rating relationship
Multi or SDI selection
Cable routing, cable tray design
Single cables or parallel configuration
Working with cable, flexibility
Vrise calculations
Run number three - complete:
MSB to POS
Measuring this run
What is the overall correct Vrise calculation sequence
What can and can'r adjust
Onsite and other:
What documentation is needed
Importance of having the right working drawings
DNSP paperwork, commissioning and other
Spreadsheet approach to documentaion control
Why is it needed
Importance of customer documentation
Principal Engineer (MIEAust) | Arigo Consulting
"Greenwood Academy’s courses cater from entry level to high end engineering. 10 Years of experience in an ever growing industry is captured perfectly in relevant course content."
North Electrical
"I've been a Sparky for 15 years with no major focus on solar or batteries. Doing the courses has given me huge confidence to price up jobs and we are winning more work as a result."
DRL Electrical
"Straight to the point training. Relatable course content that is genuine. Learning a lot and I'm only half way through the list."