October 4, 2024
Information You Won't Learn in an Electrician Course

12 Min. Read
In this new era of innovation and technology, the future is already being shaped by advancements in electrification. From the way we power our homes to the evolution of transportation and climate control, the future is electric, and skilled electricians have much to gain.
However, as we approach an electrified future, the complexity of electrification projects and the range of options available will also grow. Demand from homeowners and businesses looking to cut energy costs and embrace energy-efficiency solutions is accelerating, with a need for qualified electrical contractors to perform the necessary work.
Focusing on electrification and preparing to support the adoption of energy transition technologies is a winning strategy for business growth, but it’s not necessarily something you’ll find in a standard electrician course.
Demand is rising and upskilling is essential for electricians, which is why we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide about the top technologies driving electrification at the residential level, how to create a value exchange without being too pushy, and how to leverage the latest electrification technologies to expand your business.
Electrification Technologies for Energy-Saving Homes You Won’t Hear About in an Electrician Course
In terms of performance and cost, more and more electrification technologies are reaching maturity and becoming viable solutions—especially as research and development drives efficiency and the technology continues to improve.
Additionally, government funding initiatives, such as those provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, have been crucial in promoting the widespread adoption of electrification solutions as homeowners increasingly pursue a sustainable and more cost-effective lifestyle.
At-Home EV Charging
Experts predict there could be as many as 33 million EVs on the roads by 2030. With 80% of electric vehicle (EV) charging happening at home, electrical contractors are in high demand for residential EV charger installations but ensuring safe, high-quality installations will require additional knowledge beyond your traditional training.
Residential EV charging with Level 2 EV charging equipment is the most common type of EV charging since Level 1 charging is too slow, and DC Fast charging isn’t available with residential electrical infrastructure due to the power demanded by these fast charging stations. Level 2 EV charging is ideal for overnight charging and delivers an appealing mix of affordability and convenience compared to public charging.
An electrician course specifically designed for EV charging station installations or other electrification technologies can teach you about the installation requirements for these devices, including installing a dedicated 240V circuit, adding a disconnect for chargers over 60 amps, wiring a NEMA 14-50 outlet for plug-in EV chargers, and explaining the material requirements to ensure safe installations that won’t significantly degrade over time, cause nuisance tripping, or result in electrical fires.
At-home EV charging may require upgrades, such as a panel with a higher capacity, updated wiring, or combining load shedding with EV charging. Additionally, some homeowners will want to combine charging with residential battery storage to take advantage of bidirectional charging or solar-powered EV charging for even greater savings and sustainability.
Battery Storage
With a 90% year-over-year growth for energy storage in the U.S. and roughly 218.5 MW added in capacity in Q4 of 2023 alone, the demand for residential battery storage is rapidly rising and many homeowners are taking advantage of this electrification technology to control energy costs and become more independent from the grid. As more Americans switch to EVs and find they need a reliable power source during outages, battery storage will only continue to grow in U.S. homes.
Pairing battery storage with other electrification technologies is particularly advantageous, as each system works together to utilize energy in a sustainable, efficient, cost-effective way. Batteries are also becoming more appealing to homeowners with solar panels and as more states replace solar net metering programs with less beneficial incentives, storing solar power in a local battery becomes more appealing.
Some homeowners are also investing in nanogrid solutions that provide them with independence from the grid by combining energy production capabilities with solar panels, storage, and smart power management. Learning how to install, integrate, and maintain these technologies will unlock new revenue and business opportunities for your company.
Heat Pumps and Solar Heating
HVAC technologies are also evolving towards electrification—an emerging trend that’s not always covered in traditional electrician training. In 2024, 16% of homes had electric heat pumps, and this number will continue to grow since most homes can save $300 to $650 a year with this technology while still enjoying the benefits of climate control.
Unlike traditional air conditioning or heating units which work to generate heating or cooling, heat pumps displace existing heat from the ground, outdoor air, or nearby water or air before diffusing it through ducts or ductless mini-splits, helping to reduce costs and improve comfort.
Heat pumps and other electric HVAC solutions, such as electric furnaces, typically require dedicated 240V circuits and other upgrades. By partnering with an HVAC contractor, you can help wire these modern HVAC solutions and generate revenue through ongoing maintenance.
Smart Home Integration
Smart homes use the latest connected technologies, including smart thermostats, moisture detectors, temperature sensors, security sprinklers, connected load-shedding solutions, and smart panels, to provide homeowners with added monitoring and control over their energy and often bring an added layer of convenience with easy-to-use features and intuitive learning.
While a typical electrician course won’t teach you how to implement these technologies, familiarizing yourself with these smart products can be a powerful differentiator. Homeowners want customized whole home electrification solutions with automated heating and cooling schedules, smart panels that prioritize EV charging at night, or connected batteries that automatically power critical circuits when an outage is detected.
Solar Panels
Upskilling with an electrician course that focuses on solar installations is a key investment that will also help you differentiate your business, further bring stability to your operations model, and add a new revenue stream to bolster your finances. With solar prices ranging between $2.40 to $3.60 per watt, solar energy is more accessible than ever.
There are a few significant trends worth noting regarding solar panels. As the market continues to consolidate, many solar-only installers are disappearing, which creates a growing need for homeowners to seek upgrades or maintenance for their existing panels. At the same time, the rollback of net metering incentives in certain states is making battery storage a more attractive option for homeowners.
As a full service electrician with the added training to support new and existing solar panels and battery storage, you can stand out by developing a strategy to assess existing solar installations, perform necessary upgrades and maintenance, and help homeowners get more out of their solar panels by integrating solar with other electrification solutions like battery storage.
Having a variety of skills and the ability to offer services beyond solar will help ensure the long-term success of your business and differentiate you from the competition.
Conveying Value to Customers
Most electrification technologies are relatively new to the market, and customers might be unaware of the possibilities. You can grow your business by discussing the benefits of electrification to help customers justify the investment.
Working with your customers to develop both short- and long-term installation plans that meet their home electrification goals is another great approach that helps foster your client relationships and bring added trust to your brand.
Educating Homeowners
Grab homeowners’ attention and generate interest by discussing the benefits of specific solutions, including concrete data about cost savings or independence from the grid.
You should also anticipate barriers to purchase by addressing concerns and misconceptions. For example, homeowners might worry about the efficiency of solar panels, feel that solar is unaffordable, or think it’s not a good fit for tenants.
Active listening will give you a better idea of the information you need to provide or which electrification solutions to recommend and by learning how to fit your solution to customer problems, and you’ll create a win-win.
Highlight Long-Term Savings
Charging an EV at home can save at least $0.04 per kWh and often significantly more compared to public charging, and switching to an EV helps drivers save up to $2,200 a year on gas.
Sharing this information will help your customers put the electrification investment into perspective by evaluating upfront costs and long-term savings.
You can also draw attention to EV charging rebates, tax credits, and financing options designed to make electrification more accessible. When discussing potential savings, be sure to tailor your approach to each customer’s lifestyle and concerns.
Environmental Impact
Going electric supports a more sustainable lifestyle that considerably reduces a household’s carbon emissions and other toxic outputs. You should assess potential customers’ interest in clean goals and tailor your messaging accordingly.
For instance, you could explain how a heat pump can cut a household’s total emissions by 36% to 64% or how driving an EV slashes emissions from transportation by as much as 70%.
Enhancing Home Value and Comfort
Combining electrification technologies enhances comfort and convenience. For example, you can show how a heat pump creates a more consistent temperature, discuss the convenience of creating an automated EV charging schedule, or highlight the peace of mind a home battery brings during outages.
Home value can be another powerful argument for those worried about long-term savings. As more buyers are looking for electrification features, perks such as solar panels can boost a home’s value by at least 4% in addition to helping it sell faster.
A Four-Step Electrician Course for Supporting Customers
Investing in electrification may require a complex buying journey, but it doesn’t all have to happen at once.
You can use this four-step framework to help customers make the best decision possible and determine which technologies fit their immediate and long-term electrification goals.
Initial Consultation and Assessment
An intial consultation is the perfect first step to connect with your customer while better understanding their concerns and expectations around electrification for their home and discovering what drives them.
Energy audits are a key tool for examining a household’s energy consumption and efficiency as well as identifying areas for improvement.
Use this time to foster trust and a positive client relationship by transparently and professionally exploring all options and energy-saving solutions that fit their needs and their home.
Customized Electrification Plan
You can turn your energy audit findings into a customized electrification plan that establishes a clear path to an energy-efficient future.
Recommend the best solutions based on a customer’s unique needs, present clear benefits in a personalized manner, and suggest combining electrification technologies to better align with their goals and lifestyle.
By aligning your offerings with their interests and establishing clear benefits for different strategies, your customer will appreciate not feeling like they are being upsold and can further recognize the value of your services.
Installation and Implementation
Your goal during installation should be to deliver an outstanding experience and an excellent service.
This can be achieved through constant communication, expert labor, and choosing quality materials. Partnering with other qualified contractors, if needed, will also help ensure both the safety and success of your services.
Satisfied customers will be more likely to use your services again as they explore further electrification options or recommend your services to other potential customers.
Ongoing Maintenance and Support
Your role doesn’t stop after installation; most electrification solutions require ongoing maintenance.
You can position yourself as a long-term partner by offering maintenance plans that keep appliances and equipment running smoothly. You can also provide guidance on how to get the most out of these solutions and discuss evolving needs to recommend further electrification projects if relevant.
In addition to creating ongoing value and satisfaction for your customers, focusing on maintenance results in a steady revenue stream for your business, ensuring customer loyalty.
Opportunities for Electrical Contractors
What’s next for your electrical business? The electrification market is full of opportunities, and you can take advantage of them by developing a strategic plan for updating your business and value proposition to meet the current energy needs of your community.
Expanding Service Offerings
Customers may find it challenging to locate a contractor with the necessary experience or certifications to install an electrification solution, so make sure to work with a large network of trusted contractors to ensure you can be easily found by potential clients and keep all licenses, trainings, insurances, and certifications up-to-date and easily accessible.
A way to demonstrate your commitment to providing safe and high quality services and to ensure you stand out as an EV installer is by obtaining and maintaining reputable industry certifications, including an EVITP certification.
As you grow your service offerings, you’ll have the opportunity to pursue jobs with a higher return on investment as a result of your ability to combine several electrification technology services for higher-paying projects.
Building Recurring Revenue Streams
Customer retention is generally cheaper than acquisition, and focusing on long-term relationships gives you the opportunity to grow your business and create a steady revenue stream with repeat customers.
Start by establishing yourself as a trustworthy partner customers can count on for quality installation services. You can ensure optimal performance while enhancing satisfaction with maintenance contracts or service agreements for the solutions you install.
These routine maintenance checks are also an opportunity to recommend upgrades and discuss new technologies to help customers reach the next step in their electrification journey.
Becoming a Trusted Advisor
If you view your role as more than a contractor, you can build credibility and become a trusted advisor for customers at all stages of their electrification journey.
By adopting a customer-centric approach with personalized recommendations to demonstrate your expertise, you can build a relationship based on trust. Customers will be more likely to choose your services over another contractor who isn’t an electrification leader.
Prepare Your Business for an Electrified Future with Qmerit
Between historic federal investments and a growing interest from consumers, electrification is a driving force shaping our country’s future.
You may not hear about it in an electrician course, but now is the perfect time to rethink your value proposition and embrace new services and technologies. From installing EV chargers or other electrification technologies to taking over maintenance for orphaned solar panels, there are many options to explore.
You can unlock further opportunities by combining these groundbreaking technologies and adopting the four-step framework outlined above for educating customers.
Qmerit can help you plan your strategic pivot toward electrification, starting with an electrician course to help you obtain your EVITP certification.
As the largest network of certified EV charger installers in North America, Qmerit is North America’s electrification leader and is recommended by automakers, EV charger manufacturers, utilities, businesses, and homeowners alike.
Our network of certified electricians has installed more EV chargers and other electrification technologies in the last decade than anyone else in the industry—more than 450,000 EV charging station installations, 37,000 battery storage installations, 81,000 solar panel system integrations, and 86,000 electric panel upgrades in homes and businesses across the U.S. and Canada! We have the knowledge and experience to help electrical contractors grow their electrification business and can help you enter into the market as a qualified installer.
By joining our unique Certified Solutions Partner program, you can access comprehensive training on installing and servicing energy transition technologies, including access to the prestigious Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program (EVITP) and direct training and installation opportunities with our leading auto manufacturer and EVSE partners.
But we don’t just help you train your existing electricians—Qmerit is here to help you build your business every step of the way. Partner with Qmerit today to learn more about recruiting new electricians for your electrical contracting company and building your business for tomorrow!