· · · ——— · · ·

Introduction to Renewable Energy and Smart Technology

The foundational course for every Academy student. Build the vocabulary, market awareness, and technical confidence to excel across all three specialization tracks.

Tuition$100
Duration5 Weeks
FormatHybrid
PrerequisitesNone
InstructorsCol. Jeff Williams & Patrice Tsague
Find a Class and Register Now Open enrollment · No prerequisites
What You Will Learn

Five outcomes. Every track.

Whether you’re heading into Technical Mastery, Sales Consulting, or Project Management — this course gives every student the same essential foundation.

The Smart Grid

How solar, wind, and battery storage integrate into modern power grids — and why it matters now.

IoT & Connectivity

How sensors and data networks allow buildings, utilities, and cities to communicate and self-optimize.

The SOS Ecosystem

How Smart Optimal Solutions develops and deploys smart infrastructure globally — from Vancouver to Kinshasa.

Commercial Literacy

Why cities and corporations are spending billions on infrastructure modernization right now, and where the opportunities are.

Systems Thinking

How to deconstruct complex infrastructure problems and reconstruct them as reliable, automated, sustainable solutions.

Career Readiness

SCI-101 is your first step toward a career in the smart city sector. To qualify for roles with SOS and its global partners, you will need to complete one of the three specialization tracks that follow this course.

How It Works

Online theory. Live lab. Real hardware.

Each week combines self-paced pre-recorded modules with a live 90-minute session streamed directly from the Vancouver Technology Innovation Center floor.

Online TheoryFree pre-recorded video per week. Watch on the Learning Management System.
Live Vancouver TIC Session90-min weekly Zoom session streamed live from the TIC floor. Real hardware. Real Q&A.
Capstone ProjectWeek 5 culminates in a live solution pitch solving a real energy infrastructure challenge using SOS technologies.
Course Curriculum

Five weeks. From systems thinking to career launch.

01
Systems Engineering

A Systems Approach to Finding the Right Solution

Move beyond component-level thinking to an integrated systems mindset. Learn the Systems Engineering Vee, interface control, feedback loops, and lifecycle stewardship — with a live TIC demo and cross-track team exercise.

Systems Engineering VeeInterface ControlLive TIC DemoCross-Track Exercise
02
Foundations of the Smart Revolution

Legacy Grids vs. The Modern Smart Grid

Understand how traditional one-way power grids gave way to two-way automated smart grids. Cover solar PV, wind, battery storage (BESS), and the SOS global ecosystem — with live hardware demos including solar inverters and commercial battery banks.

Solar PV & WindBattery Storage (BESS)Smart Grid FundamentalsSOS Ecosystem Overview
03
IoT & Data Intelligence

The Nervous System of a Smart City

How sensors translate physical conditions into digital data, how automation manages buildings and utilities, and how energy tracking uncovers hidden costs. Includes a live cloud dashboard demo streamed directly from the TIC.

IoT SensorsBuilding AutomationData-Driven ROILive Dashboard Demo
04
Manufacturing & Practical Design

Inside the TICs — From Blueprint to Deployment

See how smart products go from design to production. Understand supply chain, manufacturing partnerships, and safety compliance — with a live tour of the Vancouver TIC assembly area and a defective-shipment crisis simulation.

Blueprint to ProductionSupply ChainSafety & ComplianceCrisis Simulation
05
Career Launch

Industry Alignment & Your Next Move

Explore the three Academy tracks in depth, the African infrastructure landscape, and the SOS hiring pipeline. Present your capstone solution pitch live to the group and hear directly from SOS leadership in a panel Q&A.

Capstone PitchAfrican MarketSOS Hiring PipelineLeadership Panel
· · · ——— · · · After SCI-101

Choose your specialization track.

Completing SCI-101 unlocks enrollment in all three advanced 102 courses. Pick the path that matches your career goals.

Technical Mastery

Install, maintain, and certify Agamine smart poles, EV chargers, solar systems, and LED infrastructure inside our Living Labs.

Sales Consulting

Close high-stakes B2B deals and consult on smart city architecture for municipalities, developers, and corporate clients.

Project Management

Lead end-to-end smart city deployments — timelines, logistics, cross-functional teams, and crisis response.

Your Instructors

Learn from those building the industry.

Col. Jeff Williams
Col. Jeff Williams
Dean, SOS Smart City Academy · CEO, SOS Global · Retired NASA Astronaut & ISS Commander

With 534 days in space and command of the International Space Station, Col. Williams brings aerospace-grade systems thinking to every session. He designed SCI-101 to give students the same integrated engineering framework applied to the ISS — now directed at the infrastructure challenges of tomorrow’s cities.

Patrice Tsague
Patrice Tsague
Lead Instructor, Sales & Strategy · CEO, SOS America

One of the world’s foremost experts in faith-based entrepreneurship and business development, Patrice has built training organizations operating across five continents. In SCI-101, he brings the commercial lens — helping students understand the market forces, business models, and consulting frameworks that drive smart city adoption globally.

Ready to start?
$100
one-time tuition · no prerequisites · open enrollment

Enroll in SCI-101 today.

Five weeks. One foundational course. The vocabulary, confidence, and credentials to go deep in the smart city sector.

Find a Class and Register Now

Questions? Contact the Academy team

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