Solar Guerilla danger? [RE-wrenches]

[Bill Brooks]

Jeff,

Having spent a major portion of my carrier working on the issue of getting
PV interconnection simplified and standardized for our industry, I agree
that guerilla solar is being used as an excuse by utility companies to
oppose the PV industry. The tactic of glorifying it is backfiring in the
regulatory arena, and I find it personally offensive given the amount of
personal effort I have put into doing it the right way.

I like to remind utilities that if they refuse to adopt the excellent
standard (IEEE 929) that they are going to encourage the interconnection of
equipment that may or may not be safe without their knowledge. The threat is
better than folks actually doing it since the connotation is that this is
illegal and potentially unsafe. I'm sure most folks do it safely, but there
are those who do not and all we need is one lineman dead to kill our
industry.

I certainly understand the absolute frustration that occurs when dealing
with an obstinate utility. However, resources exist to help the solar
industry deal with their local utilities. IEEE 929 is an excellent primer on
interconnection that needs to be embraced by our industry if we are to have
any credibility with utilities.

It is just as much of an education process to work with utility personnel as
it is to work with local inspectors and customers. This is an infant
industry and we are all pioneers. If you are looking for an easy road--you
probably need to find another industry.

My hat is off to all the pioneers that have brought this industry to where
it is today, and those who continue to pave the way for future customers and
generations to help them easily access this amazing technology and harness
it for themselves. The precedents we have set in many parts of the country
are extremely powerful and must be used as examples for those utilities more
resistant to change.

Bill.


-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Yago [mailto:jryago at erols.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2001 7:39 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: RE: Solar Guerilla danger? [RE-wrenches]


Last year I worded a strong letter to HomePower about "glamorizing"
solar Guerillas in a magazine also read by the general public and was
told everyone is doing it because the utilities are asking for very
un-realistic  interconnect requirements.  I agree with that sentiment,
but this should be a "quiet" revolution for those of us who understand
we still must install safe systems that meet code.

My concern has been the general public will read these articles and
think it means they can install systems any way they choose thinking
this refers to safety codes in general.  I also felt glamorizing this
activity in a national publication will come back and "bite" us all
when an unsafe installation that was later found to be selling back
without utility approval burns down a house and the utility holds this
up as an example.

Last year I was asked to testify during the net metering hearings for
Virginia.  During the cross examination of me by one of the eight(8)!!
utility lawyers present (this hearing was also broadcast), he held up
a copy of HomePower Magazine and read the ads for Guerilla T shirts
and read text that appeared to encourage illegal interconnect
activity.  Of course this was taken out of context, but that should
have been expected.

Anyone else run into to this??

Jeff Yago

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