Proposed Changes to C.E.C. rebates in California [RE-wrenches]

Fri May 11 11:03:48 PDT 2001

Of course, we are concerned about quality and sleeze bags. Our concern is a
continuing thread in almost all conversations among PV professionals. One reason
solar thermal got out of hand is poor policing. I believe that when a
responsible person sees bad design, installation, equipment, business practices,
then it is his or her responsibility to do something to improve the situation.
That's why I always try to convert general grumblings into specifics. So
specifically,
1. Bad design is often the result of module and inverter manufacturers who
refuse to take responsibility and provide good designs for their products. Not
all manufacturers are guilty. For example, Siemens recently designed their
Earthsafe system.
2. Installations will improve when installers collaborate. Some people may
believe that installation problems are endemic and seek blanket solutions. I do
not like one-size-fits-all so-called solutions. I prefer to deal with problems
on a case by case basis. Bad installations by licensed or unlicensed contractors
that are either bootlegged or permitted, can be indentified and dealt with in
various ways.
3. If anyone knows of any equipment with real problems, please share this
information.
4. I welcome the new people flooding the industry. Evolution works.

Bill Brooks wrote:

> Joel and the rest of the wrench world,
>
> You are just one guy, and I have to side with Jerry. Our industry is poised
> to do an exact repeat of the solar thermal nightmare of the early 1980's.
> Our system designs are poor, our installations are weak, and our equipment
> has some real problems. All this, and hundreds of inexperienced people are
> flooding our industry. What about this doesn't concern you.
>
> It is time to get our heads out of the sand and realize that our opportunity
> of a lifetime could turn into our greatest curse. I want to hear from others
> about how they feel about this situation.
>
> Bill.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Joel Davidson [mailto:joeldavidson at earthlink.net]
> > Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 8:56 PM
> > To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> > Subject: Re: Proposed Changes to C.E.C. rebates in California
> > [RE-wrenches]
> >
> >
> > Jerry,
> > 1. Most PV industry professionals in California participate in the PV
> > Alliance meetings and support a $5/W rebate.
> > 2. Petitioning the PV industry is on a par to herding cats.
> > 3. CEC funding for training is never easy to get and is never enough but
> > is occasionally available.
> > 4. The CEC tried to require kWh meters on buydown rebate systems, but it
> > was not approved. (I am against any new rules that add to system costs,
> > but I'm just one guy.)
> > 5. April 11, 2001 the governor signed into law net metering for commercial
> > systems 30 kW to 1 MW and an end to standby charges.
> > ...and the list goes on. The more SCE and PG&E cry, the more the
> > legislature listens to the PV industry.
> > Good day sunshine!
> >
> > Jerry Caldwell wrote:
> >
> > > Perhaps we could start a petition that would be signed
> > > by pv industry professionals and addressed to the CEC
> > > asking them to reconsider jacking the rebate up to
> > > $4.50 including our list of reasons.
> > >
> > > They could better spend the money on training, system
> > > perfomance verification through metering, or even
> > > lobbying the state legislature to create an electric
> > > feed law for commercial scale systems with more
> > > incentive than plain old net metering.
> > >
> > > Jerry Caldwell
> > >
> > > --- "Michael Welch, Home Power"
> > > <michael.welch at homepower.com> wrote:
> > > > Travis Creswell, Ozark Solar wrote at 12:35 PM
> > > > 05/10/2001 -0500:
> > > >
> > > > >Bill's suggestion of going to CA is not to bad
> > > > although.  I'm booked up
> > > > >through June.  Anybody need help in July?  "Have
> > > > tools, will travel".
> > > >
> > > > The next thing that is going to happen is that we
> > > > are going to run out of PV modules. Some folks in CA
> > > > will be paying over 20 cents per KWH for grid power,
> > > > and with the new rebates (if), it comes very close
> > > > to making economic sense to install PV or wind.
> > > >
> > > > Who is going to build all these new "CA Buy Down
> > > > Program" approved modules? Manufacturers are already
> > > > reporting significant delays in shipping due to
> > > > demand. I imagine that module prices have already
> > > > increased somewhat as a result.
> > > >
> > > > Think about what will happen to national &
> > > > international module prices once the CA program gets
> > > > into full swing. I seriously doubt if manufacturers
> > > > could keep up with CA demand for household PV alone,
> > > > let alone everything else. I heard David Katz remark
> > > > that at current production rates, it would take 50
> > > > years of manufacturing using every international PV
> > > > manufacturing facility to meet CA's needs via PV.
> > > >
> > > > Michael Welch
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------
> > > > "Society is like a stew. If you don't keep it
> > > > stirred up, you get a lot of scum on top."
> > > >                       Edward Abbey
> > > >
> > > > Michael Welch, michael.welch at homepower.com
> > > > www.homepower.com
> > > >      Managing Editor, Home Power magazine
> > > >      Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance
> > > >      (Not HP mag numbers) 707-822-7884 fax:
> > > > 707-822-3481
> > > >
> > > > - - - -
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> > > >
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> > > >
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> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
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>
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>

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