PV Installer Certified Program/Please Read [RE-wrenches]

Joel Davidson joeldavidson at earthlink.net
Mon Dec 24 12:38:29 PST 2001


Hi Bill,
Thank you and Endecon for working on the SW problem. What deficiencies are being
found in ST2500 systems installed by licensed electricians?

Bill Brooks wrote:

> Sorry Gator Tom,
>
> The political arm wrestling going on by the manufactures is not going to
> stop this process. It is already law in Oregon and is being worked on to
> fulfill a law in California. I don't think this certification process will
> affect many wrenches in the short run since only a few of them work with
> on-grid systems.
>
> The first certification processes will be setup for on-grid programs as one
> measure of quality control. In California where we have a total of 2000
> on-grid systems in the CEC program alone, this is a major issue. In the last
> year, the number of contractors and dealers on the CEC list has gone from 50
> to about 300 with all differing experience and competence, and no way to
> tell who's who (other than references).
>
> Bill.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tom Lane [mailto:tom at ecs-solar.com]
> > Sent: Saturday, December 22, 2001 1:37 PM
> > To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> > Subject: Re: PV Installer Certified Program/Please Read [RE-wrenches]
> >
> >
> > the PV INSTALLERS certified  PROGRAMi is dead IT HAS BEEN CANCELED do tq
> > oppisition from the collector manfactures  Gator T O M
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
> > To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> > Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 9:03 PM
> > Subject: Re: PV Installer Certified Program/Please Read [RE-wrenches]
> >
> >
> > > Fellow Wrenches,
> > >     I asked the contact person for the PV installer certification effort
> > > that has been discussed in the last couple of weeks to prepare "...an
> > > introductory piece explaining the purpose, history, justification,
> > benefits,
> > > costs, committee makeup, etc. of the
> > > national certification effort..." to get out to our forum ASAP.
> > >     Her response follows. Please save this until after the
> > holiday break,
> > > read it carefully, and then let's contribute our input to this.
> > This needs
> > > our support behind it to make it happen, and as you will read, with our
> > > input it will be of great benefit to us as independent installers.
> > >     Thank you.
> > > Allan at Positive Energy
> > >
> > > December 21, 2001
> > >
> > > Dear Wrenches:
> > >
> > > Until the North American Board of Certified Energy
> > Practitioners (NABCEP)
> > > released its Proposed Certification Requirements two weeks ago, most of
> > you
> > > had likely never heard of the organization or its efforts.  NABCEP is a
> > > small nonprofit in the preliminary stages of developing (hopefully) PV
> > > practitioner certification, and we haven't done much "marketing," beyond
> > > conference presentations, workshops, magazine articles, and
> > word of mouth.
> > > This is a summary of who and what NABCEP is, and why we are
> > working toward
> > > PV certification.
> > >
> > > Mark Fitzgerald, of the Institute for Sustainable Power (some of you may
> > > know him), has been involved in the solar field for more than 20
> > > years--mostly the information and education side.  The idea for PV
> > > practitioner certification and training program accreditation
> > was sparked
> > at
> > > a Rockefeller Foundation meeting on renewable energy that took place in
> > > October 1995.  At that meeting, an official from the
> > international finance
> > > and insurance industry indicated that he would be interested in
> > funding PV
> > > installations in developing countries, but could not do so without some
> > > industry-acknowledged credential indicating that the installing
> > practitioner
> > > was qualified to perform the work. Without a third-party credential, he
> > > could not justify loaning money to PV projects because improper
> > installation
> > > and maintenance work was leading to a high system failure rate,
> > essentially
> > > a waste of funding efforts.
> > >
> > > This led Mark to found the Institute for Sustainable Power,
> > Inc. (ISP) to
> > > work on the development of international quality standards for the
> > > certification of PV practitioners.
> > >
> > > Mark worked with PV industry stakeholders to develop ISP as a global
> > > framework.  ISP is working with solar stakeholders to help develop the
> > > practitioner standards and will accredit training organizations (FSEC
> > become
> > > the 1st accredited org in the U.S. this past summer).  Each
> > participating
> > > country will develop its own administration and specifications for a
> > > national certification program.  National organizations will consist of
> > > representatives chosen by relevant stakeholders within the country.
> > >
> > > So "NABCEP"--the North American Board of Certified Energy
> > Practitioners--is
> > > the national organization for the U.S. and possibly Canada.  Mark began
> > work
> > > to form NABCEP in 2000 as U.S. efforts to study and implement
> > practitioner
> > > certification systems began to heat up.  Mark polled stakeholders and
> > > subject matter experts in the U.S. to identify potential board
> > members and
> > > Technical committee members.
> > >
> > > FSEC was an early key player, especially as they were already working on
> > > training and testing for Florida PV installers. In addition, Jim Dunlop,
> > > Bill Brooks, and others had been working on developing and validating a
> > Task
> > > Analysis for PV Installers since 1998.  A committee of 11 PV experts
> > > assembled, including Mark McCray, Bill Brooks, John Wiles, and others.
> > > These people are volunteering their time (!) to help establish
> > the skills
> > > and knowledge requirements for competent PV installation.
> > >
> > > In April 2001the interested stakeholder representatives came
> > together for
> > > the first time as a provisional national board.  The volunteers used two
> > > guides in identifying other necessary representatives on the board: 1)
> > > Identify key stakeholder groups not already participating, especially
> > those
> > > affected by certification and those with important input into the
> > > certification process; 2) Identify the appropriate individuals to
> > represent
> > > the key stakeholder groups.
> > >
> > > Since their first meeting in April 2001, the NABCEP Board has grown to
> > > include thirteen members and five alternates from those representing
> > > installers (Les Nelson and Don Loweburg), industry (SEIA, Xantrex),
> > training
> > > and education (NJATC, community colleges), government agencies (Sandia,
> > > NREL, DOE), labor (IBEW, NECA), and states (IREC).  The goal is
> > consensus
> > > and broad stakeholder input.  This method should create a certification
> > that
> > > is a valid quality designation--while avoiding becoming subject to one
> > > special interest (like individual manufacturers or the government).
> > >
> > > FSEC continues to be involved, currently working to develop a prototype
> > > exam.  Meanwhile, the Tech Committee began the process of developing the
> > > certification requirements (which have been posted to this List for
> > comment)
> > > and the board, after MUCH disagreement and argument, finally
> > approved the
> > > current version for release for public comment.  We released
> > this version
> > in
> > > the hope of getting stakeholder comment to guide us in
> > developing the next
> > > version.  We knew that different stakeholder groups might have
> > very strong
> > > feelings about the rigor of the experience and training
> > prerequisites--and
> > > we are VERY interested in hearing those comments. We need to hear from
> > > current installers more than anyone else to know whether these draft
> > > requirements are reasonable or not.
> > >
> > > What are NABCEP's Goals?
> > > NABCEP has three goals.  First, certification is a way to protect the
> > > consumer.  Even if the PV hardware is fabulous, faulty installation
> > creates
> > > ineffective or dangerous systems.  Consumers--in any field--deserve
> > quality
> > > work.  When safety is at stake, quality work becomes an imperative.
> > >
> > > Second, certification is a way to promote the renewable energy industry.
> > PV
> > > will not become a widespread, successful application in U.S.
> > until systems
> > > are dependably installed, and are reliable and safe. Each time a system
> > > fails, or even just fails to live up to consumer expectations, that is a
> > > black mark for the industry that will impede its growth.  To wit: solar
> > > thermal in the 1970s and 80s.
> > >
> > > Third, certification should provide value to practitioners.
> > This happens
> > as
> > > the PV market expands through consumer awareness and satisfaction.  It
> > also
> > > happens when experienced, skilled practitioners are able to set
> > themselves
> > > apart from the unqualified competition by displaying their certification
> > > credential.
> > >
> > > NABCEP will need to charge an application fee and a testing fee to cover
> > the
> > > costs of providing the certification.  We have not set our fees, but we
> > will
> > > be reasonable in setting them.  We understand that if this VOLUNTARY
> > > certification costs too much, even the potential benefits of
> > certification
> > > will not overcome the cost barrier.  We do not expect to break even on
> > > administrative costs until after a few years of providing
> > certification--and
> > > that may be optimistic.
> > >
> > > Another reason why this certification is being developed is to provide
> > those
> > > states that are beginning to develop PV licensing requirements with a
> > > national standard on which to build.  As Larry Elliott pointed out on
> > 12/21
> > > on the Wrenches list, an electrician's license is not necessarily a
> > > predictor of quality electrical work.  If states develop piecemeal PV
> > > licensing requirements, those licenses might be no more valid than an
> > > electrician's license sometimes seems to be.  A national,
> > industry-developed
> > > voluntary certification program with carefully developed standards,
> > > supported by a validated Task Analysis, will provide a
> > wonderful starting
> > > point for state licensing programs.  In addition, nationally developed
> > > standards mean that the certificate would be portable, that
> > there is less
> > > bureaucracy in going from state to state.  State-by-state development of
> > PV
> > > licenses could be a messy prospect.
> > >
> > > What's Next?
> > > NABCEP originally wanted to get its PV installer certification
> > program up
> > > and running by June 2002.  We are currently facing some fairly difficult
> > > challenges in this effort.  However, we plan to move forward.  This
> > includes
> > > collecting comments from subject matter experts on the task
> > analysis to be
> > > incorporated into a final document.  The certification process will be
> > > refined based on the stakeholder comments we receive. The exam will be
> > > developed and validated and a passing score will be set. Finally, an
> > > administrative organization will be contracted to run the certification
> > > program, in an effort to keep costs to a minimum.  When these tasks have
> > > been accomplished, NABCEP will be ready to begin certifying PV
> > installers.
> > >
> > > How to Contact NABCEP
> > > Information about NABCEP is available on the Web at: www.nabcep.org.
> > >
> > > NABCEP administrative support is currently provided by Wendy
> > Parker of the
> > > Institute for Sustainable Power (ISP).  She can be reached at (720)
> > 344-0341
> > > or wparker at nabcep.org
> > >
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