PV Installer Certified Program [RE-wrenches]

[sunwise at cheqnet.net]

Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection wrote:
> 
> Tom and Jay,
> While I disagree with the 4000 hours (this comes DIRECTLY from the
> IBEW, don't kid yourself) and I'm miffed that they expect me to have
> 40 hours of NABCEP "approved" PV training (I could TEACH the goddamn
> course-this sounds like a scam to me), I think a national
> certification could be a good thing.

Hey Bob-O,

I've got very mixed feelings here.  I think the situation is that way
less than half of the businesses installing PV systems today (CA may the
the excp) are companies that could be described as large profitable
companies with several to many employees and fleet trucks, etc.  I
probably fit into the other, and perhaps larger, half of those who are
installing systems today.  

I keep my business small (on purpose) and don't want to become the
office guy who directs the crews.  I like working with the customers
closely and believe this is the formula to really making things work
right for them and me. 

On the other hand, I would imagine that in the evolution of solar,
where-in it becomes mainstream, it does need to fit into the IBEW
program, etc.  

For me, this reality has re-focused me and my business in some
respects.  I'm not a youngster any more, but if I was I would certianly
consider entering into a solar electric biz, complete with factoring in
all these certification hoops.  At this point in my business however, I
probably wouldn't get on board.

In my region it's primarily grid-ties that have inspections.  The bulk
of my systems are remote and stand-alone (I did more Grid-ties in 98 &
99 (pre-Y2K installs), than today).  I can't see this certification
program as greatly impacting on the stand-alone market, at least for the
time being.

Kurt Nelson
SOLutions


I'm hoping to really cash in on solar in the mean time, and then I'll
just lay around on the beaches Maybe I'll be down in Panama doing an a
few/several systems a year and soaking up all that solar sorta up close
and personal.

Kurt Nelson

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