NABCEP [RE-wrenches]

Sat Dec 21 21:16:31 PST 2002

Matt,

I suppose that might be true, although the waiting could be 'til I'm dead,
or well warmed...

I guess my biggest problem with NABCEP, and all the yelling about "bad
installs will ruin us" is that we're competing, really against something
that WILL ruin us, (fossil fuels), yet we're spending all our time focusing
inward.

I just believe that if we focused outward, and took on the cultural
establishment outside PV, and made the case that even a "bad" PV install was
better than burning a gallon of oil, that we'd be going in the right
direction.

Yes, we need to make sure we're not burning down houses. And really, seems
the track record on that is pretty darn good. Probably better than the track
record of torchiere lamps on that score.

We in the RE business seem to always get caught needing to play by different
rules than the dirty industries. Everyone is comparing NABCEP to ASE
mechanics. Do states require that all state vehicle work be done using ASE
mechanics? Is anyone legislating that if an ASE mechanic does not do the
work on your car, then you are more personally liable for anything that goes
wrong? (I know that NABCEP doesn't "want" states to require NABCEP for
anything, but that train seems to be pretty clearly on the tracks. Has
NABCEP told NYSERDA not to go that way? Seems that a letter from the NABCEP
board would go a lot further than a letter from me.)

No, we can't beat the oil companies at their game. But we can realize the
rules that they are drawing up for us, and we can play by rules that WE
want. Yes we want to do a good job. But let's not get so wrapped up in
trying to make sure that EVERYONE does a good job, that the number of jobs
is small.

IMHO, bad jobs did not kill the SDHW industry. The loss of credits did. IMHO
the bad jobs did not convince legislators to get rid of the credits. It was
an excuse. IMHO, if the party in power wants to get rid of credits, they
will find a way! Whether we "give" them an excuse or not. So rather than
saying to all the legislators, "We'll make this stuff so that there will be
NO "bad" installs", we need to say to them "This stuff is absolutely VITAL
to our economy/environment/security (take your pick). Eliminate funding AT
YOUR PERIL."

(This is similar to what we've been seeing in VT. One year there can be no
credits because the price of oil and electric is too high...The next year
the price of oil drops, but the budget is tight...the next year there is a
"misunderstanding" by IBM and they kill the legislation. And not a single
"bad" install on anyone's radar screens in VT. (Not saying there aren't any,
just none with press.)

It's not necessarily the "right" way to approach it, but it is the
"American" way....

Jeff Wolfe

-----Original Message-----
From: Matt Lafferty [mailto:pvpro at attbi.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 10:20 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: NABCEP [RE-wrenches]

Jeff:

You asked:

>What am I doing wrong that I need to work so hard to make a buck? (And I'm
not even competing against any fly-by->night operations that I know of.

Just wait until Vermont gets rebates.  Then you'll have plenty of both;
bucks and fly-by-nights.

Unless the rest of the states screw it up first......

-Matt Lafferty
pvpro at attbi.com

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