NABCEP [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

Jeff,

Right on. A bad day PVing is better than the best day fossil fueling.

It wasn't bad solar water heaters or inflated prices that killed the 40% federal
tax credit (circa 1978 to 1985). It was the Republicans with actor Ronald Regan
as their front man. It took them 5 years to do kill the credit, but they are
persistent little buggers. So keep your bug spray handy for 2003.

Happy holidays

"Jeffery Wolfe, Global Resource Options" wrote:

> 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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