NABCEP [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

Dear Graham,
We are not supposed to say "ditto," but the internet offers no other way to
acknowledge that your comments and Jeff's comments and other people's less
polarized and polarizing comments would have been well received at the
regional PV Alliance meetings we use to have to discuss and formulate
recommendations to the CEC. Too bad people from the CEC don't come down to
Los Angeles County (the world's 16th richest nation) once in a while.
Fortunately, CalSEIA represents us in Sacramento.
Happy holidays.
Joel Davidson

Graham Owen wrote:

> Bill , Joel and All,
>
> I believe the CAL SEIA position is well thought out and appropriate,
> especially considering there are no NABCEP certified installers, yet.
> The last thing we need at this time is for our industry to have another
> sudden stoppage, for any reason.  It is obvious the certification
> requirement is gaining momentum and will inevitably play a significant
> and hopefully “voluntary” role in the future of our industry.  I don’t
> have a crystal ball that displays how this will all pan out, but I do
> know that NABCEP has at the very least caused division amongst
> stakeholders. Almost all of the CAL SEIA members I have spoken to are
> for various reasons opposed to this  “mandatory-voluntary”
> certification.  It’s all very confusing for me to completely understand
> but I have been charged with representing the “Small Contractor” on the
> new CAL SEIA Policy Board.  So I have to represent certain issues with
> what I believe to be a consensus from the contractor members of CALSEIA.
>
> I spent two days last week in Sacramento (on my dime) and met with CEC
> Chairman Keese, three of the commissioners individually, Chairman of the
> California Power Authority David Freeman, Senior Policy Advisors to
> Governor Davis and State CEO Laura Doll at the Capitol Building and
> ended up the day meeting with three CEC commissioners as a group.  They
> asked me to stay and testify on the public record the following day,
> which I did.  NABCEP was not the focus of these meetings since it seemed
> somewhat irrelevant considering there are no certified installers.
> There were other issues of a more pressing nature that required
> immediate attention and focus.
>
> CAL SEIA submitted the following language to the CEC with respect to
> NABCEP.
>
> “The Commission should not mandate certification by the North American
> Board of Certified Energy Practitioners or any other certification body
> except the California Contractors State License Board.
>
> CAL SEIA is on record with the North American Board of Certified Energy
> Practitioners as being opposed to mandatory certification of PV
> practitioners (see attached letter).  While the goal of establishing a
> benchmark of proficiency for PV practitioners is laudable, California
> State Law requires that contractors be properly licensed in order to
> sell and install solar systems in the state.  Adding another layer of
> mandatory requirements onto those with which contractors must comply is
> viewed by a majority of CAL SEIA membership as burdensome and
> unnecessary.  Many contractors may well want to become certified when
> certification becomes available sometime in 2004, if all goes according
> to NABCEP’s plan, however mandating certification as a condition of
> program participation is not the best approach in CAL SEIA’s view.  An
> alternative approach may be to develop, in the context of the Working
> Group, an incentive mechanism linked to the Buydown Program which will
> lead contractors to voluntarily seek certification.”
>
> If you belong to CAL SEIA please feel free to contact me off list with
> comments.  I believe the majority opinion should prevail, whichever way
> it goes.
>
> Graham F. Owen
> GO Solar Company
> 12439 Magnolia Blvd. #132
> North Hollywood,  CA  91607
> cell 818.398.6409
> phone 818.566.6870
> fax 818.566.6879
> email graham at solarexpert.com
>
> By the way I just purchased the web site names www.certifiedsolar.com
> and www.certified-solar.com.
>
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