Permits[RE-wrenches]

[Nick Nicholas, APS]

Hi Bill and all:
    I am glad that the CEC choose to offer a lower rebate to home-owner
installs because:
    - Owner installs have lower installation costs (especially when
shortcuts are taken.)
    - No one is responsible for system output in the "owner-installed"
systems.
    - Owner installers generally take on the burden of filing CEC, county
permit, and PG&E forms, saving time and money.  The owner installer will
often meet the county inspector and the PG&E inspector, saving time and
money.  I have found that if we do not take responsibility for walking the
PG&E inspectors through the "Authorization to Net Meter," they will often
lock off the system and leave.  One PG&E employee said the SB-2500-SBD
inverter said "grid failure," and he locked off the system.  He never gave
the customer the chance to start up the system.  Incompetent.
    - Owner installers are not bound to a five year warranty contract.
    - Owner installers do not carry insurance.
    - The state should encourage quality installations.
    - The Emerging Account is limited, and CEC staff has become aware of the
many "loop-holes" in the system.

Bill, I appreciate the input that you have given to the CEC.  When I left
the November 1st CEC meeting, I felt that the solar industry and solar
contractors were well represented by your comments.

Nick
Alternative Power Systems
www.alternativepowersystems.com
aps at sbcglobal.net
135 Colfax Ave.
Grass Valley, CA 95945
(530) 274-0588 phone
(530) 274-0589 fax
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Brooks" <billb at endecon.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 1:54 PM
Subject: RE: Permits[RE-wrenches]


> Jay,
>
> The 30% came from Sandy Miller some time back, the numbers may have
changed,
> but the point was not that owner-installs are bad--I did my own--but that
> illegal contractors were using the owner-install option as a means of
> installing systems and leaving the owner holding the bag. Obviously, if
> someone wants to take on that kind of risk, they deserve what they get,
but
> it doesn't mean the CEC should blindly incent that type of activity.
>
> The CEC was unaware that a large portion of "owner installs" were not
truly
> installed by owners. That is why they changed the rules on what would
> qualify for labor.
>
> Bill.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jay Peltz, Peltz Power [mailto:jay at asis.com]
> Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 8:25 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: Permits[RE-wrenches]
>
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> Where did you get the 30% from?  Seems high to me.
>
> Also I would like to point out, they even if they are hiring people, they
> may be very concerned and take a hands on approach to make sure it all
looks
> and is well installed.
>
> A fellow installer, ( actually the number one installer in Ca, in number
of
> systems not KW) has pointed out to me that he has seen many more problem
> installations with "professionally" installed vs homeowner installed, for
> what its worth.
>
> Thanks,
>
> jay
>
> Peltz Power
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bill Brooks" <billb at endecon.com>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 26, 2002 12:23 PM
> Subject: Permits[RE-wrenches]
>
>
> >
> >
> > Joel and Matt,
> >
> > You are forgetting about a large loophole that many "owner-installers"
are
> > using.  There are a significant percentage of "owner installers"
> installing
> > systems in California. However, only a small percentage of those are
truly
> > installing the systems themselves. Most are either hiring a licensed
> > contract (fine), or equally likely hiring an unlicensed contractor or
> > contractor with an inappropriate license.
> >
> > This situation happens because the homeowner pulls the permit for the
> > "contractor" and therefore there is no accountability as with a licensed
> > contractor. This is one of the reasons for the spread in the rebate
> amounts
> > for "owner installers" and I think is an excellent step in the right
> > direction. It's taken the CEC a few years to wake up to the fact that
the
> > more than 30% of the rebates that are "owner installs" have a large
number
> > of illegal contractors.
> >
> > How do you stop that problem. Just like you can't stop all bad installs,
> it
> > is very difficult to stop illegal contractors. Supplying less rebate
money
> > is an excellent way to provide the right incentive.
> >
> > Eventually, I think it is completely appropriate for the CEC or NYSERDA
or
> > whoever has the gold to provide a higher buydown amount for companies
that
> > have taken the time, effort, and money to show that they have a high
level
> > of competency installing PV system. Is this mandatory--absolutely not.
> > Anyone can elect to receive the lower buydown if they do not see the
value
> > in becoming certified. Is it cruel? Not if you're the one having to
> dispense
> > the limited funds and want to get money in the hands of the most
qualified
> > people.
> >
> > We have to remind ourselves that rebate funds do not belong to the PV
> > industry. They belong to the ratepayers of California--in California's
> case.
> > We treat these funds like we deserve them because we are so good looking
> and
> > on the side of good and that is only partially true.
> >
> > A lot of good folks were involved in getting rebate money to flow, but
> many
> > of those folks are the same folks that are pushing for more
certifications
> > and controls to keep the money well spent.
> >
> > Bill
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Joel Davidson [mailto:joeldavidson at earthlink.net]
> > Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 5:40 PM
> > To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> > Subject: Re: NABCEP [RE-wrenches]
> >
> >
> > Matt,
> > All PV systems that I know of that have gotten rebates were either
> > contractor or
> > owner installed. I always encourage do-it-yourselfers to hire a licensed
> > electrician unless they are a contractor, engineer or architect. I don't

> > know
> > what percent of owners hired a licensed contractor to help them. The CEC
> > could
> > get that information from the signed off permits.
> > Joel Davidson
> >
> > matthew tritt wrote:
> >
> > > Joel,
> > >
> > > Very interesting, considering that you cannot get a rebate without a
> valid
> > > building permit, ***snip***
> >
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> >
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