Driving up the cost to install PV [RE-wrenches]

Wed Sep 1 18:51:37 PDT 2004

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Dear John Liebendorfer,

I truly appreciate your thoughtful and passionate reply.  First of all I
regretted sending my seemingly accusatory message, probably seconds
after pressing the send button.  There are a number good Wrenches who
monitor this forum, who for whatever reason do not directly participate,
who called me regarding postings about the current subject matter;
negative experiences after New Mexico based experts visit local building
departments. More than one licensed contractor who called mentioned the
name UniRac. I did attempt due diligence by trying to find a linkage
between UniRac and New Mexico University engineer employees.  I hope my
jumping to conclusions upon finding a possible financial link can be
understood and forgiven.

You mentioned “What bothers us the most is the suggestion that for a few
thousand dollars, UniRac, Hal Newman and myself (the owners), our
employees, two major universities, and the building inspectors of
America are in cahoots to make life difficult for installers.”

I never considered that you are in cahoots to make our lives difficult.
Although I did wonder, if, in a round about, indirect manner, this may
perhaps have occurred.   What I was suggesting is that these experts,
advising building departments, who have most likely never run a
business, like you and I, do not fully appreciate the added expenses
they often impose.  Some wonder what these experts will come up with
next, in order to keep getting paid to travel around California for
another year, or more. The cost to install PV must decrease not
increase.  Especially at a time when the solar industry in California is
trying to reassure our political supporters, that subsidies ARE working
to increase economies of scale, resulting in decreased PV installation
prices.  If opposite trends become clear, reaching the holy grail of
non-subsidized mainstream PV will possibly take longer and most likely
become more challenging. I do believe that UniRac and all PV rack
manufacturers realize that increased market share occurs by reducing
installer time on the roof.

Respectfully,

Graham F. Owen
GO Solar Company
12439 Magnolia Blvd. #132
N. Hollywood,  CA  91607
Phone 818.566.6870
Fax 818.566.6879
www.solarexpert.com

- - - - 

Graham Owen's posting to the RE-wrenches list made some serious
accusations about UniRac that require a response.  We need to set the
record straight.

First, he confuses New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces NM
with the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque.  Other than both
are state universities, these are two unrelated institutions 200 miles
apart.  If you follow college football or basketball, you'd know there
is no love lost between them.

Until we read Graham's email, we knew nothing about a building inspector
training program run by NMSU.  We doubt that such training is coming
from UNM as it houses the nuclear engineering programs and nothing for
PV or renewables.  For the record, UniRac and NMSU (or the Southwest
Technology Development Institute) have no relationship other than the
occasional phone call about using PV racks as grounding paths.  Graham
needs to take up any issues he has with these or other training programs
with the people running them.

UniRac does have a financial connection with UNM.  The two $10,000
grants to UNM referred to in Mr. Owen's letter were to fund graduate
students' work through the UNM School of Engineering CO-OP program.  The
graduate student is helping UniRac to develop structural design
engineering software.  For the record, UniRac has also contracted with
the UNM Engineering lab to perform destructive testing on UniRac
components.  Finally, independently of UNM, we contract for engineering
consulting services with Dr. Walter Gerstle. Ph.D., P.E., a member of
the UNM Engineering Faculty.  Our only other connection with UNM is
that, as an alumnus, I have access to the gym and swimming pool, a place
I need to get to more often.

What bothers us the most is the suggestion that for a few thousand
dollars, UniRac, Hal Newman and myself (the owners), our employees, two
major universities, and the building inspectors of America are in
cahoots to make life difficult for installers. The post ignored that all
major rack manufacturers make standoffs that require similar flashing
techniques. We sincerely hope that you Wrenches will leave behind the
conspiracy theories and get back to the important business of installing
more PV, which you do so well.

Respectfully,

John Liebendorfer
President
UniRac, Inc.

Graham Owen wrote at 07:50 PM 08/27/2004:

>I’d like to get back to Bob-O’s point of driving up the costs of PV 
>installations.  What I’m about to say comes second hand and I am not a 
>direct witness, but believe the info is worth sharing because Bob-O 
>raises a serious issue for wrenches.
>
>I’ve heard grumbling from PV installation contractors in California 
>regarding new rules and requirements by local building departments. 
>Contractors accustomed to using Pro-Solar Inc. Tile-Trac mounts on 
>existing tile roofs have recently been required to remove PV array’s, 
>have the roof under the tiles covers with comp shingles, in order to 
>pass final inspection. Apparently to prevent roof leaks. It is my 
>understanding that this new requirement is a result of inspector 
>training presented by a couple of engineer employees of New Mexico 
>State University.  I was also told that these UNM folks suggest that 
>since the area is being comp shingled, Uni-Rack Inc. flashable mounts 
>would now be preferable.
>
>The curios part is that Uni-Rack paid a grant to UNM.  The following is

>copied from UNM’s website:  Funded UNM Research Projects “Solar Rack 
>Design Software”, funded by UniRac, Inc., $10,806, 2/03-7/14/03. & 
>“Solar Rack Design Software  Phase II”, funded by UniRac, Inc., 
>$10,841, 7/14/03  12/19/03.
>
>Could it be that manufacturers are now funding "experts" to train 
>building inspectors to approve certain brands even though the 
>competitions product is suitable for the application?
>
>Graham Owen
>GO Solar Company

Michael Welch

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