SPAM-LOW: Pics of PV in Germany [RE-wrenches]

[Pat Redgate]

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Most Californians support pro-solar Swartzenhegger's plan for PV on 
>new homes, but some CalSEIA members oppose it for fear that housing 
>developers will get all the rebate money and be cut out of the 
>action. I think that the rising tide in PV will lift everyone's boat.
--Joel Davidson
Except for those Californians who live in an area not serviced by 
PG&E, SCE, or SD G&E and assorted Munis. Those Californians have yet 
to see nickel ONE from the CEC. To my knowledge, CalSeia, who 
purports to speak for the CA solar industry, hasn't.
--Bob-O


Wrenches:

I feel compelled to respond to both of these remarks.

Some of us CalSeia members remember the antagonism that was created when many 
municipalities started requiring solar hot water systems in the 80's.  Most 
of the developers saw no reason but to provide the cheapest fix for this 
mandation and so quite a number of these solar systems were installed with little 
(if any) thought for performance or reliability.  I've got a "solar" tract near 
my office where the model home has north facing collectors in the shade of its 
own landscaping.  Since the building industry will fight any legislation that 
mandates solar, since the systems that were installed under these programs 
were generally cheap and inferior, we did not think that compelling builders to 
go solar would have been a positive move.  We want consumers to drive the 
market and hope to make the choice to go solar more affordable.

The CEC is not sponsoring solar in areas where the local utilities have 
elected not to use their own public goods charges to fund such a program.  If your 
local utility is not financing solar you should contact them and ask:

What are you doing with your public goods charge?

AND

What is your program to meet the state's RPS goal of 20% renewable energy?

I imagine that some utilities in California already derive a majority of 
their energy from renewable sources (i.e., geothermal, hydro, etc.) and might not 
see a need to sponsor any PV.  The CEC and the PUC are not the source of 
capital for these grid tie projects; it is the public goods charge portion of each 
ratepayer's bill that is covering the freight.

CalSeia is the organization that guided the original net metering law through 
the legislative process.  As of last month, it had been on the books for ten 
years.  Anybody in this business knows how crucial this law is.  CalSeia also 
continues to refine and "add teeth to" the Solar Rights Act.  CalSeia is 
currently funding an effort to gather data for the state labor department.  We need 
to present a case for prevailing wages within the solar industry and can do 
this only with a properly documented survey.  The need for these labor 
statistics might not seem so important until you realize that by law any project over 
$25,000 funded by the state must pay prevailing wages.  Hasn't been a problem 
yet.....

The PV manufacturers have not left CalSeia.  Manufacturers have their own 
priorities and feel that a contractor-based-state-organization was not the 
perfect conduit for their efforts.  If anybody wishes to help CalSeia in any way, 
they are welcome to join, attend board meetings and to help steer our 
organization.  Standing by the side and taking pot shots is a hobby for some and a real 
career for others.

BTW, I don't do golf.

Patrick A. Redgate 
AMECO
562.595.9570
www.amecosolar.com 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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