[RE-wrenches] State licensing for PV installers in Texas

[Bob Maynard]

We had a lot of resistance from the unions.  I remember testifying
before a Senate hearing and there were just three of us from the
industry speaking for the creation of the license. The unions had at
least 6 paid lobbyists speaking against it.  In the end we prevailed
when a Senator asked the union lobbyists for specific details of their
renewable energy training programs and they had none in place!  To help
bring peace, we put together a 10kw project with the local utility to be
installed on the State Capitol.  We handed it to the unions to install
and coordinated it with a professional pv training course.  The thing to
remember is this industry is going to grow so fast, there will not be
enough solar electricians to do all the work and we need the manpower of
the traditional electrical industry to help deploy all the solar yet to
be installed!

 

Regards,
Bob Maynard

VP NW Distribution Sales

groSolar   What the World Needs. NOW

535 NE Westbrook Way

Grants Pass, OR 97526
Direct:     541.291.4044

TollFree: 800.467.6527 x4044 
Fax:         541.476.7480  
Mobile:   541.761.1636

groSolar.com <http://www.grosolar.com/>   

http://blog.groSolar.com <http://blog.grosolar.com/>  

North America's Premier Installer, Distributor and Integrator of Solar
Energy Solutions

 

Distributor for Evergreen Solar, Suntech Power, SMA, Fronius, PV
Powered,  Outback Power, GridPoint, UniRac, Heliodyne SHW and other
premier renewable energy products

 

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of North
Texas Renewable Energy Inc
Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 3:17 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] State licensing for PV installers in Texas

 

Having watched enviously for years as other states put PV incentive
programs into place, I have seen the opposition from the electrical
unions and large electrical contractors, especially in California.

What sort of friction did Oregons licensing procedure experience
compared to California?

Jim Duncan
North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
817.917.0527
ntrei at earthlink.net
www.ntrei.com 

________________________________

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Bob Maynard <mailto:bob.maynard at grosolar.com>  

	To: RE-wrenches <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>  

	Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 4:50 PM

	Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] State licensing for PV installers in
Texas

	 

	Jim,

	 

	In Oregon we have a Limited Renewable Energy Technician license.
We are capped at 25kw and can do residential and commercial.  The LRT
license does not allow us to make final AC connections on any system and
requires a site visit from an electrician.

	 

	Regards,
	Bob Maynard

	VP NW Distribution Sales

	groSolar   What the World Needs. NOW

	535 NE Westbrook Way

	Grants Pass, OR 97526
	Direct:     541.291.4044

	TollFree: 800.467.6527 x4044 
	Fax:         541.476.7480  
	Mobile:   541.761.1636

	groSolar.com <http://www.grosolar.com/>   

	http://blog.groSolar.com <http://blog.grosolar.com/>  
	
	North America's Premier Installer, Distributor and Integrator of
Solar Energy Solutions

	 

	Distributor for Evergreen Solar, Suntech Power, SMA, Fronius, PV
Powered,  Outback Power, GridPoint, UniRac, Heliodyne SHW and other
premier renewable energy products

	 

	 

	From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of North
Texas Renewable Energy Inc
	Sent: Wednesday, October 29, 2008 2:45 PM
	To: RE Wrenches
	Subject: [RE-wrenches] State licensing for PV installers in
Texas

	 

	Wrenches

	the Texas Dept of Licensing and Regulation has (finally)
proposed a Limited Solar Electric License for installers in Texas. There
is currently no "solar license" in Texas. 

	Among other fairly arbitrary and borderline ridiculous potential
requirements (IMHO) is a 50 kWDC cap on the size of systems allowed,
based on inverter rated output. Also the license holder may not work on
commercial installations.

	Are these typical of the license restrictions in other states? 

	thanks

	Jim Duncan
	North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
	817.917.0527
	ntrei at earthlink.net
	www.ntrei.com 

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