[RE-wrenches] Solar Installers Association

[Jeff Yago]

Hi gang!

When this thread first started back in January 2008, the same comments were made. - Why not an offshoot of NABCEP? Why not be taken in under a larger established group like SEIA? The answers we got back was - no thanks. I wish an established organization would take us in, but not just to join their existing program with their already set format. We have 3 choices here:

* Do nothing, and continue to battle the same dragons but separately. 

* Form a totally new association.

* Find an established association in the general area of interest that is willing to create a new "branch" or "division" that has an equal seat at the table. So far, no other group wants to do this.

I would like to again list some of the issues that I do not see any other solar association helping us with:

1. Monthly newsletter that could include install tips, discuss recent code issues, highlight a project, sources for hard-to-find parts, state updates, ect. 
Note - The recent upstart SolarPro Magazine is very close to filling this need with a few minor additions.

2. Guidelines for standardized documents and contracts (Note - I am doing this now thanks to your many contributions of home grown contracts).

3. Annual conference with installer classes. The last few "training classes" I paid for at the most recent few SEIA annual conventions were nothing more than glorified 4 hour ads for a manufacturer's new product line! However, real installer training classes could be piggy-backed with the SEIA annual convention and offer credits to keep NABCEP certifications alive.

4. Arrange for group liability insurance and other group discounts for installer tools, training materials, ect.

5. The power of a group behind you when you have a "problem" with an inspector or state agency that will not listen to an individual.

Remember, our needs for an association is almost a mirror image of this Wrenches List. For example, on this list we bitch about a specific inverter model or solar module when we run into problems with a manufacturer's product. Would this be allowed if we were part of an existing association made of mostly solar manufacturers? Yes, we are in the same line of work, but their day to day concerns are lobbying congress, import restrictions in other countries, and these activities may be needed, but this still does not address our day to day needs.

Perhaps we still do not have a critical mass to get a totally separate new association going at this time, or perhaps some existing solar group will see the advantages of taking us in as a group and would agree to addressing our needs also. Perhaps we continue to make this list our forum and do nothing else for now. Perhaps we will be left in the dust and one of the trade unions will fill this need which could attract new members. 

I think there will be a national association of solar installers, and I think it will happen sooner that later because there is a very real need in our industry, and no other established group appears willing to fill that need. Ask yourself this, if there already was a solar installer association that provided all of the benefits I listed above, wouldn't you jump at the chance to join?

Jeff Yago



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