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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>I
should have noted that the 15% “installers penalty” as I call it,
is still in place for solar, but we argued against it for wind electric
systems. It was never a question of a “legitimate” contractor
vs. a “black market contractor”. The perspective is that our
time, experience and knowledge as contractors have a value to them, just like
anyone else’s. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>During
the process we also convinced the NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to switch
from a wind turbine rebate that was based on an installed cost (funny how all
of those applications managed to be submitted so that the maximum amount was
received, regardless of the turbine size, tower height, footing requirements,
etc.) to an estimated performance based rebate program (estimated
kWh’s of production), which seeks to fairly compensate those
installations that will perform and allows self selection to weed out those
that are not worth proceeding ahead with. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>We
have regulations in place for renewable energy system installations that
require all the usual zoning and building permits and inspections, as well as
final NJ BPU inspection, electrical and construction permit final inspections
and utility interconnect final inspection before any money is paid to the
applicant. (CA probably has many more off grid (and perhaps uninspected)
battery based systems than we do. I am not aware of any off grid wind
turbine installations in NJ and to my knowledge there are only two off grid
solar installs out of over 4000). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>All
RE systems in NJ that receive grant money are required to have a 5 year
warranty on everything, including installation, which falls onto the installer’s
shoulders as well. In order to pull an electrical permit here you must be
a licensed electrician. Although a handy homeowner may be able to install
racking and/or panels, they cannot do the electrical wiring and connections,
especially to the grid. Any licensed electrician that connects a
homeowner system would be deemed a responsible party in the installation.
With building code enforcement inspections, NJ BPU inspections and utility company
inspections, it would be very hard, if not impossible, to get away with
anything less than an acceptable installation to all three overseeing agencies.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>What
we have found from our history is that this works well and the ability to abuse
the system has been reduced significantly since the NJ program was
initiated. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:black'>Roger
Dixon<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>Certified Wind Site Assessor<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>Distributor & Installer of Solar & Wind Energy Systems <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:black'>Skylands
Renewable Energy, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:black'>908.337.2057
cell<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:black'>908.730.6474
fax<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>roger.dixon@skylandsre.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'>www.skylandsre.com<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#0000CC'><img width=160 height=98 id="_x0000_i1026"
src="cid:image003.jpg@01CA2B13.D8F79E40" alt=SkylandsRenewD66bR03dP01ZL></span><b><span
style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>Note: </span></b><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>The information contained in this
communication is confidential, may be attorney-client privileged, may
constitute inside information, and is intended only for the use of the
addressee(s). It is the property of the sender of this e-mail. <i><u>If
you receive this e-mail in error, do not review, disseminate, or copy it.</u>
</i>Unauthorized use, disclosure, or copying of this communication or any part
thereof is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received
this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by return
e-mail and destroy this communication and all copies thereof, including all
attachments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Bill Brooks<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 31, 2009 11:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Installer's grant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Roger, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Why would a legitimate
contractor argue against this reduced incentive (it is not a penalty at all)?
This is simply acknowledging the fact that operating a business and providing a
long-term system warranty costs money that a self-installer does not have to
carry. This actually came from a strong recommendation I made to the California
Energy Commission since early in the rebate program over 30% of installations
were “self-installed” which was a bunch of BS. These were black
market contractors who did not want to carry a system warranty or did not have
the credentials to install the system.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Once we installed the
slightly lower rebate cleaned up most of the black market contracting and the
number of self-installed systems went to the real number of less than 5%.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Arguing against the lower
rebate was a mistake that you are going to regret. It’s helpful to learn
from history before repeating it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>roger
dixon<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 31, 2009 1:33 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Installer's grant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'>Try the DSIRE website, <a href="http://www.dsireusa.org/">http://www.dsireusa.org/</a>.
It lists both state and federal incentives for renewable energy and energy
efficiency. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'>Up until this year, NJ would penalize a “self
install”, reducing the rebate amount by 15%. We argued against that
and they have now removed that penalty.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>Roger Dixon<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><i><span style='font-family:
"Constantia","serif";color:black'>Certified Wind Site Assessor<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><i><span style='font-family:
"Constantia","serif";color:black'>Distributor & Installer of Solar &
Wind Energy Systems <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>Skylands Renewable Energy, LLC<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>908.337.2057 cell<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'>908.730.6474 fax<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'>roger.dixon@skylandsre.com<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><u><span style='font-family:
"Constantia","serif";color:#0000CC'>www.skylandsre.com<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#0000CC'><img border=0 width=160
height=98 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image004.jpg@01CA2ACB.A0C2F760"
alt=SkylandsRenewD66bR03dP01ZL></span><b><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
color:black'>Note: </span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:black'>The
information contained in this communication is confidential, may be
attorney-client privileged, may constitute inside information, and is intended
only for the use of the addressee(s). It is the property of the sender of
this e-mail. <i><u>If you receive this e-mail in error, do not review,
disseminate, or copy it.</u> </i>Unauthorized use, disclosure, or copying
of this communication or any part thereof is strictly prohibited and may be
unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please notify
the sender immediately by return e-mail and destroy this communication and all
copies thereof, including all attachments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Constantia","serif";
color:#0000CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Drake
Chamberlin<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 31, 2009 10:50 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Installer's grant<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in'><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:
12.0pt;margin-left:1.0in'>Hello Wrenches,<br>
<br>
I wanted to see how other states are handling solar grants / rebates on the
homes of installers. In Ohio there is a grant program that gives $3.00 /
Watt toward residential systems. Eligible installers must be approved by
the state, and funds are allotted to the installer. <br>
<br>
In this years program, there is a "conflict of interest" clause which
says that installers, employees of installers and subcontractors of installers
are not eligible for any grant funding from the grant received by the
installer. It is likely that installers can hire their competition
to do installations.<br>
<br>
Do other states have this conflict of interest clause?<br>
<br>
Thanks, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p style='margin-left:1.0in'><span style='color:blue'>Drake Chamberlin<br>
Athens Electric<br>
OH License 44810<br>
CO License 3773<br>
NABCEP </span><span style='font-size:7.5pt;color:blue'>TM </span><span
style='color:blue'>Certified PV Installer <br>
Office - 740-448-7328<br>
Mobile - 740-856-9648 </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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