<div>I agree with Bob-O that we need to keep the off-grid system design in NABCEP. I recently installed a small off-grid system at a school in Haiti and had it reconfirmed that off-grid systems in the third world are so very important. Small systems like those installed by SELF, Solar Electric Light Fund, are the future not the past. <a href="http://www.self.org/">http://www.self.org/</a></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Lee</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"></font></span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Lee Bristol</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">NABCEP Certified Solar Designer/Installer</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Chief Technology Officer</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> </font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Standard Solar Inc.</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">202 Perry Parkway, #7</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Gaithersburg, MD 20877</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">(301) 944-5105 Direct</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">(240) 479-1510 Cell</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">(301) 944-1202 Fax</font></font></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes"><a href="mailto:leebristol@standardsolar.com"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">leebristol@standardsolar.com</font></a></span></p><br><br>
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<div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 2:57 PM, <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:penobscotsolar@midmaine.com">penobscotsolar@midmaine.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Here, here Bob-O.<br> We, too, have seen no decrease in our off grid market as well. It is<br>rapidly becoming a specialized field here in Maine.(not talking about<br>
you, Tump) Even our largest competitor is now sending off grid business<br>to us as they have had too many problems training competent installers<br>who understand the minutea(?) of battery physiology, proper gen<br>charging, etc. and just want to do the wam bam straight grid tie<br>
systems. I appreciate NABCEP's (and your) insistence on continuing to<br>require off grid knowledge in order to be certified. Anything less<br>would be like certifying a mechanic who only knows about standard<br>transmissions in transmission repair. Your logic in continuing to<br>
insist on battery based knowledge is important to our field. Thanks.<br><br>Daryl<br>
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<div class="h5"><br><br><br>> Hiya Ray,<br>> In my experience, off-grid is always as steady as it ever was except for<br>> the Y2K burp. Those of us who know how to design and install for that<br>> market will always have some work, even in a crappy economy. At NABCEP, we<br>
> take a lot of heat from all the new on-grid only installers who don't see<br>> or understand the value in learning about battery-based systems. They<br>> would like us to drop that part of the task analysis entirely from the<br>
> Certification. I, for one, am resisting that insisting that's part of the<br>> overall trade. I'm concerned that if we certify installers without testing<br>> for battery knowledge, they will go and install a battery based system<br>
> sooner or later anyway and NABCEP will look like fools if they muck it up.<br>> Bob-O<br>><br>><br>> On Nov 23, 2009, at 10:15 AM, R Ray Walters wrote:<br>><br>><br>> Funny, because although Off grid has remained relatively slow compared to<br>
> the crazy GT market, its also been very steady.<br>><br>> Ray<br>><br>> On Nov 23, 2009, at 9:07 AM, <a href="mailto:Windsun@wind-sun.com">Windsun@wind-sun.com</a> wrote:<br>><br>>> Nearly everything so far that we have been seeing shortages in is in<br>
>> off-grid equipment. We have not seen a huge increase or decrease in<br>>> off-grid, but apparently some of the mfg's decided there would be a big<br>>> drop. With the exception of a couple of particular models of inverters,<br>
>> we have seen no real shortages in grid tie.<br>>><br>>> ..................................................................................................<br>>> Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun Since 1979<br>
>> Solar Discussion Forum: <a href="http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/" target="_blank">http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/</a><br>>> ..................................................................................................<br>
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<br></div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Lee Bristol<br>NABCEP Certified Solar Designer/Installer<br><br>Chief Technology Officer<br>Standard Solar, Inc.<br>202 Perry Parkway, #7<br>Gaithersburg, MD 20877<br>
(301) 944-5105<br>(240) 479-1510 (c)<br><a href="http://www.standardsolar.com">www.standardsolar.com</a><br>