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Sun Volt

Sun Volt Solar

earth, the final frontier

Clean Energy, Clean Environment

We are at a cross roads in human history, we can choose to continue on as we have been, or we can make a change to improve our future and quite possibly the future for several generations to come. We are here to promote energy independence, a better environment, a secure future and a higher return on investment for your hard earned dollar. It is what I believe in, it is why I am in the solar business.

PV Training

19 Sep 09 | Training

Training and proficiency is the key to installing safe, workable systems, especially where voltages of 500 VDC and greater are concerned.  Every three years the NFPA issues a new version of the National Electrical Code with updates.  These updates are based findings and recommendations from the field.  In other words, somewhere, something went wrong and caused a problem.  The incident was investigated and the NFPA incorporated fixes in the latest issue of the electrical code.  That is why it is particularly important to follow the code.

To that end, there are several advanced PV training courses available from providers like SEI, local community colleges, etc.  In order for a installer to maintain proficiency and keep abreast of changes,  reviewing the code changes as they occur is important.  Taking refresher or advanced courses is a good way to accomplish this goal as well.

In addition to this, NABCEP certification requirements have a minimum formal course requirements.

Solar energy, especially photovoltaics, is an evolving field.  The industry knows a lot more about safe solar installations than even a few years ago.  In order to maintain top notch installations, continued education is a must

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19 Sep 09 | Training | Comments (0)

Books for the Solar Professional

27 Mar 08 | Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water

There are several reference books about solar energy and wind energy on my book shelf that I refer to from time to time. I find it helpful, especially when I am dealing with a complicated design issue, to do a little research. These books offer guidance and theoretical information which can greatly improve design considerations.

  1. de Winter, Francis, Et Al. Solar Collectors, Energy Storage and Materials, Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1990. This book is a great resource for theoretical problems. Very technical with lots of Calculus and Physics base equations for heat transfer, storage, black body radiation, etc. I like to pick it up and peruse through it once in a while just to keep on my toes. More for engineers than for the run of the mill solar installer.
  2. Lane, Thomas. Solar Hot Water Systems, lessons learned 1977 to today Gainesville, FL: Energy Conservation Services of North Florida, 2004. This is the bible on Solar Domestic Hot Water systems. There are a few pages devoted to space heating, but most of the book is for SDHW. Includes information on sizing, mounting of collectors, storage, pumps etc. If you are going to install a SDHW system, this book is a must
  3. Solar Energy International. Photovoltaics Design and Installation Manual. Gabriola Island, BC Canada: New Society Publishers, 2004. Excellent PV installation manual, covers both grid connected and independent PV systems. Has chapters on system sizing, battery sizing, mounting, wiring, etc. Great resource for anyone getting into the PV end of the solar business.
  4. Siegenthaler, John, PE. Modern Hydronic Heating for Residential and Light Commercial Buildings, 2nd edition. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Learning, Inc, 2004. Great reference book on any type of Hydronic Space heating. Good design resource for heat load sizing, heat loss calculations, radiant systems, etc. I bought this because I am getting more and more inquiries about space heating. I have yet to read this one cover to cover, but I am working on it.
  5. NFPA. National Electrical code, 2008 edition. Quincy, MA: NFPA, 2008. I like to keep the latest edition of the NEC on hand and available. Section 680 deals with PV installations.
  6. Small, Lloyd L. Analytic Geometry and Calculus. New York, NY: Appleton Century Crofts, Inc, 1953. This is an old college Calculus text book that I picked up at a used book store. It helps me remember some of the math if I have any questions or problems working on a calculus equation. Fortunately, almost everything can be plugged into an excel spread sheet and quickly calculated that way, but every once in a while I find myself scratching my head over something.

There are numerous other online sources that are also available. These are huge files and if you click on the link it will start downloading automatically, only use these links if you have high speed internet. They are well worth the trouble to download and read.

  1. Photovoltaic Power Systems and The National Electrical Code: Suggested Practices
  2. A Guide to Photovoltaic System Design and Installation, California Energy Commission Consultant Report 500-01-020, June 2001
  3. Stand-Alone Photovoltaic Systems: A Handbook of Recommended Design Practices

Of course, there are many, many other sources of reference material and I could probably write a book about solar books. However, these are the ones that I find most useful.

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27 Mar 08 | Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water | Comments (0)

Day four "Successful Solar Business" course

28 Sep 07 | General Business, Training

Yesterday was the final day of the SEI Successful Solar Business course given at Sandy Hook National Seashore in Seabright, NJ. I can say I got quite a bit out of the course as many of the things discussed there were unique to the solar business. Overall, I would grade the course as very good and a good experience.

There was also quite a bit of content that I would call “general business administration” which you would receive from any small business course such as the one I took in college.

Yesterday we went over more sales stuff and business plans. Then we met with Mona Rotkopf from SunWize, a photovoltiac distributor. It was very interesting to hear her presentation on what products they offer and how they structure there rates for dealer/distributors.

Some of the things I liked:

  1. The information on marketing. There is nothing better than a seasoned professional to tell you what has worked and what has not worked in the past. That does not mean that you may not try a few of the “has not worked” marketing strategies because maybe you have a new wrinkle, just beware.
  2. The information on sales, particularly on how not to waist a lot of time. If you are in business for yourself, this is key. The sales prequalification information was not something I would have thought of and was worth the price of the course alone.
  3. Meeting with industry reps and professionals. Meeting with Brian from Seabright Solar and Mona from Sunwize was also good.

Some of the things that I did not like:

  1. The accounting classes were a little boring. Not that they are not needed, if you have no business background, this stuff is critical. I have dealt with it before, so it was not edge of the chair material
  2. I could have put up with less stories from students. This is a hard one for the instructors to control sometimes. I think some people like to hear themselves talk and some of the things that were said were marginally relevant at best. Not to say that they all were and there were a lot of genuine good questions asked, but a few of the students had the tendency to prattle on about this or that and I would think to myself “What does this have to do with me?”

I would also like to say that the setting was great. The beach at the National Park was wonderful, and the history of the Fort Hancock historical area was great too. I enjoyed walking around after class and taking in all of the various things. I am sure that had it been in the middle of summer, the place would have been overrun with people, but in mid to late September, it was ideal.

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28 Sep 07 | General Business, Training | Comments (0)

Day Three "Sucessful Solar Business" course

26 Sep 07 | General Business, Training

This morning started out with accounting and business practices. Things like filing taxes, incorporations, payroll, and the very exciting world of worker compensation insurance. This is all needed information if you are going to start and run a business to be sure. It is also information you can get from almost any college business 101 course, or even by doing research on line. The gist of what I got out of this information is “Have a good accountant,” and “hire a payroll company.” Good record keeping is also a must. Pretty much common sense all.

This afternoon we talked about sales and how to prequalify potential customers, how to conduct a site survey and what tools to use. This was very good specific information on the solar business. This information is vital to any successful solar business, as sales is the driving force. Without sales, there will be no installations and thus no income. Anyone in that situation will be out of business in short order.

Good sales requires being prepared, knowledgeable and knowing when to speak up and when to keep quite. Having certain sales tools such as a presentation book is helpful. Other tools such as a solar pathfinder are great for qualifying the site as a good or bad solar site. A tape measure can help with material estimation. These are common sense things for anyone who has been in the contractor business, which is what the solar installation business should be seen as.

The one thing that was covered extensively was return on investment or ROI. This is a major selling point of renewable energy systems because all of the cost of the system is up front with little or no operating or maintenance costs. Traditional power providers such as the electric company are pay over time (for what you use) systems. If you can show that the return on investment is better than a CD (certificate of deposit) then the system makes better financial sense to the prospective buyer.

There are many, many more things that were covered, but once again, I don’t want to give away the store and have SEI get mad at me.

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26 Sep 07 | General Business, Training | Comments (0)

Day two "Successful Solar Business"

26 Sep 07 | General Business, Training

A lot of ground was covered on day two. I am not sure how much information I want to reveal here because I don’t want to get in trouble with SEI with proprietary information. Suffice to say, the instructor, Chuck, has a lot of experience in the field (been in business since 1979) and is willing to share many aspects of the business, so long as we don’t move to New Mexico.

The main subject of the day was marketing and who to establish a company name. One thing that was talked about, but not extensively was an internet presence. I whole heartedly agree that an internet presence is necessary for an progressive business in the renewable energy field. I thought I would expand a little on that subject, since it is something that I understand a little about.

There are many types of websites, from a company information website, to an online store, and so on. So what makes a website good? I was looking around at some of the solar websites last night and made note of the ones that I would do business with. First of all, layout and color have a lot to do with a readers perception. Seabright Solar has a good installation company website, although I don’t like the flash program that loads before you see anything. It takes you to the several examples of the finished product straight away. It also has good coloring and good local information. Local information is key if you want to get local inquiries. After all, it does you little good if somebody from California calls you when you are based in Maryland.

A good wholesale distributor website is AEE Solar. Again, good color combinations, good use of the space above the fold and some example products right on the front page. I would do business with this company. Sunwize, located a few miles up the road from me also has a good distributor website. Since both of these companies are wholesale distributors, they do not sell to the general public.

The Alternative Energy Store has a good online store website. On this website you will find basic tutorials on solar thermal, photovoltiacs, wind, micro hydro. This is not in depth information, but should be enough for the layman to figure out what technology will work for him. They also have a design service. This is a retail sales website designed for do it yourselfers.

Those are just a few of the websites that are out there. As I get closer to launching this business, I will make a home page for sun-volt that will hopefully look as good as one of those. Of course, once you have a website, then it needs to be promoted. Joining local business lists, such as the list for the town I live in, and other lists for solar professional such as Find Solar, submitting to Home power magazine, et cetera are all good ways to promote your website and thus your business.

Of course, simply having a website is not enough marketing effort, other avenues are needed. For that information, you will have to take the class.

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26 Sep 07 | General Business, Training | Comments (0)

Day one of "Successful Solar Business" course

25 Sep 07 | General Business, Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, Training

I am taking the SEI Successful Solar Business course at the Sandy Hook National Park educational center in Sandy Hook, NJ. First of all, this is a great place to have a class. The Sandy Hook National Park is right across the bay from Manhattan, however, it is a different world out here. The educational center is on an old army base called Fort Hancock, which is also pretty cool. This is a great time of year because there are no crowds anywhere and the atmosphere is nice and relaxed.

fairbanks motel seabright nj

I am staying that the Fairbanks Motel and Marina in Seabright, NJ, which is right outside of the gate to the park. The motel itself is a little run down and worn around the edges. Don’t expect a lot of bells and whistles but the rooms are clean, and the staff is nice and the rate are very reasonable. Bring your own shampoo as there is none in the room. If you are taking any classes at Sandy Hook, I recommend this motel. Their number is (732) 842-8450. All of this is right across from the beach, which is where I ate breakfast this morning.

fairbanks-motel.jpg

sandy hook national seashore

The first day was very interesting. The instructor, Chuck Marken gave a brief overview of the course then jumped right in. We learned some of the global view on solar energy from Jim O’Hern of PV1. His presentation was basically on how governments are structuring rebates and clean energy credits to make Photovoltaics more competitive with conventional energy supplies.

Then we had and overview of business administration and a question and answer session. Today we will be learning about Marketing. As it turns out, I am staying at the same motel as the instruction. After class, we were sitting by the pool enjoying a Corona and I asked him what the single most important thing is for a start up business. He thought about it for a second and said “Marketing. You have to have a marketing plan, otherwise no one will know you are there.” I suppose this is true of any business. The minimum marketing a startup business should be doing is:

  1. Yellow pages add. Old school but still effective.
  2. Web page, great way to connect to the tech savy crowd, and the point of this website
  3. Product catalog with basic diagrams and information on systems being sold
  4. Attend fairs and home shows
  5. Logo on the company trucks
  6. Small “real estate” sized sign in front of work sites

Of course the best and most sought after marketing is word of mouth from satisfied customers. There are many many more topics of discussion, such a pre qualifying potential customers, dealing with distributors, and so on. Here are a few pictures of Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock and the Motel. More tomorrow.

fort hancock educational center sandy hook national park

This is the Fort Hancock Educational Center on Sandy Hook. It is an old brick building across from the Coast Guard base.

fort hancock officer housing

These are the former officer housing on Fort Hancock. These were built in 1898 when the fort was first established to defend NY harbor. It is really pretty cool to see, most of these are in a run down condition, but it looks like they still could be fixed up if needed. They face out toward the sound (west)

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25 Sep 07 | General Business, Solar Electric, Solar Hot Water, Training | Comments (0)

Certified Solar Installer

13 Sep 07 | Solar Electric, Training

New York State has several excellent solar PV incentives that greatly lower the price of any installed PV system. The only catch is the installation must be installed by a NABCEP certified installer.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) has several certifications available for photovoltiacs, solar thermal, and small wind system. The NABCEP requires several years experience installing the various systems in order to become certified. This requirement is logical, after all, you wouldn’t want to hire a certified installer only to find that this was their first installation. But it does present a bit of a problem.

From their website:

To be eligible for NABCEP solar PV installer certification, candidates must first meet these basic requirements:

1. Be at least 18 years of age
2. Meet prerequisites of related experience and/or education
3. Complete an application form documenting requirements
4. Sign a code of ethics
5. Pay applicable fees (PV Candidate Information Handbook, Sec. 2.6)
6. Pass a written exam (PV Candidate Information Handbook, Sec. 8 )

Prerequisites or Educational Requirements:

The NABCEP Board and PV Technical Committee identified seven different entry tracks for solar PV installer certification.

The first entry path is based upon four years of installing PV systems as the responsible person. As is indicated below, various levels of training and education can be substituted for some years of experience; however, there is a prerequisite for at least one year of actual installation experience in all seven categories. This is based on the core principal that all NABCEP certified installers should have actual experience on the job performing an installation. Candidates will need to show that they meet the prerequisites for any ONE of these combinations:

a) Four (4) years of experience installing PV; OR
b) Two (2) years of experience installing PV systems in addition to completion of a board-recognized training program; OR
c) Be an existing licensed contractor in good standing in solar or electrical-construction related areas with one (1) year of experience installing PV systems; OR
d) Four (4) years of electrical-construction related experience working for a licensed contractor, including one (1) year of experience installing PV systems; OR e) Three (3) years experience in a U.S. Dept. of Labor approved electrical-construction trade apprentice program, including one (1) year of experience installing PV systems; OR
f) Two-year electrical-construction related, or electrical engineering technology, or renewable energy technology/technician degree from an educational institution plus one (1) year of experience installing PV systems; OR
g) Four-year construction related or engineering degree from an educational institution, including one (1) year experience installing PV systems. For definitions of experience and acceptable training, please refer to the PV Candidate Information Handbook.

I meet most of the educational requirements. By their list, I need at least one year’s experience before I can sit for the exam. The definition from page 3 of the PV candidate Information Handbook:

For purposes of this process, experience installing PV systems requires being in a responsible role in decision-making on the job. This includes the foreman, supervisor, site manager responsible for the quality of the installation, or experienced person performing the trade without supervision. There may be several workers that do not carry responsible charge on the jobsite who are aspiring to this role. In these cases, the supervisor may be called upon to make a judgment as to the role of the worker in the process of
documenting their experience. Definition: one (1) year of experience = one year in a responsible role on the job installing PV systems, in the role of foreman, supervisor, site manager, or experienced worker performing PV installation work without direct supervision. This year must include installation of at least two PV systems totaling 1KW. At least one installation each year must be a system with an inverter and subject to a complete electrical permitting and inspection process by a permitting authority OR in the absence of such, an appropriate underwriter authorized to provide an inspection certificate. In regions where neither of these inspection options exists, the Application Review Committee will judge experience based on supplied documentation.

So it looks like I need to install two PV systems so that I can get certified. I can install one on my house, that is easy. Next I need to find somebody else that needs a system. Bueller? Bueller? Anybody?

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13 Sep 07 | Solar Electric, Training | Comments (3)

SEI Newsletter

05 Sep 07 | Commentary, Solar Electric

I received my first SEI newsletter yesterday. It was a relatively small thing, but worth the read. The first article titled Solar power set to shine brightly was an interesting read.

There are several pluses for photovoltiacs right now. The first mentioned is the growing production capacity in both raw materials (Polysilicon) and finished products (photovoltaic panels). The growth in 2006 in production of photovoltaic panels rose by 40 percent. That is enormous. China manufacturer Suntech Power is now the fourth largest producer of photovoltaics and continues to expand.

All of that is good news and should bring the price of photovoltiacs down. A check of some online solar retailers show prices of between $4.50 per watt to 5.70 per watt. I think the main problem is that demand will continue to outstrip production for the forseable future and prices will remain at $4-5 dollar per watt range.

The thing that may also shape people’s opinion is higher electricity costs due to higher fuel prices and more pollution control measures being installed on newer electrical generating stations. Additionally, as more and more states deregulate the electric power industry, rates are likely to go higher, as we have seen in California and New York.

The solar industry is set to grow, no doubt about that. My plan is to get established before the major growth occurs in the next few years because then I will be able to grow with it.

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05 Sep 07 | Commentary, Solar Electric | Comments (0)

Successful Solar Business course

31 Jul 07 | Solar Electric, Training

Solar Energy International has a Successful Solar Business course which is given a few times a year. The course is taught by a contractor with over 25 years in the solar energy business. It sounds like a great way to figure out how to get a fledgling solar business off the ground:

The PV market is ripe for growth! If you are considering launching a business in solar, do not miss this opportunity to meet and talk to successful solar business leaders in our country. Students will have a chance to learn what works and what doesn’t, and will walk away with the tools to start their new business. This workshop has an emphasis on PV installation businesses, but also will look at roles of distributors, solar thermal business, manufacturing, and international opportunities.

Topics Include

  • Typical Business Models
  • Solar Career Choices
  • Advertising & Marketing
  • Start-up Business Plan Models
  • Financing a Business
  • Setting up Accounts
  • Inventory
  • Business Taxes
  • Certifications & Licensing
  • Successful Solar Policies
  • Successful Case Studies
  • System Life Cost Analysis

It seems like a lot of good information. The next course is scheduled for September 24-27, 2007 at the Sandy Hook Educational Center, Sandy Hook, NJ. I have enrolled and look forward to picking the instructors brain on everything I can think of.

I will do a post course evaluation when I get back.

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31 Jul 07 | Solar Electric, Training | Comments (0)

Training programs

01 Jul 07 | Training

While I have a background in electronics and engineering, there are several aspects of renewable energy installation that I need to learn. In order to offer the New York State sponsored rebates, I need to be a certified installer, this means I need to have some training, some experience and pass a written test. For more about the certification process, visit the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners‘ web site. That site spells out all the various requirements for certifications in solar thermal, photovoltaic and wind power installations.

Fortunately, there are several training programs available in various parts of the country. The first place I looked was the local community college, they do not have a course or certificate program for solar power. They recommended contacting the local BOCES, which in New York state, is sort of the catch all for miscellaneous educational and vocational programs.

They did have a solar installer course, but it was already full.

Then I found the Solar Energy International web site. They have several workshops that look very interesting. I did a bit of research to find out if this training qualifies as training toward the NABCEP certificate required by New York state to qualify for the photovoltaic incentive program. According to the NABCEP candidate handbook, it does. The two courses I am interested in are the online PV course and the course titled “Starting your own Solar Business,” which sounds interesting indeed.

Other than those course, there are quite a few course on solar thermal, wind power, etc that also look interesting. I think my main focus will be solar energy to start, either photovoltaics or solar thermal and then I will and the other renewable energy systems to my business as time allows.

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01 Jul 07 | Training | Comments (0)