ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Changimg direction......

Photovoltaic systems.

I know little of this industry,but have seen an interesting job add.
I've been thinking of changing my professional skills in this direction for a while.

Just seeking some advice and thoughts from my respected colleagues.

As some may know,i am in the fire suppression end of the business now,with an extensive (yet growing) general electrical background,with a varied resume',controls, Fire alarm, etc.

Job at this early juncture entails the install crew,1-4 people,semi supervisor (been there on fire crews).

I'm 48,good shape and health,not afraid of heights or a challenge.

What do ya' think?

solar is a growing market but until the designs become more cost effective they will remain out of reach for the average consumer but technology is driven by need and going green is all the rage our POCO is offering rebates based on KW produced by the array

Massachusetts PV installer requirements




All electricians must be licensed by State Examiners of Electricians.

NEIS – National Electrical Installation Standards


Must be grid-connected and comply with all federal, state and local codes, and NEC standards. Project must be pre-approved, but there is no list of pre-approved contractors. Energy audit required.

Small Renewables Initiative

Web: http://www.bootsontheroof.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=65

The advantage in getting in early is that when they come out with special licenses, you will have experience and will probably get grandfathered in. I do believe this is going to be an important thing in the future, in spite of it's niche market now. I do think this may end up being one of those things where only certain "approved" products will be eligible for the government rebates and the manufacturers will be certifying installers for those products. That way they have a strangle hold on the business, like Corian counter tops. As long as this is true, the price will remain too high for a lot of customers.

I am still in the evaluation phase for my house. So far it looks like the rebate will barely cover the up charge for an "approved" system over the price of the parts and a normal electrician's rate. I assume a lot of that is just amortizing the cost of the approval process.