Yes, the casual attitude about backfeeds and other safety issues among some alternative energy folks is pretty scary. The causes seem to run the gamut from sheer ignorance (the majority) to outright hostility toward the "evil gridmongers" and their employees. [Linked Image]

Inverters intended for use in net metering arrangements are supposed to incorporate circuitry that prevents backfeed to the grid in the absence of grid power. In the event of a utility dropout, the inverter goes into a standalone mode until grid power is restored. Even then, most power companies require a visible break disconnect switch installed on the outside of the building, where it is accessible to POCO personnel.

SOME alternative energy publications TRY to get it right. The "Code Corner" column in HomePower magazine is a great attempt at explaining the NEC requirements (and the reasoning behind them) to the alt-energy DIYer. Now if they would just dump the "Solar Guerilla" pieces where they show how to install systems WITHOUT inspections or PoCo approval, they would be doing a REAL service to everybody...