INTRODUCTORY SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY ... - PHOTON Info

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84 In Practice Proposals The perfect proposal PV veteran Bill Brooks’ nine steps to finding the right system integrator Determining whether it makes sense to install a PV system, with all the twists and turns of federal, state, and local incentives, fluctu- ating electricity bills, and confus- ing metering schemes is no easy task. But once you finally decide to purchase a system, or at least seriously consider purchasing, or, begin to consider considering... well, before you start wringing your hands in frustration, here’s some much needed help. It takes time and research to com- parison shop and select the right installer. Like any other contract- ing job, PV system buyers only hurt themselves by failing to get at least two or three proposals. But decid- ing which of these proposals is best takes an educated consumer. The good news is there are resources that help buyers decide what to purchase, and from whom to purchase it. A couple of basic rules should help you determine which proposal is best: make sure you are clear on what your installer is promising to deliver, and make sure you know they can deliver it. Good advice: Bill Brooks, active in the industry for more than 20 years, has helpful hints for PV system- owners-to-be code. Brooks says vetting installers is the best way to determine whether your system will deliver what they say it will. The more knowledgeable you are about PV the better, he says. Still, you need to be careful: it should be the installer’s responsibility, not the customer’s, to configure system size properly, and ensure it is up to code. If you think you know more than your contractor, maybe you should be thinking about another contractor. The first thing any consumer should do is check the solar installer’s creden- tials. Every installer should provide a license number from the state contractor licensing board. Each state has a searchnents, too. Solar modules and inverters (1.) Who’s on your roof? able online database to verify a license’s have brand reputations just like any other Bill Brooks is a PV consultant who has validity. If an installer fails to provide this product. And while the most expensive been in the industry for more than 20 number, that should be a red flag. And if components aren’t necessarily the best, years, helped develop consumer guides you want to be really sure, Brooks says, your installer should be able to give you photon-pictures.com / for the states of California and New York, call up the state contractor board and ask a reason for the choice of one component Schulten and has advised on the national electric if there have been any complaints. It’s also over another. There are cheap components Rolf William Brooks recommended to look at contractor laws, which can vary by state. Examining the requirements for your state can help you identify whether an installer is trying to offer less than what is legally required. (2.) Full disclosure Offers should include as much information as possible about your system, and should begin with an energy audit, says Brooks. This helps consumers look at electricity use patterns, figure out how much energy they need, and therefore de- termines how big the system should be. A conscientious installer will also tell the customer where they can cut use through efficiency measures, and the system will be sized accordingly. In some states an energy audit is required by law. When looking into the proposal’s de- tails, make sure the offer is complete. It’s impossible to compare two different proposals if all of the specifics aren’t includ- ed. This means all of the essential system parts should be listed and described in detail (panels, inverter, meter, grid connec- tion, mounting system, cabling, labor). Manufacturer, model, warranty information, and quantity should be listed. Brooks says the care put into a proposal is a good sign of what to expect from an installer going forward. A polished, complete bid, while no guarantee that the in- stallation will be good, can be a sign that an installer is thorough and thoughtful. This applies to the choice of compo- November 2009
If you think you know more than your contractor, maybe you should be thinking about another contractor. and there are expensive components, and there are reasons to buy both. Brooks says even well established installers don’t always offer this much information, but consumers should ask. If the answer is price, Brooks says, »Okay, that’s a good reason. That’s a reason. If that’s your only reason, then that’s not good enough.« Answers that describe the installer’s expe- rience with the manufacturer, or present results of independent studies on the prod- ucts, are a better indication the installer knows what they’re doing. The three most important system components are of course the most variable: the panels, the inverter, and the mounting system. Brooks says that while cabling or switches are often not described in as much detail, this need not be a deal-breaker. But you should expect precise information on manufacturers or models for the three most important components, at the very least. (3.) Add-ins and extras Aside from the essential system components, there are plenty of extra ser- vices an installer may require, or opt to provide, depending on the site and the customer. These include things like scaffolding and additional measures for grounding, or overcurrent protection. A good installer will address these topics, November 2009 85 » offer solutions where needed, and include them in the proposal as an explanation of extra costs. An important safety net for the consumer in this case, Brooks says, is the contract: »The contract should be for a fully operational, installed system that has passed both local jurisdiction and util- ity inspections. Period. No hidden costs.« So before you go digging for engineering technicalities, or possible problems, just check the contract for fine print. If the system needs an addition after the materials have been delivered, or fol- lowing the city’s inspection of the plans, the burden is on the installer to get the system on grid and producing the promised energy yield at the promised price. Thus, it’s in the installer’s interest to be as specific as possible about what extras come with the system. Brooks adds another word of caution when it comes to the installer’s responsi-
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