SOLAR TODAY - Get Started, Fall 2010

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Working With an
Installer By SETH MASIA

the Buyers’ Guide beginning on page 34 lists more than 2,500 installers across the country, so you can cer- tainly find an installer near you ready to build a photo- voltaic (PV) or solar water-heating (SWH) system on your roof or in your yard. It’s easy to narrow the list down to four or five names located near your zip code and then call them up for estimates. Find a more up-to-date version of this list at findsolar.com.

Installing a PV or SWH system is a complex job, requiring both technical expertise and the ability to navigate the thicket of permits and incentives to get your project approved and financed. Choose an installer in much the way you’d choose a contractor for any major construction project. Here are some things to consider:

1Is your installer eligible for the state or local incentives you want to use? Rebates often are paid only to projects installed by approved personnel. California approves rebates only on systems using modules and inverters on an approved list and constructed by installers on an approved list. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority maintains a list of about 120 eligible installers for projects it partially funds, with another 90 names on a provisional list. Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Program has its own list of approved installers. You can work with a local installer who’s not on the list, but you won’t be eligible for the program in question. When talking to installers, be sure to ask them about the incentive programs they have access to and how that will affect your financing options.

2What’s the track record? How long has the company been in business, how many
systems have they installed and how happy are
the customers? A reputable business should be
happy to put you in touch with satisfied cus-
tomers. Attend a meeting or two of your local
American Solar Energy Society chapter (see
page 70) and ask people there which installers
have a solid reputation. Finally, look around
the neighborhood for solar arrays, and ask
the owners about their experience with the
installer.

estimating the Job

Before providing an estimate, an installer’s representative will want to sit down with you to review your utility bills. Then there will be a discussion of how much you can expect to save on monthly bills and a rough estimate of installation costs. The estimator will be knowledgeable about your local utility rate structure and net-metering regulations and may suggest ways to reduce energy use and thus the size of the PV or SWH system.

The estimator will want to climb out on the roof to gauge the amount of sun it gets and what kind of shade to expect as the sun moves across the sky, summer and winter. A critical issue is the condition of the roof itself. The solar array components carry a warranty of 20 years or more, and you probably don’t want to bolt it onto roofing tiles that will need to be replaced in five or 10 years.

Ask about subcontractors. Is the installer
going to bring in a licensed electrician or roof-
er? If so, who is responsible for the quality of

SEtH mASIA

an established, professional crew can install
your photovoltaic array quickly and safely.

their work? Who, for instance, will be respon-
sible for roof leaks?

Ask about leasing programs and financial terms, of course. The estimator will have a good grasp of local incentives and grant programs, and should be able to reel off a list of banks offering “green” loans for home energy projects. (Banks and leasing companies often have their own lists of approved components and installers.) The estimator may explain the tax implications of local incentives and how they affect your federal tax credit, but you should also talk to an accountant about these issues.

Once the estimates are in, compare them
carefully. Make sure all the bases are covered:
Are the estimates all for the same size sys-
tem? Are there performance warranties? Who