|
Choosing
a Contractor |
What to look for |
|
Contractor's
License |
Your
contractor should possess an A (general engineering),
C10 (electrical) or C-46 (solar) license. |
|
NABCEP
Certification |
Does
the company work with installers that are not NABCEP-certified? This is a fairly new, voluntary certification for individual installers, so not having
it does not mean they are not qualified installers.
However, the NABCEP certification program was created
to encourage high quality installations throughout
the industry and is likely to become an industry
standard. |
|
Experience |
Experience
in installing grid-tied photovoltaic systems is
valuable because some elements of installation–particularly
interconnection with some local utility–are
unique to these systems. If the company does not have this experience,
has it installed off-grid systems? A contractor
who has only installed an off-grid system means
that they have experience with all aspects of installation
except connection to the utility grid. Although
grid-connected work differs from off-grid work,
a competent company with experience on photovoltaic
systems should not necessarily be eliminated as
an option. |
|
Years
in Business |
A
company or contractor that has been in business
for a long time demonstrates an ability to work
with customers and to effectively compete with other
firms. |
|
References |
What
do past customers have to say about the solar firm's
quality of work? |
|
Warranty |
Know
what entity is responsible for your warranty. Review
the warranty's terms and conditions with your retailer.
All retailers of generating systems which receive
a rebate payment from California's state- and utility-offered
rebate programs must provide a minimum full five-year
warranty to the purchaser against breakdown or degradation
of output. The warranty must cover all of the components
that are eligible for the Buydown against breakdown
or degradation in electrical output of more than
ten percent from their originally rated electrical
output. The warranty should cover the full cost
of repair or replacement of defective components
or systems. Where the system is also professionally
assembled and installed, the warranty shall also
include the labor to remove and reinstall defective
components or systems. |
|
Pending
or Active Judgments |
Does
the firm have any pending or active judgements or
liens against it? The California Contractor's State
License Board maintains records of the work history
of contractors. These records can be assessed at
(800) 321-2752 or found online at http://www.cslb.ca.gov |
|
Choosing
Among Several Bids |
If
you have several bids to choose from, be sure they
are made on the same basis. Comparing bids with
different mounting systems, such as ground-mounted
system to a roof-mounted system, for example, would
not result in a fair comparison. Similarly, there
are different types of panels, some of which generate
more electricity per square foot than others. Bids
should clearly state the maximum generating capacity
of the system, measured in watts or kilowatts. This
value will be lower from the total or nameplate
kilowatts. Ask the contractor to specify the system
capacity in "AC kilowatts" as defined
by the Buydown program. Also, obtain an estimate
of the system's annual energy production, measured
in kilowatt-hours. |
