Excerpt from IREC’s Workforce Development News Blog Site
Installer certification: are more standards better?
Since 2002, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) has been certifying renewable energy practitioners, including solar PV, solar thermal, and later this year, small wind. Since the first certifying exam was administered in October 2003, more than 1,091 have attained NABCEP PV certification and 132 have their solar thermal certification. The first small wind certifying exam will be administered in September 2010.
Underwriters Laboratory (UL), the organization known for certifying products like dishwashers and light bulbs, has recently entered the practitioner certification arena with UL University.
As competition comes to the credentialing space, what does that mean for the practitioner? Whose standard will be recognized?
“It’s a very chaotic and confusing market out there,” says Weissman. “I want to make sure that we have safe competent workers on the roof and that the public isn’t confused about who’s doing what under what kind of competencies.”
Ezra Auerbach, Executive Director of NABCEP, feels that using an existing certification program is the more efficient way to go.
IREC’s Jane Weissman, NABCEP’s Ezra Auerbach, and UL University’s Brad Smock, square off in a round table discussion about this topic at ASES 10 in Phoenix. Listen to the podcast
USSI Continuation of Point
Ray Johnson, Founder of the US Solar Institute takes a different approach and welcomes UL into the mix. US Solar Institute is licensed by the Florida Department of Education, the first NABCEP training center in south Florida, a member of IREC and the US Green Building Council. The US Solar Institute’s program is the most comprehensive solar diploma program in the state of Florida, if not the country. At USSI they simply provide an exceptional hands on solar energy apprenticeship as part of earning their diploma.
Having earned a USSI diploma means a student has passed a rigorous solar training course including an on the job solar training apprenticeship or internship through their PV-401 course. “This is how the unions have operated for decades” states Ray Johnson. “You will be hard pressed to find someone who does not believe a union card carrying master electrician is not at the top of their game, so why should the solar industry be any different”
Ray continues to say “To be a state certified solar contractor in Florida you must have over four years of proven experience” (three years of that can be substituted with an Engineering Degree from a credited 4 year university). Ray agrees with this by saying “Again, you will be hard pressed to find someone who has a CV license (Florida’s state certified solar contractor license) that is not highly qualified for solar as well. While I agree NABCEP is at least something an employer can use as a gauge for a new hire, it does not make sense that a NABCEP Certified Installer should function as a contractor in unregulated state.
Anyone can study and pass a test, but that does not mean they are qualified to be a contractor and I applaud UL for stepping up and entering this game. After all, they are only one of the most respected institutes for public safety the United States has ever known. I agree that it can be a chaotic and confusing market, but the addition of UL into the mix can only improve the situation. While they do certify dishwashers, they also certify the components used in every solar installation across the world.”
Welcome UL University – the standard in electrical safety and protection for over a century!