NABCEP PV Technical Sales Certificate

Mark Durrenberger and Kristen Ferguson recently earned their NABCEP PV Technical Sales Certification.  NABCEP - the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners - is the “gold standard” for PV and solar thermal installation certification designed to raise industry standards and promote consumer confidence.  Although voluntary, a NABCEP certification is one of the few nationally recognized designations.

According to NABCEP, choosing the right contractor to install a solar energy system on your home or business plays a big part in the overall success of the project. An ever-growing number of consumers, incentive programs, employers, insurers and bid documents are insisting on NABCEP Certificants for their projects.

Learn more about the benefits of working with a NABCEP PV Technical Sales Professional with the NABCEP consumer brochure.

Power Outages

You won't be surprised to learn that when the power goes out, our phone lines light up.  During this recent outage due to the Halloween storm, we fielded a number of questions about what happens to the solar array when the power goes out and options for back up storage.

First  - If you have a grid-tied system with no batteries, (like most systems) when the power goes out you will have no power to the house. Even if it is a sunny day.  Your solar panels are working just fine, but the inverter that connects the panels to the house and to the utility grid must disconnect itself from the grid and also the house.  This is a safety requirement, and an important one. If the solar system were to remain connected to the grid, it would put dangerous voltage back to the grid and harm and potentially kill lineman working to repair the grid.  No, you cannot circumvent this feature with a transfer switch or any other mechanism. Remember this is a serious matter and the safety of lineman is at stake. Where does the electricity go on a sunny day during a power outage? Think of the system like a facuet that is turned off.  The electricity isn't going anywhere, it is just waiting until the grid returns (faucet opens) to resume the flow.

Second - If power during an outage is important and you prefer not to rely solely on a noisy, fossil-fuel-powered generator, you can install a battery bank to store the energy from the solar panels.  Batteries provide a level of security during  an outage, but also add a level of complexity and cost. We'll talk more about battery back up systems in future newsletters.

Solarize Success!

The Solarize Massachusetts pilot program in Harvard can be declared a resounding success.  Through community marketing efforts, education and word of mouth, the residents of Harvard have signed up to install 402 kW over the next year.  MassCEC (the state solar rebate adminstrator) selected New England Breeze Solar as the solar integrator for the town.

Vist our website to view the map of Solarize Mass installations in Harvard.

Spring Solar Power

The weather is getting colder, but we are still evaluating houses for solar potential. A site visit this winter can allow you install solar panels this spring. Contact us to schedule a free solar site evaluation.

** 6 kW solar array in Acton. We designed around the vent pipes since moving them would have marred the cathedral ceiling.