We all know solar power is generated by the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Solar power is in the limelight these days, because it is not only cheaper form of energy but also renewable and pollution-free clean energy.

It is, therefore, beneficial to install a Photovoltaic (PV) power system at home as it can minimize long-term power costs by insulating from utility department’s frequent price increases. Additionally, making use of solar energy will facilitate reduction in emission of greenhouse gases and thereby aids in slowing down the pace of climate changes all over the world.

PV energy systems have become a more dependable source of energy over the past couple of years. Users need not worry any longer regarding power outages due to heavy consumption of energy or bad weather. Besides, the state of California, the federal government and a few municipalities in the state offer numerous tax incentives and credits to motivate electrical power consumers to shift from traditional power sources to solar energy.

Those who are convinced about the advantages of having a PV system should consider various steps before trying to look for a company to install it in their house or business in California. The starting point is to find out the names of the companies in one’s area who are experienced in installing Photovoltaic (PV) solar power systems.

All those who have not been dealing in this type of business for long should not be considered. The situation has considerably altered now and past performance is the only useful indicator for assessing the quality of work and capability of the company dealing in installation of solar power system.

The next step is to seek appointments with those companies who have been short listed. The prospective user of a residential Photovoltaic system should then prepare a comprehensive description and the specifications of the system he wishes to have and send it over it to the installing companies in advance before meeting them so that the discussions could be fruitful.

The installing companies should be requested to provide a list of customers who have the similar system installed by them. This will enable the buyer or the person seeking to have a solar system installed at his home to understand better about the quality of work, customer service and other performance parameters of the company installing the system.

It is important to make sure that the solar system installing companies have appropriate liability insurance and is bonded. A company that is ‘bonded’ would have furnished a surety bond with the state contractor board in order to guarantee some sort of financial security. It is also very essential to verify about the types of industrial certifications the company and its employees possess.

Several certifications are issued by the solar power installation industry to these companies. These include NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners), out of which there are less than 300 all over the US; CALSEIA (California Solar Energy Industry Association), which supports the solar power industry at the state level; SEIA (Solar Energy Industry Association), the country’s trade organization for solar energy providers; and Environment California, a citizen-based environmental support group.

A solar system installation company also should have in its possession electrical licenses issued by California, particularly C-46, the Solar California Contractors License and C-10, the Electrical California Contractors License.

In addition, the installation company should have membership in various associations such as the Better Business Bureau, institutions that observe customer satisfaction and in any local or regional ‘green’ business’ organizations.

After picking up the names of two or three installation companies in California that meet all the essential requirements concerning experience, credentials, certifications and membership in various associations, you should request for complete details of cost estimates and time schedule for completion of the job of installation of the system.

Once this is done, those planning to have a solar power system installed at his home or business premises will be in a better position to entrust the job to the selected company.

During the period from 1979 to 2010, solar energy has a growth of 33% and it is expected to be 40% for the period starting from 2011 to 2020. Mr. John Addison the publisher, Clean Fleet Report estimates that 32 GW of solar power was installed globally of which 7.2 GW was installed in the last year.

The use of solar energy is increasing day by day and hence it is becoming more marketable. It is mostly used in construction related jobs. It is advisable to get a solar contractor’s license and become a part of this growing industry by being a contractor. Certain steps are to be completed to get a solar contractor’s license in California.

The basic steps required to be completed are stated below. These processes may be different for different states. Hence there is a possibility of the license not being recognized by other states than from where it was taken.

Step 1 – Visit the State License Board Website.

You can visit the California State License Board website at www.cslb.ca.gov.

Step 2 – Confirm License Classification.

The next step is the confirmation of license classification. Class “C” is the classification for solar contractors’ license. It is meant for specialty contractors. 41 different “C” license classifications are there for contractors whose works call for building trades, crafts and specific skills.

C-46 is the classification for a solar contractor’s license and hence it should be applied for.

Step 3 – The Qualification.

According to the rules prevailing in California, you must have undergone apprenticeship training or college education and should have attained a journeyman level experience before applying for the license. You also should have an actual business entity.

Hence before applying for the license, you have to make sure that you are qualified. Four years experience in solar related work is the required, but the California State License Board grants almost three years of credit if you have a Bachelor’s degree, credited solar courses and certificate course.

Hence those who do not have the required experience of four years can go for it by starting to take solar training.

Step 4 – Complete the application thoroughly.

Ensure that the application form is properly filled and a non-refundable application fee is also to be paid along with the submission of application form. If the applications are not complete it may be subject to rejection.

The application takes a period of four to six weeks or even more to be processed. Then you will be informed the examination date. If you have filled up all the required details and information in the application form precisely the processing time will be less. California State License Board website allows you to print the application form from within the site.

Step 5 – Time to wait and prepare.

After the period of four to six weeks time of processing, notice requiring you to appear for the examination is being sent. This period can be considered as the time for preparation and you can prepare for the test by attending courses or training or by using study tools.

Step 6 – Test time.

When your application is approved the examination date and location is informed. Usually the locations are in the cities of San Bernardino, San Diego, Inglewood, Ventura, Buena Park, Sacramento, Oakland and Fresno. An examination centre which is nearer to your business address will be assigned to you.

If you are attending the examinations for the first time you should take two exams, the first being general law and second being trade examination and the trade is solar. The examinations will be of duration of two and half hours and so a total of five hours duration.

Your absence will cost you $50 rescheduling fee. You get a period of 18 months after applying for achieving a pass grade. During this period you can attempt for the examination any times till you pass.

Step 7 – Waiting for your score.

Once you fail you can get a breakdown of your percentage for each examination and can take the examination again. If you are passed you get the information to that effect and your certificate and license number will be sent.

It is fact that your experience can play an important part in getting qualified. If you are not having required experience then you can go for a certificate course from renewable energy institutions.

After having taken this training you can get it credited towards the experience called for. Hence if you are really interested do not hesitate to start the solar training program.

In California Southern California with its more than 20 million residents has the greatest demand for power in the United States. The scarcity of water resources coupled with abundant sunshine and huge amount of available land make Southern California the ideal place to generate solar power.

Solar Power is green energy that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emission thereby lessening the carbon footprint; both President Barack Obama and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger advocate the generation and usage of solar power.

Presently there are 11 large solar thermal farms that are going through the nitty-gritty to get the permits from the California Energy Commission. There is a mad rush to get the approval for these industrial sized projects since Federal stimulus funds, which could amount up to 30% of the projects’ costs, is going to expire by the end of 2010 and this contribution is going to be available only if the projects start by the end of the year.

If all these projects get materialized, the federal contribution towards the costs is going to be nearly ten billion dollars. It is a difficult proposition to balance energy needs and economic benefits without compromising on environmental concerns and therefore, this deadline has created the importance of coordination between different interest groups having billions of dollars riding on these projects.

Some environmentalists want to ensure that these projects take care of all these areas without flouting environmental laws; however, some are of the opinion that a minor amount of habitat destruction is worth the substantial economic and energy gains from these projects. 10 of these 11 proposed solar farms are going to be based in desert areas with one of these in the southern San Joaquin Valley and one of these 11 proposed farms is going to be located around 4.5 miles southwest of Primm Valley, Nevada on the Ivanpah dry lakebed; this is why this project is going to be called the “Ivanpah” farm.

The project would require hundreds of construction workers in the short term and 50 employees in the long term for its operation; therefore, it is going to have enormous economic impact on the Primm area. Once operational, the Ivanpah solar farm is going to generate green energy sufficient to cater to the electricity demands of more than half a million California homes and is also going to provide a big boost to the California utility companies since, under the federal mandate, by the year 2020 these companies would be required to consume 33% of their energy demand from renewable resources.

To comply with the environmental laws that required lessening of damage to desert tortoise and other rare plant habitats, the Ivanpah solar project has been restricted to 3,500 acres, which is a reduction of 12% from the original size. The tight timeline has made the project developers skeptical as to whether the deadline for the federal stimulus is going to be extended or not. Regarding this the California Senator, Dianne Feinstein has proposed legislation; however, since there is no guarantee of an extension, these solar farm projects are trying level best to get approval by the year end.

In a year, the California Energy Commission approves about 7 major energy projects in the state, which typically include natural gas or other energy sources. These projects are creating unprecedented demands on the energy commission, which is stretched to the limit, not only due to the tight deadline for the federal stimulus funds, but also for the employment opportunities that these can bring, once underway.