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 this blog post, I wanted to write about choosing the right contractor for your home solar power project.

I understand some people would prefer to build the solar system on their own via Do It Yourself (DIY), but not everyone has the skill or know how to do so.

Like myself, I like the idea of using solar power to reduce my home electricity bill. But I have limited electrical and construction skill. If I wanted to take advantage of solar energy, my only option is to hire a professional to do it.

How do we choose the right solar contractor for the job?

I could think of 3 criteria on choosing a right solar professional.

1) Their craftsmanship

The challenge here is trying to compare apple to apple. The home solar industry is relatively new and there are many ways to do things.

Then how do we evaluate craftsmanship?

The easier way I can think of is to visit the contractor past project. This can be done by asking him to give you a project reference.

We want to look at the solder joints, weld joints, the neatness or the simplicity of the solar system installation of his previous work.

Obviously, you have to get the permission of the home owner to do so. If possible, try looking at older projects as well as the most recent ones.

Is the contractor’s work consistent? Is the work improving or decreasing?

2) Character compatibility

Another criteria when choosing a solar builder is his character. Do you like him? Is he trust worthy?

Sometime you can feel it in your gut.

If he is dubious or if he is trying to pull a fast one on you, most of the time you can feel it. Follow your instinct.

You want a contractor that is glad that you call and he is happy to answer all your questions. Having good relationship matters a lot. Not only it foster cooperation, it also makes problems that occur to be ironed out quickly and effectively.

If you and the contractor can’t see eye to eye, good luck trying to ask him to redo a certain part of the work that you do not like.

To prevent all these unnecessary headaches from occurring, it is best to find someone with a character comparable to yours.

How do you achieve that? Well, talk to him over a cup of coffee and get to know him before you award him the contract.

3) Project cost

The final criteria is the project cost. The project cost is important, but ultimately, it may be the least significant factor.

How so? Here’s the fact.

Things can and will go wrong during a home improvement project such as installing a solar power system. The problems will generally add up to increase the specified budget.

If you are getting a very low bid for your project, be very careful. Most probably he doesn’t understand what he is doing due to inexperience.

When you have worked out the final project budget, be prepared to add additional 10 to 15 percent for any unforeseen circumstances.

There are a lot of benefits that you can enjoy from using a home solar power system. However, many home owners are not willing to make the investment because of the long Return On Investment (ROI) period.

In order to improve you ROI, the best option is to get the system installation done without too many problems.

If you are serious about using solar power for your home, you should check out the Earth 4 Energy e-book by Michael Harvey.

Earth4Enery manual is easy to read and comes with lots of tips and strategies on how to build a home solar system at minimal cost. For a quick review of the e-book click here.

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Related web pages:

1) Fairfield CT Handyman – Local Handyman and Home Improvement in Fairfield CT

2) Earth 4 Energy Review – A quick review on the top selling renewable energy guide from Clickbank.

3) Green DIY Energy Reviews – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?