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Electricians Training for a Sunny Future

By By Roy San Filippo, Staff Writer

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IBEW, NECA, Partner with Leading Manufacturers to Train Members in Solar Module Installation

It was standing room only at the IBEW Training Center in December as Local 11, the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), and leading manufactures came together to train 400 IBEW members in the installation of solar power modules.

The workshop included product demonstrations and workshops including advanced photovoltaic panel (PV) installations and installation of residential and commercial grid-tied PV inverters.

Members received training directly from leading manufactures of PV panels and inverters. Representatives from Solectria Renewables and Solar Tech Power led workshops and provided product demonstrations for the training session.

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“It is important our members are ahead of the curve on emerging technologies and markets,” said Marvin Kropke, Business Manager of IBEW Local 11. “This is our market and our work. We are committed to ensuring that our members have the skills and knowledge to be the best installers in the solar power industry.”

Whether motivated by environmental concerns, the desire for energy autonomy, or for a lower electrical bill, an increasing number of photovoltaic panels have been appearing on the tops of homes, commercial buildings and schools. In fact, an array of PV panels on the roof Local 11’s training facility provides a significant portion of the building’s electrical power needs. The PV panels were installed by IBEW Local 11 members in 2005.

Public polices in the form of tax rebate programs have encouraged the growth of the solar power market in California. With a recent announcement by the California Public Utilities Commission to launch an 11-year, $3 billion incentive program for solar power, California’s solar future is looking bright. The state’s policy goals for these programs include increasing the percentage of electricity generated from solar power, driving the costs of solar power down, and creating new jobs.

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The biggest impediment to the growth of the solar power industry has been the high up-fronts costs of the photovoltaic solar panels. Increased consumer demand and technological advances have brought down the costs of these panels significantly over the last ten years, and federal and state tax rebate programs are also offsetting some of the initial costs to consumers. The result has been a consistent growth in the market, according to Tim Townsend, an engineering consultant with BEW Engineering, who has been working in the solar power industry for twenty years. “In recent years, there has been a consistent growth of about 25% in the solar power market and about 7% per year price decline in prices,” said Townsend. “In recent years there has been a slight uptick in the cost of PV panels driven by a recent surge in demand from Europe and Japan. As the supply catches up, prices are expected stabilize and even drop below previous levels.”

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The Labor-Management-Vendor partnership is a great benefit to the whole industry, said James Worden, CEO of Solectria Renewables. “Quality installation is crucial in these systems which are designed to last between 25 and 50 years. We are excited to be partnering with the IBEW and NECA who provide such great training to skilled installers,” said Worden. “This is a triple win. The customers are happy because they get a quality installation from well-trained professional electricians. Vendors like myself have the confidence that our product will be well-installed, and union Electricians have expanded opportunities for work in this emerging market.”

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