It's not so easy after all

When it comes to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, there's a common misconception that this growing technology — and the products that accompany it — are simple to install, modify, and maintain by untrained personnel. In reality, it's quite the opposite.

As this market continues to expand, there's actually a lack of qualified electricians and inspectors performing this type of work. As a result, many installed PV systems are not in compliance with the NEC and local regulations.

Let's take a look at some of the problem areas and why confusion still surrounds certain sections of the Code.

History lesson

Starting about 1973 in Braintree, Mass., the solar PV industry began in earnest in the United States with PV systems being installed on homes and businesses. The industry was not regulated until 1984 when Art. 690 was added to the NEC, which began addressing some of the different aspects that PV systems have from other electrical systems.

Since that time, the PV industry has rapidly evolved in technology and applications. Presently, the third generation of technology is commonly used. Although the NEC has changed quite a bit over this time period, a quick look at Art. 690 of the 1987 NEC reads very similar to the same section in the 2008 NEC. Why is this the case?

In the beginning, there was little guidance on how to use PV technology, and many inventive souls were quite creative in finding ways to tap this new energy source. Some early PV systems were as simple as using the DC voltage of the PV arrays to charge or supplement batteries that supplied DC power for lighting or homemade inverters. This gave way to more advanced inverters and eventually to systems that could connect to the electric utility grid. Each new development introduced another set of advantages as well as problems — not only from an installation perspective, but also from a safety standpoint.

Commercial use of small PV systems was sometimes difficult or expensive to install until the adoption of the 2008 NEC. One of the principal reasons for this resulted from language in the 2005 NEC that sometimes required the user to upgrade the main service — often doubling the service size — just to add a meager 2.5kW PV system to a subpanel. The rule change [690.64(B)] now allows the actual PV contribution to be considered at the main service and also includes the same bus loading provision that has been allowed on residential applications since 1987.

These are just a few examples that help demonstrate common PV installations. Because this niche will inevitably continue to change rapidly in the future, That's why it's more important than ever for electrical professionals to stay informed, stay safe, and stay trained on the latest changes in this ever-evolving industry.

Lack of qualified installation personnel is a significant barrier to market expansion

The U.S. solar industry is experiencing rapid increases in demand for solar products and a subsequent increase in demand for a downstream workforce to install solar systems. According to a recent study of job growth in California’s solar industry, which is the largest solar market in the U.S., the industry expects to add 5,000 new jobs in five occupations within the solar installation workforce (solar thermal installers, solar photovoltaic installers, sales representatives, solar engineers, and solar installation foremen) over the 12-month period in 2008 – 2009 .

However, 77% of employers surveyed cited having difficulty in recruiting entry-level employees with appropriate training and education. As other state markets are growing, states and localities across the U.S. are facing similar training challenges in meeting their burgeoning local solar industry. This lack of qualified installation personnel is a significant barrier to market expansion and widespread adoption of solar PV and solar heating and cooling (SHC) technologies and for ensuring the safe and high-quality installation of these systems.

SETP defines the PV and SHC installation workforce as the set of workers involved in the process of selling, designing, engineering, installing, commissioning, and repairing PV or SHC systems. The workers are in non-manufacturing occupations only, including public employees such as code officials.

Educational institutions face many challenges in developing programs to meet the needs of the growing solar industry. Increasingly, educational institutions are having difficulty finding qualified instructors to develop and teach courses and meet the student demand. While some curricula has been developed, there is not widespread use of any model curricula, and instructors are often forced to develop their courses and programs from scratch, sometimes without sufficient expertise in PV or SHC technologies. There is little opportunity to share best practices, and educational providers across the U.S. are grappling with similar training questions. Since the solar industry is relatively young, growing rapidly, and dependent on subsidies, labor market information and workforce development needs can be difficult to quantify, rendering planning difficult for workforce systems. Community college leaders and industry executives report that many community colleges are unable to meet the demand for training in their region because of critical capacity constraints such as insufficient resources to support training facilities and equipment, curriculum, faculty, and/or other elements necessary to provide the volume or quality of training industry requiries. There is a clear need for a nationally coordinated effort within the U.S. educational infrastructure to develop model curricula and best practices and to spread solar installation training to the local level.

This Topic intends to address the workforce development needs of the solar industry, both for grid-tied PV systems in residential, commercial, and utility markets, and for SHC systems. Funded activities are not intended to support off-grid PV applications. This activity will be carried out in close collaboration with the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Education.

Why Professional Solar Installation Matters

If you type "do it yourself (DIY) solar" into Google, you will get over 2.4 million hits. There are innumerable "instructional materials" in addition to sources for every component and tool you would need to do your own installation. Some packets of information are free, some cost up to $40, but most are collections of articles and Adobe PDF manuals showing how to make and install your own, energy-efficient, "green-approved" solar panels and other devices.

Read the fine print

The DIY plans gloss over the difficulties as they paint a rosy picture of these "hobbyists" making their homes green and eco-friendly. However, it is a big mistake to assume that people with building skills necessarily know about solar energy installations, or that people excited about "being green" know either carpentry or building codes. If you are going to complete any DIY solar project successfully, you will first have to get up to speed on all the skills required even to begin such a huge undertaking. For the vast majority of people there is a serious investment of time required for study, even before the first panel gets placed.

Why professional installation matters

Professional installers have seen it all – every kind of house, every type of roof, every potential obstacle – and have developed comprehensive problem-solving skills unique to these kinds of projects. Although some DIY solar-kit brochures make it sound like something anyone could do, installing solar panels and integrating them into your home's power grid is a complex undertaking. It requires diverse skills in construction, carpentry, and electrical wiring skills. Unless you can bring the same level of expertise and experience to the project as a professional, using a reputable installer will save you time and money while ensuring the highest quality of both materials and workmanship.

A reputable solar installer will know the ins and outs of the building codes and ordinances in your area, and also have information on all the federal, state, county and local grants, subsidies and rebate programs that can help offset the cost of the installation. Your "sunk costs" as a DIY'er include a substantial investment in tools, supplies and time, while using an installer's lets you "leverage" their long-term, cost-efficient commitments to the tools and technical skills needed for your solar installation.

The reasons for using an installer are many, it is in your economic and environmental interest to use them. The work will be guaranteed, and their expertise will be available to you for any needed repairs or upgrades. A final and important advantage is that you will be up and running faster, meaning that you will be saving money on energy sooner.