Why Your Solar Provider Needs to be NABCEP Certified
After picking the best solar equipment and design for your home, it’s time to pick the right installer. A good installer will make installation a breeze, but it’s important to make sure that they have the right knowledge to ensure your project is installed correctly. Unfortunately, there are many unqualified solar installers with no background in electrical contracting. Furthermore, solar installation requires specialized knowledge that is often not even covered by exams for an Electrical Contractor license. Electrical contractors with the legal credentials to install solar modules may still lack the necessary expertise to design and build secure, efficient solar systems.
How do you pick a good solar installer?
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certification is one way to guarantee that an installer has solar experience and is knowledgeable. NABCEP is a nonprofit founded in 2002 with the mission “to support, and work with, the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries, professionals, and stakeholders to develop and implement quality credentialing and certification programs for practitioners.” The professional accreditation and certification organization lets homeowners know which installers have the necessary solar expertise to make projects a success.
How do installers become NABCEP-certified?
To become NABCEP-certified, installers must:
- Pass an exam
- Sign a code of ethics
- Possess at least one year of installation experience
Additionally, installers may attend continuing education courses in preparation for re-certification, which is required every three years. The recertification process ensures that installers stay up to date on the latest solar installation developments.
As the premier and most widely recognized national certification organization for renewable energy professionals, NABCEP has set a well-respected competency standard. Many states prefer or require the organization’s certification for solar system installations to be eligible for governmental incentives. The Department of Energy and NABCEP recently partnered to create three new certification programs for PV Design Specialists, PV Installer Specialists, and PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialists. As the American solar industry continues to grow, NABCEP will likely play an increasingly important role as more states begin requiring the organization’s certification.
At Solar.com, we have an extensive installer vetting process that requires applicants to have NABCEP certification, three or more years of experience installing solar PV, excellent references and testimonials, and more. We’re so confident in the quality of our installers’ workmanship that we even offer the industry’s only Tri-Guard Guarantee: protection that includes the manufacturer’s warranty, installer workmanship warranty, and the twelve-month Solar.com Production Guarantee.
