Page 35 - Oil & Energy - March 2013
Basic HTML Version
March 2013 • 35
because that is where much of the instal-
lation work will be in the years ahead.
State and federal agencies are developing
incentive programs that favor alternative
energy programs, such as New Hampshire’s
Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards Law,
which rewards homeowners for replacing
non-renewable energy sources like oil
with renewable sources such as solar.
By combining incentives, a consumer can
earn a rebate or credit on the installation
and get an ongoing rate decrease for using
renewables.
Heatspring offers both live and
online training for solar and geothermal.
For information and class schedules, visit
.
SUPERIOR EFFICIENCY
Solar thermal training is also avail-
able from Everblue. Program Manager
Teal Brown told
Oil & Energy
that while
solar photovoltaic (electricity generation)
gets all the headlines, solar thermal is a
more efficient technology. “Solar heating
typically costs less and produces more
in terms of energy offset than solar PV,
making it a superior investment,” he said.
“Heating a swimming pool is one of the
most profound examples of the benefit of
solar heating. Savings can offset the invest-
ment in as little as one to two years in this
application.”
To sell solar thermal effectively, a com-
pany must add a variety of skills, including
site assessment, system design and HVAC
mechanical integration. Salespeople must
also learn about financial incentive and
rebate programs. “To become comfort-
able with the technology, I recommend
enrolling in formal training that will qualify
a candidate for the NABCEP Solar Heating
Installer Certification process,” Brown said.
Everblue offers a 40-hour Solar Heating
Associate course that is based on NABCEP’s
Entry Level learning objectives.
Brown also recommends that companies
familiarize themselves with the incentive
programs listed by the Database of State
Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
(DSIRE) at
Everblue’s
training schedule is available online at
.
(Next month, a look at Energy Kinetics’
Smart Solar.)
Energy Alternatives
With a Little Training Dealers
Can Install Solar, Geothermal
OILHEAT DEALERS CAN BE GREAT AT
alternative energy installation and service
because they understand home comfort
and have existing customer bases that may
be receptive to their marketing efforts,
according to alternative energy trainers.
Despite their natural advantages, how-
ever, Oilheat companies may need to learn
the finer points of selling alternative energy
systemsandsizingtheequipment,thetrainers
say. Chris Williams, Chief Marketing Officer
for Heatspring Learning Institute, told
Oil &
Energy
that achieving standard certifications
can help companies succeed with solar or
geothermal installations.
For solar thermal, the North American
Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
(NABCEP) offers voluntary Solar Heating
Installer Certification that is useful for
learning solar installation and establishing
a company’s solar thermal expertise. For
geothermal, the International Ground
Source Heat Pump Association (IGSHPA)
offers installer certification.
Williams recommends that companies
wishing to sell solar thermal or geothermal
get one or two employees certified. Many
Oilheat professionals already possess 90
percent of the knowledge they need to
handle geothermal, he said.
Geothermal requires a precise approach
to sizing, because it is not easy to match
heat load and heating capacity, according to
Williams. “You need to learn some specifics
on design and installation and get familiar
with the technology,” he said.
Oilheat professionals may also need to
learn methods for selling alternative energy
systems, according to Williams. These
include learning to compare the customer’s
energy costs before and after an installation
and understanding the available incentive
programs.
PARTNERING FOR GEOTHERMAL
Oilheat companies that want to offer
geothermal to customers generally leverage
their customer relationships and sales
experience to take the lead role in sales,
according to Williams. Typically they will
handle all the work inside the home and the
system setup while partnering with a driller
to install the geothermal wells.
Williams said it makes sense for Oilheat
dealers to install alternative energy systems,
This electronic register is a
IXOO\ LQWHJUDWHG ÀRZ FRPSXWHU
engineered to control all your
GHOLYHU\ RSHUDWLRQV
/DUJH 9*$ &RORU 'LVSOD\ 6FUHHQ
%DFNOLW $OSKD 1XPHULF .H\SDG
0XOWLSOH 9DOYH 3XPS &RQWURO
3UHVHW 3ULFH RU *DOORQV
2SWLRQDO *36 7UDFNLQJ :LUHOHVV
&RPPXQLFDWLRQ
&KDUOHVWRQ 3ODFH
)RUW :D\QH ,1
7ROO )UHH
/RFDO
TCS 3000
ELECTRONIC
FEATURES
CONTACT
REGISTER
