Contractor Edition
2011 is going to be better… because the contrary is unacceptable. The market has slimmed and many businesses have been in capital preservation mode and local governments are strapped. This provides an opportunity as it has in past recessions. Just short of a business not being around for the recovery – there is opportunity due to a pending evolution in the energy world.
For over two years we have been participants in the emerging green jobs sector. Some think it’s a fad and others hoped for reversal of AB32. Well, that has not happened. Green businesses report they are busy. Green training programs report full attendance and developing waiting lists. Green vehicles are selling and electric vehicles have waiting lists. The State of California and the Investor Owned Utilities have come together for a joint campaign to Upgrade California. We also have large energy users being directed towards the retro commissioning in the face of real time pricing. There is a revival of performance contracting, be it under a new label. Compound this with the recent tax breaks and Congressman Garamendi’s pushing to make it in America so we can make it in America! We think the bottom has formed.
Within this Contractors Edition you should find hope, motivation and a partner – IBEW Local Union 180 – regardless if you have an office in Napa or Solano Counties. This is not the old “market recovery”, this is leading the market in the recovery. I welcome all signatory contractors to explore what awaits us.
WIND POWER IS NOT JUST IN BIG FARMS!
If you have driven down interstate 5 and noticed a single, lone, 1.5-MW wind turbine by a rock crushing plant then you have seen something new. New because it is a wind turbine behind the meter set-up for net metering. Just think about how net metering works on PV systems and replace the sun with wind.
Foundation Windpower is visiting all the prime wind resource areas – and Solano is sure a nice place for wind! We met the people from Foundation while helping the City of Dixon (more on that later) and learned this is the type of company we want to partner with.
Foundation is responsive! Have you ever had someone visit your site, make some comments, give ideas and then be told they will get back to you… and they don’t? Not these guys – they follow through and close them. When we step-up as the industry and attempt to help local government and business to reduce their costs and becoming more efficient – we need partners that can perform.
We personally introduced Foundation to every local government and business contact that could benefit from their wind power model – net metering with no upfront cost. We did this without signing a piece of paper that the work would go union but rather an understanding that if there was value in our introductions and leads we would like a shot at the work. After a number of successful meetings Foundation told us they have used Sprig Electric for some projects in the Central Valley and they would most likely use them for the Solano projects. Wonderful news for us as Sprig Electric is a signatory contractor and is doing the Frank Lin distillery project in Fairfield.
We hope to see about a dozen projects going in 2011.
HOW HARD IS IT TO DO A 6.7 MEGAWATT PV FARM?
It is almost like herding cats because there are so many moving parts to the PV farm puzzle. We came in on the finance end over a year ago. The Green Tech Power Group LLC is developing a PV brown fields to green fields project in American Canyon. Being this is in Napa County it is a PV farm and not a PV power plant; farms are “normal”. The Group started this when the credit market crashed and felt the impact of frozen credit. The solution for this was to turn to an entity that had funds to invest and would also benefit from creating green jobs and projects. That entity was the NEBF. With that hurdle behind us, the next hurdle was for The Group to find an experienced PV contractor to help push the project though the planning department and help on the details for the installation. We provided a list of contractors and Asera was very impressed by the first company interviewed and went no further. Napa Electrical was given a letter of intent and helped move the project to the next obstacle.
It took months to overcome local government staff changes and working with the host for final site arrangement/easement approval and then PG&E for the various agreements. With each site “adjustment” the system’s total output changed – this changed everything. The economic model changed, the finance changed, the interconnect and the power purchase agreement changed. We had to finally ask our elected officials – “why are you trying to kill this project with red tape?”. Shortly the red tape parted and the ground breaking is now scheduled for early January 2011.
This is an example of how the Local Union was able to put the missing pieces together, use the open door with our elected officials and put our pension money to work creating work. Bring us your ideas and let’s see how we can make it work. In the meantime, The Group is not sitting still and is off on an ambitious plan for 250MW of PV on Mare Island in a long-term phased project. Even if it only becomes half the size as proposed – it’s still a nice size project.
Who’s not going away and has income?
Answer: Local government, school districts and special districts.
While strapped for cash they do have cash flow and the need to reduce the outflow for energy. This concept was applied in the late 1980’s up to the point of electrical deregulation. Performance contracting was given a bad rap because the energy service companies (ESCO) normally fared better than the customers. The same laws still apply and that is why you see school districts doing grand PV projects that do not go out to bid. In fact you normally do not hear about them until the grand opening when they show off how much money and carbon they will be saving.
The seeds for a new approach were planted in 2006 when Dixon developed a strategic energy plan while other local governments were looking at community choice aggregation. Part of the plan was to entertain unsolicited proposals for energy reduction and cost savings and act on such if it the savings funded the project. The plan was posted on the internet and shared with other cities. Dixon then put out a RFP for a city wide energy reduction and/or renewable project. A local Solano business has entered into the final stages of developing projects. The width and depth of the projects are great.
Benicia moved in a similar direction with a climate action plan. Benicia should see the same results and is close to final approval with Chevron Energy Services for a number of projects. Additionally, Benicia is interested in the Dixon approach and there will be a presentation to the Benicia Sustainability Commission very soon.
That is two cities down and five to go, as we are now moving to Vacaville for wind turbines, PV and energy efficient.From The Pew Charitable Trusts: “Our data show that 65 percent of today’s clean energy economy jobs are in the category of Conservation and Pollution Mitigation—a sector that reflects the growing recognition among the public, policy makers and business leaders of the need to recycle waste, conserve water and mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants. But three other categories—Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency and Environmentally Friendly Production—are growing at a far faster clip. And about 80 percent of venture capital investments in 2008 were in the sectors of Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency: businesses and jobs working to develop clean, renewable energy”
The data for California shows there are 10,209 clean businesses creating 125,390 jobs resulting in a 7.7% growth in clean jobs between 1998-2007 with $6,580,427 in venture capital. This is while groups campaigned to over turn AB32—Green House Gas Reduction. One could only speculate how the market will take-off after the sound defeat of Prop. 23.
Read more here
Commercial buildings can save up to 40% in energy savings by simply turning lights off in unoccupied offices, conference rooms, and restrooms during business hours.
California Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program (CALCTP) partner utilities, which encompass over 90% of the California market, will require CALCTP-certified contractors and CALCTP-certified general electricians for installation. Bruce Gourley and Mike Smith are certified instructors for the CALCTP. In November the JATC will start classes for members to become CALCTP-certified.
Bruce Gourley is teaching day classes running Monday through Friday starting at 8:00 A.M. Mike Smith will teach a night class starting on January 4th to offer flexibility and certify members as soon as possible. The training boards (shown at right) are located in the shop of the Training Center/Union Hall. Two students are trained on each side with one instructor supervising eight students max. Therefore, a class of eight will have 32 hours of “hands-on” and eight hours in the classroom. There is no cost for the class!
The training hours will qualify for the State Recertification continuing education requirement. For the people on the class interest list—the JATC will be calling you very soon and looking for teacher’s aides from the attendees of the first class. If you have not signed up—call the JATC at 251-0315 and let them know if you want day or night classes.
The California Advanced Lighting Controls Training Program (CALCTP) is a statewide initiative aimed at increasing the use of lighting controls in commercial buildings and industrial facilities.
Through proper installation, advanced lighting controls improve energy efficiency in commercial facilities and save significant dollars. CALCTP will educate, train and certify licensed electrical contractors, and state certified general electricians in the proper design, installation and commissioning of advanced lighting control systems.
What are the prerequisites? Because the lecture and lab work move along at a challenging pace, all participants must be equally prepared prior to enrollment. The prerequisite studies are on the Lighting Controls Association website—modules EE101, EE102, EE103, and EE201 (Approximately 12 hours). You can start now. These courses can be found at:
http://www.aboutlightingcontrols.org/Education_Express/accr_orgs.php.
DATE: November 23, 2010 BULLETIN: 10-19
CSLB Announces Zero-Tolerance for C-10 Requirement Violations
Only Certified Electricians to Perform Work as Electricians
SACRAMENTO – Effective immediately, the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) establishes a zero-tolerance enforcement policy and will issue legal action against any C-10 Electrical contractor who willfully employs even one uncertified electrician to perform work as an electrician. CSLB is legally required to open an investigation and initiate disciplinary action against the contractor, which may include license suspension or revocation, within 60 days of receipt of a referral or complaint from the Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).
Subsections within Labor Code Section 3099 clearly state that certification by DAS is required for anyone who performs work as an electrician for C-10 Electrical contractors. DAS is required by Labor Code Section 3099.2 to report violations to CSLB.
Electricians are defined as all persons who engage in the connection of electrical devices for C-10 contractors. It is CSLB’s position that electrical work must be performed by a certified electrician or an approved apprentice. Trenching, concrete, framing, and other work that does not involve connecting electrical devices may be performed by noncertified workers.
Questions regarding this CSLB enforcement policy should be directed to Brian Gedney (916) 255-4435.
Residential is just the beginning of this effort that starts with a $10-Mil roll-out right about now. Some of you reading this can focus on the residential market, even if the upgrade opportunities are limited. Typically the energy retrofit is more around the weatherizing and HVAC system. Under the new rules these must be done before the remaining usage can be offset with renewable like PV and wind.
The opportunity here is connection with the weatherizing and HVAC contractors and the Energy UPgrade CA website. When asked for a PV or wind quote you will need to bring in these partners and approach the project via the “whole house” approach. The flip side is that the HVAC folks will include you on the offset end of the project. The offshoot of this is an aware homeowner/renter that can bring this mindset of conservation/efficiency back to their employer or their own business.
If we look at this energy retrofit market in the way a boat owner views their boat – a hole in the water you throw money into. We are fully aware that the residential market is very wide hole with 13-mil homes… it’s just not that deep. However, the nonresidential market is very deep. That is the boat you want to be in.
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We have to be ready.
Contractors need to be in this program, on this website to benefit from the Solano County effort to create green jobs through projects: The Solano Green Business Council.
SOLANO COMMUNITY COLLEGE GREEN TRAINING NEWS
Solano Community College will offer an introduction to the following Green Technologies and Concepts:
Green and/or Sustainable Background, Construction Types, Skills, Disciplines and Phases, Project Management Concepts and Responsibilities, Energy and Environmental Concerns, Realities, and Fundamentals, Current and Future Energy Demands, Reserves and Alternatives, Green and/or Sustainable Design, Construction, Rehab and or Development, Green Materials and Resources, Retrofits and Energy Efficiency Technology, Principles and Methodology, Water Efficient Building and Retrofits, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Solar Hot Water Installation and Design Principles, Solar Electricity Installation and Design Principles (Residential & Commercial), Indoor Environmental Quality, Green Entrepreneurial Training.
This program is targeted to assist Veterans and unemployed persons in Solano County by providing an opportunity for Students to pursue professions and employment in the emerging Green Economy. Eligibility requirements for enrollment:
1. Must be 18 years or older
2. Right to work in the United States
3. Males must have Selective Service Registration
4. A valid Driver's license or ID card
5. Social Security Account number or Certification of Report of Birth.
The Fall semester is underway and they are planning and scheduling the 2011 Spring semester that will includes the following certification classes:
HERS II (needed for state rebate programs)
BPI Building Analyst (needed for state rebate programs)
Program Contact Info:
Andy Trotter, Green Education Program Manager
E-mail: trottatj@aol.com
Phone Number: (707) 480-9507
Is Sustainability a fad?
Infineon Raceway announced a New Sustainability Initiative and will install new dual sided, solar-powered LED display board along Highway 37.
Over 1,600 solar panels will be installed at the raceway to provide over forty percent of the raceway’s overall energy usage. The installation will take only three months. Who cares if it is a fad as long as it saves energy and creates jobs!
The cities of Dixon and Benicia are moving forward on sustainability projects that will reduce the operational cost of government.
These projects are created by motivated people spending a lot of time and human energy. They are not found on the bidder services or on the internet.
Once a person receives the training they see the opportunities and start proposing projects. As we said for years, the opportunities are the exiting customer base waiting for you to show the them how to save green—the green that says “In God We Trust” on it!The Vision for Leading the Market
Up until this point we have reporting on our adventures in the market, now we would like to share a vision for creating a market. As stated earlier, we have been involved in the green jobs / projects sector for a few years. We see the whole plan evolving before us. Call it a vision or a dream; we think it can be reality for our industry with understanding and the right partnership.
Local Union 180 is open, very open, to partnerships and to the public. We team with nonprofits for training opportunities and outreach in Napa and Solano. At the beginning of 2010 the Local hosted, at no cost, the first ever PG&E energy auditing class to be taught outside of a PG&E facility. Over four days, upstairs in our meeting space, we had the membership, contractors, local businesses and workforce investment board folks all training together. PG&E had additional reps and customers attend that normally could not accommodate a trip to a PG&E training center.
Some great networking took place and we discussed opportunities for internships and also share a vision with a few people that we want to share with you.
Our hope was that after the four day training class we would shortly thereafter receive an unsolicited proposal for a cutting edge efficiency and renewable offset project from one of the designers, engineers or contractors – or a team of such. With such a proposal we would seek the building trusts approval and move forward.
For such a project the existing conditions would be well documented both as data and visual appearance. The retrofit would also be very well visually documented and data would be captured to be used as a learning tool for future classes on performing, bidding, proposing and managing like projects. Upon project completion we would showcase the building, the results and the team. Local school boards and elected officials would view a presentation of the retrofit project on their yearly Napa and Solano Counties apprenticeship tour.
But it does not end there. We would hold a monthly morning continental breakfast and invite targeted groups to tour and view the presentation of the project. They would be able to see the before and after (experience the technology and results). The invitation would recommend they bring along one summer and winter PG&E bill (or the entire year) and their building’s basic info so they can talk with contractors, engineers, permitting people, meet the people from PG&E to discuss rebates and talk with companies that can finance the project from the savings. The building would be available to any contractor or engineer (using signatory contractors) as an industry showcase for materials and methods.
While this vision has been shared with a number of members, contractors and engineers… we have not had the follow through we hoped. Can you see the benefit to an industry showcase for energy efficiency and renewable technologies? If you can, help us make it a goal for 2011 and show the consumers in Napa and Solano counties our partnership DOES this work and we have the bricks, mortar, solar and wind to prove it.
Dan Broadwater, Business Manager
UNION BUILT MEANS BETTER BUILT
You want a “ no-worry” electrical system installed in your home safe, reliable and guaranteed. Then you need an electrical system installed by a union electrical contractor. That’s right– UNION! A competent union electrical contractor who employs qualified IBEW union electricians.
Each IBEW journeyman learns the trade through a 3 to 5 year Apprenticeship program. This extensive training combines on–the-job practical experience with classroom theory and testing. And the training doesn’t stop there. Continuing education constantly up-dates the union electrician’s skills through programs sponsored by the IBEW and NECA.
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