Solar Workshop Returns to Columbia
February 12, 2011Nationally Recognized Solar Expert Returns to Columbia for Workshop
COLUMBIA, SC – February 11, 2011 – The person highly involved with writing the photovoltaics (solar electricity) section of the National Electrical Code will be in Columbia, SC on May 3rd conducting a full-day workshop entitled “Photovoltaic Power Systems (Solar and the National Electrical Code)”. John Wiles is a Program Manager at the Southwest Technology Development Institute at New Mexico State University. He helps the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, electrical contractors, electrical inspectors, and PV professionals to understand the solar PV requirements of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Mr. Wiles serves as Secretary for the PV Industry Forum, a task group involved with Article 690 regarding solar of the NEC. Specifically, he drafted text for Article 690 in the 2005 and 2008 NEC Handbooks.
The seminar is a result of the huge success of last year’s event hosted by the City of Columbia. Ryan Coleman with Columbia’s Economic Development Office agrees with solar installers that “bringing John Wiles to South Carolina continues to be the most efficient way to bring the state’s level of solar education up to where it needs to be inspectors and professionals in the building industry and to continue to grow the renewable energy segment of our state’s economy.”
The title sponsor for the event is Comfort Services/Lennox. Comfort is the largest installer of Lennox heating and air conditioning systems in the Midlands. Lennox is the only manufacturer of solar-assisted HVAC systems in the country, branded as SunSource. More SunSource units have been sold in Columbia, SC than in any other city in the US. The workshop will provide six hours of continuing education credits to NABCEP photovoltaic installers, seven hours to American Institute of Architects (AIA) members, seven hours for electrical inspectors through the SC Chapter of the International Assn of Electrical Inspectors, and professional engineers will receive seven Professional Development Hours. The state of SC is going to pay for all municipal inspectors that are registered non-contract code enforcement officers. That would include: electrical, building, mechanical, plumbing, but not fire. The inspectors need to print this registration form Meade at LLR: SC Building Codes Council as soon as possible.
“We are fast approaching what many are now referring to as the perfect solar storm, when in only a few years, the cost of generating electricity through solar will not only equal, but will begin to drop below the traditional methods of electrical generation”, says Chris Salmon, NABCEP certified solar installer and head of Comfort Services’ Energy Solutions division, adding: “The solar industry is thus poised to explode and this workshop is a great way to prepare regulators, inspectors, and others affected.”
John Wiles bought his first code book in 1960 and installed his first PV system in 1984. He lived in an off-grid, PV/wind-powered home (permitted and inspected, of course) with his wife Patti, two dogs, and a cat for more than 16 years. His home currently has a 5 kW utility-interactive PV system will full-house battery backup. He has a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering.
The seminar, including lunch, will be held 8am to 5pm with sign-in starting at 7:30am on Tuesday May 3rd at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and will cost $89 per person or $69 per person for more than one from the same organization or $59 for students with ID. A $10.00 early bird discount is available for those registering by April 4, 2011. For more information and to register online for the presentation, visit http://johnwiles.eventbrite.com/ or click here for a registration form you can mail in.
To download a tri-fold brochure, click here. For other questions, please contact Mike Switzer, the workshop manager, at (803) 348-2236 or mike@magnoliamediainc.com.