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SOLAR INFORMATION AND THE PROCESS
Thank you for taking the time to visit our website and learning just how important solar energy is becoming to our environment! As you read this information please consider that we at Rochester Solar Technologies are dedicated to quality solar installations and NEC compliance. The safety and reliability of your system is our number one goal! Here is our process.
First, you need to know that it takes some time to go through all the steps to install a solar grid connected system. In addition to the system size and design decisions, your system must also be reviewed and approved by your local utility and by NYSERDA, and in some cases by your municipality, prior to installation. When the installation is completed there are a series of inspections before the system can be turned on. We tell our customers to expect this process to take 4-5 months from start to finish, although it is sometimes shorter. (The actual installation of the system only takes about 2-4 days depending the system size and weather conditions!) In some cases the installation can be spread out over several months depending on the complexity of the installation, and type of system.
We’ll now explain the process and timeframes for all of the steps along the way.
Site survey
At your site survey, we do the following:
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take a solar pathfinder reading, perform a shading analysis,
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discuss possible locations for PV panels and mounting,
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take photos to help us design which system is right for you,
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check your electrical panel box to see if an upgrade is needed,
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provide product literature on the proposed system,
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review your utility bill,
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answer any additional questions that you have, and
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assess whether drafting a system proposal is an appropriate next step.
Our site survey fees are:
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Rochester and surrounding suburbs - $60
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Buffalo and surrounding suburbs - $60
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Syracuse and surrounding suburbs - $60
Assuming that the site survey indicated that your site is a good candidate for a solar PV installation and you’re interested in proceeding, we are now working on a proposal for you.
Proposal
Once we have gathered the necessary information, we will begin to draft an initial proposal for you. First we will need to obtain an up-to-date quote for the materials from our distributors. Then we will draft a proposal which will detail the size of your solar PV system and its components. The costs for the materials, shipping, taxes, permits, and labor will all be detailed, as will the amounts of the NYSERDA incentives and your required investment in the system.
When the proposal is ready, we will contact you to review it with you. When you and RST are both satisfied with the details and any modifications to the proposal have been made, you will need to sign the proposal and pay an initial downpayment/engineering fee to proceed with the process. In some cases this one time fee is the only downpayment that is made.
Timeframe: 7-10 days plus any additional time you, the customer, needs to make your decision
System Design and Approval
Engineering
When we have settled on the details of your system, Shawn will draw up the design of your system including a roof array diagram, one line diagram, site map, and detailed electrical diagram. This design will help us with the installation and is necessary for the review of your local utility and NYSERDA.
NYSERDA Approval Document Preparation
NYSERDA requires a fair amount of paperwork to approve your system for its incentives program. As a NYSERDA certified installer, RST is required to complete this paperwork. When the forms are ready for submission to NYSERDA, we will contact you for your review and signature.
Utility Approval Document Preparation
If your system is to be grid-connected, your local utility must review the system design and approve it. Again, RST will complete this paperwork and contact you to review and sign it prior to submission.
Timeframe: 5 days plus any additional time to get your signature
Permits
Your local municipality may or may not require a building permit for installation of your solar PV system. More often wind turbines require permits than solar PV panels. Regardless, RST will contact your town, village, or city, to determine what, if any, permits are required. Additionally, we will work with you through the process, providing documentation as needed and attending any necessary meetings with your local government to get approval.
Timeframe: approximately 1-3 weeks (this can vary widely)
Waiting
At this point, there is mostly waiting –waiting for approval from NYSERDA and your utility.
Timeframe: approximately 1-4 weeks for NYSERDA approval
approximately 1-3 months for Utility approval
Approvals are in:
When your system has been approved by NYSERDA, your local utility, and your municipality, we will contact you. You should have already gotten a letter directly from your utility.
We will need to meet with you for some more signatures on forms required by NYSERDA. RST has 90 days to deliver materials to your home once NYSERDA has approved our application.
Timeframe: as little as one day, depending on customer availability
Ordering materials:
When your payment has cleared, RST will order the components of your system from our distributor. Again, RST has 90 days to deliver materials to your home once NYSERDA has approved our application.
Timeframe: up to five days for payment to clear through bank
1-2 weeks for materials to arrive
More signatures:
When your materials arrive, we will contact you to schedule delivery to your site. At this time, we will also need your signature on the NYSERDA Attachment E form. This certifies to NYSERDA that you have received your materials and allows them to process the first 75% of your incentives rebate to RST, as the installer. We will credit the full amount toward your balance due.
Timeframe: as little as one day, depending on customer availability
System installation:
The next step is to get your solar PV system installed. When your materials are delivered to you, we will discuss our proposed installation date dependent on the weather, our commitments to other installations, and any constraints that you may have.
Timeframe: In some cases the installation can take one or two days, while others can take a week or so, weather dependant. There may also be some instances where the installation is spread out over several weeks.
System completion and inspection:
Once we have completed installation of your solar PV system, we will need to start the inspection process. This includes first, an independent inspection from a certified inspection agency. Second is the utility inspection, which can take several weeks to setup. There may also be a Municipality inspection and a NYSERDA inspection.
Timeframe: 1-4 weeks, varies with utility and NYSERDA, and Municipality
Customer system review:
Prior to turning on your new solar PV system, we will schedule a time with you to review its operation. You will need to know how it works and how to read your meters. We will be glad to answer any questions that you have and want to make sure that you feel knowledgeable and confident about the day to day operation and utilization of your system. We are, of course, available to answer questions at any time they arise.
Timeframe: 1 day, dependent on customer availability
Finishing up the paperwork:
At this time, we will also need some more signatures from you and will submit the NYSERDA Attachment F form, which will allow NYSERDA to process the remaining 25% of your incentives rebate to RST. Any amounts received in excess of the balance due on your system will be promptly refunded to you, as per NYSERDA requirements and our own sense of good customer service.
Timeframe: 2-4 weeks
Meter reading:
Over the next two years, you will need to read your meters twice a year and provide us with those readings so that we can pass them on to NYSERDA. We will contact you when those readings are due and help you obtain them if necessary. We also now offer Fat Spaniel Solar internet monitoring for our clients.
Thank you for placing your confidence in Rochester Solar Technologies:
We hope that you have found this information sheet to be useful in understanding the process for installing a solar PV system for your home. We would be pleased to answer any additional questions you have.
We also hope that you have felt informed and satisfied in working through this process with us. Customer satisfaction is the highest goal of Rochester Solar Technologies.
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