Today, there are more people employed in the solar industry than there are by the three investor-owned utilities in the state of California. Each day these companies connect thousands of solar power systems to the grid. While utility companies are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to ensure safe grid operation, there is no regulatory body that mandates solar companies adhere to similarly strict rules and guidelines to ensure the safe operation of the solar power systems they are installing.

Seeing potential problems for the industry on the horizon as a result, today a few companies now voluntarily comply with a rigid set of principles and installation practices put forth by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) in an effort to seek accreditation.  Sullivan Solar Power, the largest solar integrator in the San Diego Gas and Electric utility territory, has become the first and only professionally accredited solar company in San Diego.

The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners developed a company accreditation program that provides consumers a way to find companies that are committed to high quality installation standards and adhere to industry best practices; hiring fully trained and qualified staff; safe work practices; and customer accountability. While thousands of working professionals have received technical certifications from NABCEP, San Diego-headquartered Sullivan Solar Power has been recognized as the fourth and largest solar firm to receive company-wide accreditation in the United States.

“For more than a decade, Sullivan Solar Power has prided ourselves on providing the best trained, qualified professionals and quality systems that the solar industry has to offer,” said Daniel Sullivan, founder and president of Sullivan Solar Power, “We are honored NABCEP has accredited us as it validates our approach to project implementation to meet the highest standards in the country.”

Since the company’s inception, Sullivan Solar Power’s electricians receive more than 5,000-hours of training. The company has developed a rigid quality assurance and quality control program that has allowed the firm to secure multiple contracts with high-profile clients with rigorous qualification criteria such as San Diego State University, University of California San Diego, SDG&E, the Port of Long Beach and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command.

Sullivan Solar Power began pursuing NABCEP accreditation in May 2013 in an effort to secure third party validation of its processes and procedures and to secure certification for all its team members. Every employee within the company must secure NABCEP entry level certificates at a minimum, all sales and marketing personnel must secure NABCEP technical sales certifications, and all project managers must secure NABCEP installer certification as a condition of continued employment. Sullivan invested more than $100,000 in training to prepare its teams for testing.   
“As one of the first NABCEP Accredited PV Installation Companies in the country, Sullivan Solar Power has demonstrated their commitment to delivering a high quality sales and installation process to each and every one of their customers,” said Richard Lawrence, executive director of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, “Choosing a NABCEP Accredited PV Installation Company, like Sullivan Solar Power, helps to ensure that your PV system will be designed and installed by trained professionals using industry best practices.”  

Sullivan Solar Power
www.sullivansolarpower.com