Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association

MSEIA is a solar energy trade and advocacy organization representing New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Established in 1997 by solar energy advocates, it is an historic and highly-effective membership organization that consists of solar developers, contractors, manufacturers, architects, engineers, consultants and other industry professionals.

In addition to policy advocacy on the state and federal level, MSEIA works with local governments to encourage and aid in the development and rapid adoption of solar installations. The result is a new renewable energy economy which fosters green jobs and decreases the use of fossil fuels.

MSEIA is an IRS approved 501 C-6 non-profit organization.and is a regional chapter of the national Solar Energy Industries Association.

Note: The MSEIA WEBSITE BEING COMPLETELY RE-DESIGNED, UPDATED, & IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION - EXCITING NEW MEMBER SECTION, COMMUNICATION & MARKETING SECTION TO BE LAUNCHED IN JANUARY 2010. Thank you for your patience.

MSEIA Annual Meeting
and Annual Election of Officers

Thursday- January 21st, 2010 4:00 – 8:00 PM

Rutgers EcoComplex, Bordentown, NJ www.ecocomplex.rutgers.edu

The MSEIA President, Vice-President for NJ, Vice-President for PA, Vice-President for Delaware, Secretary, and Treasurer await your nomination for re-election of members or election of new members in currently good standing. Members in good standing may nominate another member for an officer position by emailing the Executive Director: dphillips@mseia.net by January 14th, 2010 and making the request. Nominations accepted will be placed on the ballot as a candidate for the 1/21/10 election.

NEW SOLAR RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD PASSES NJ LEGISLATURE – GOES TO GOVERNOR

Scale up from 2011: 195 GWhrs to Year 2026: 5,316 GWhrs and increase 20% annually thereafter.

On the last day of NJ Lame Duck Session, the New Jersey Legislature passed historic new solar legislation that extends the state’s Solar Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to the year 2026, extends a REC life to two additional years, and in effort to provide improved regulatory security, a 15 year SACP.

While this legislation does not contain some of the key policy changes MSEIA recommended, such as mandating long term contracts fo photovoltaics, and an amendment to prevent monopolization (entity cap), it is historic in that it codifies and extends the RPS, giving some confidence to investors, who have been on edge waiting for it. The bill now goes to Governor Corzine to sign it.

The new NJ RPS solar requirement is a gradual increase from 2011 at 195 GWhrs to 5,316 GWhrs of “solar electric power” to be purchased by the year ending 2026 and every year thereafter at least 5,316 GWhrs and increase 20% annually thereafter providing certain conditions are met (with utility pre-existing contracts exempt).

This legislation is a key step forward for solar energy development and lays the groundwork for critical new solar policies that can take photovoltaics exponentially beyond current levels. We thank Assemblyman Chivukula and Senator Bob Smith for their dedication to moving this permanent solar requirement through the legislature. We anticipate that Governor Corzine will sign the legislation rapidly.

NJ LEGISLATURE PASSES SECOND PREVAILING WAGE MANDATE IMPOSED BYPASSING NJ CLEAN ENERGY PROGRAM AND REQUIRING DEPT. OF LABOR FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION

MSEIA APPEALS TO GOVERNOR-ELECT CHRISTIE TO HALT PREVAILING WAGE RULES ONCE IN OFFICE

In another major action affecting solar energy projects, the New Jersey Legislature passed the second prevailing wage legislation, A.4293/S.3028, in the NJ Senate along party lines, 24-13. It now heads to Governor Corzine for signature. Due to political support from numerous unions during the NJ election, we expect Governor Corzine to sign this legislation, which will likely happen rather shortly. A.4293 (DeAngelo D-14) (Buono D-18) circumvents the NJBPU rule-making process, which exempted SREC financed PV projects and residential PV projects from the prevailing wage law.

Please take note that MSEIA has already taken action on the anticipated passage of this legislation, which was a fast-moving train. The MSEIA ExCom has met with Governor-Elect Christie’s administration about the concerns and problems of this legislation and its potential adverse impact on the cost of solar energy, solar projects, and to clean energy jobs in NJ.

MSEIA will be following up with the Governor-Elect Christie administration as Governor Christie is sworn in – January 19th.

MSEIA will also continue our discussion with other organizations on a course of litigation on both prevailing wage bills – we will keep you updated.

Please see the Action Alert Below for Action needed on a New Prevailing Wage bill fast-tracked for a final vote

Several bills concerning solar and solar installations have moved through the legislature’s committee process and are pending a floor vote in this lame duck session ending January 11th, 2010. The legislation moving includes:

S.3028/A.4239 Mandates Prevailing Wage for all private solar installations except residential – bypasses the BPU pending regulations (oppose)

A.3520/S.2441- The Solar Advancement and Fair Competition Act – Increases the RPS to 2026 and sets a 15 yr. SACP and two year REC life (support) expected to pass

S.1538/A.2859 – Permits up to 2 MW of installed PV on Farmland Preserved with Farmland Preservation Act Funds (no position)

S.1096/A.3218 – Creates Solar and Wind Energy Commission to study the feasibility of installing solar or wind on state property (expected to pass both houses) (no position)

A.3616 – Requires PV modules installed on state facilities be manufactured in NJ (Senate version has not moved yet)

· HB 80 – the critical Renewable Energy Bill that will launch solar growth has been delayed again to the week of January 12th! Calls and Letters Needed to Force Vote! Contact MSEIA Lobbyist Maureen Mulligan to help: maureenm@pa.net

· Rulemaking on SRECS – Opportunity for comment forthcoming: SRECs for small projects - coming out shortly in the next PA Bulletin

· National SEIA Chooses Philadelphia again for Major PV America Trade Show April 3 -5 2011

· Governor Rendell Announces $10MM in Funding for 9.1 MW of PV Projects Through the Commonwealth Financing Authority

· MSEIA ExCOM votes to change organizational structure to create more efficient and responsive structure for Pennsylvania members

· Governor’s office and NJ Treasurer take $30 MM of SACP funds designated for NJ Clean Energy Program RE rebates and place in the state’s general budget. MSEIA told of the action after the fact. MSEIA will strongly oppose in the future.

· Governor Corzine and Governor-Elect Christie reach settlement on BPU open Commissioner seat – The Governor-Elect will appoint will fill the next Commissioner seat and designate the BPU President

· MSEIA to join NJ Coalition launched to litigate prevailing wage with Independent Electrical Contractors

· MSEIA forms Classification, Training, & Certification Work Group – Volunteers needed

· NJBPU Approves Proposed Rule for Prevailing Wage – Eliminates Consideration of SREC Projects

· NJ BPU Office of Clean Energy Technical Work Group Meeting Held – New Technical Info for Installers and Integrators

· NJ Office of Clean Energy Asks MSEIA for SACP Technical Work Group Representation

· NJBPU Loses Renewable Energy Advocate - Chief of Policy Lance Miller Retires – Recognition Dinner January 12th

· GE Solar Shuts down Delaware manufacturing facility – setting back Delaware PV manufacturing again.

· MSEIA Seeks new Vice President for Delaware: Andy Meserve, VP of Delaware for MSEIA for several years, respectfully thanks MSEIA for the opportunity, but cannot accept the nomination for MSEIA VP -Delaware in 2010. We hope Andy will attend the January 21st MSEIA Annual Meeting to report on Delaware and allow us to honor his service!

NEW CRYSTALLINE MODULES, MADE OF U.S. COMPONENTS AVAILABLE THROUGH MSEIA MEMBER APPLIED PV: Applied Photovoltaics, a MSEIA business member based in Pennington, NJ, wishes to announce that it is now a sales agent for an internationally recognized solar module manufacturer featuring high power mono and polycrystalline pv modules, which consist of over 90% American content. The manufacturer has established a quality management system to meet the ISO 9001-2008 standard. Both types of modules are UL certified and are backed by the best power and product warranty in the industry. Specifications and details are on their new website at www.appliedpv.co or contact Jeff Szczepanski at 609- 818-0880 . (Note that this news is being provided as a one-time service because MSEIA’s new member website is not available yet).

MSEIA HAS A HOME, OFFICE SPACE & MEETING SPACE at the Rutgers EcoComplex! Good News! MSEIA has been approved as an Incubator Business Partner with the Rutgers EcoComplex Center. Earlier this month, the EcoComplex and the Burlington Board of Chosen Freeholders approve MSEIA’s application. MSEIA now has a home for 3 years to assist with our organization growth – which in turn will help solar businesses in the region grow and become secure. There will be numerous opportunities for new business relationships, networking and local conferences, solar demonstration projects, and helping to shape solar projects and policy at the EcoComplex itself, particularly with the farming community and numerous other constituencies Rutgers works with. MSEIA thanks Mark Galgano, P.E., Business Specialist and Pat Murray for first introducing MSEIA to the Rutgers EcoComplex.

Called by the NJ Board of Public Utilities Dept. of Law /Deputy Attorney General to hear opinions on how the BPU should implement the prevailing wage law – This meeting will affect the type of rule they will write to implement the law.

If you believe that private solar projects should not be subject to this law and that it will hurt your business,

Note: The NJCEP staff will not be present – this is hearing by the legal staff

PENNSYLVANIA DEP TO HOLD KEY MEETING WITH INSTALLERS ON THE SUNSHINE REBATE PROGRAM POLICIES. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2009 10 AM – NOON RACHEL CARSON DEP BUILDING HARRISBURG, PA

This meeting is for PV installers already approved and part of the PA DEP Sunshine program installer list. Along with the NJDEP, the L& I Department and the PUC will be included in the meeting.

The minutes of the last PA Policy Committee meeting were distributed last week which briefs everyone on the concerns and program change requests to be brought up Wednesday.

Clean Energy Jobs to Decrease; Solar Energy Costs to Increase; Electrical Ratepayers to Suffer Higher Costs under Anti-Solar Legislation Now at Governor’s Desk
NJ Solar Energy Businesses, Electrical Contractors, & Solar Workers Call on Governor Corzine to VETO S.2340/A.3372
press release pdf

HB80 will increase the amount of solar power by a factor of six, and lead to the development of 10,000 megawatts of new renewable energy generation. This legislation would extend the timeline for the Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards (AEPS) act to 2026 and strengthen Pennsylvania's competitive position by sending a strong, long-term market signal for new investment.

Importantly, HB80 also has the potential to include solar thermal as a part of our state’s solar share – the first program of its kind in the country! Tens of thousands of green jobs will also be created.

Email your State Representative now. Urge him or her to be a leader in the fight against global warming and support solar and green jobs in PA by voting for HB 80. (A sample letter is attached to email/fax to your representative!) Find your rep here: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm

This is a critical moment in supporting HB80, which will increase renewable energy production in PA – please join PA MSEIA in pushing for this legislation!

More PA Updates Coming Soon: PA Sunshine Program status; Long-term contracts; Growing MSEIA PA

URGENT ACTION NEEDED BY ALL NJ SOLAR INSTALLERS ON ANTI-SOLAR LEGISLATION ON PREVAILING WAGE RATES ON PV LABOR

If your business is located in New Jersey, or if you live in New Jersey, it is critical that you pick up the phone and make a call to your State Senator within the next two days. The purpose is to ask the Senator to vote against S.2340/A.3372 , the Prevailing Wage Bill that applies to all BPU – including all renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. It is legislation that has been requested and is being aggressively lobbied for by the I.B.E.W.

Attached please find a detailed position paper sent to Senator Sweeney, the sponsor of the legislation, and the NJ Senate Majority Leader that you can use for pointers and to get fired up.

Below, please find a short script that you can use on the call. I encourage calls – they are far more effective than emails. The best yet is a written letter, but we do not have that kind of time. Feel free to send the attached position paper to your Senator’s office.

Click on the link above which takes you to an interactive geographical map. Find your district and click on it.

Your State Senator and two Assembly members will come up along with their phone numbers and mailing addresses.

Click on the red underlined name of your State Senator and their Home Page will come up.

Click on the area that says “Contact Your Legislator” — Up will come an interactive page in fill in with your name, and yes, your message.

If you Call: Ask for the Chief of Staff, or Legislative Aide that works with Labor legislation. Identify yourself and ask if the Senator has a position on S.2340. If not or undecided ask them to oppose it using the rap below. If supporting, ask them to consider voting against it, and ask if you can email the MSEIA position paper sent to Senator Sweeney. Ask them to follow up with you. Remember that the legislature works for you and not vice versa.

NOTE: Contact only your State Senator where your business or residence is. Residence is better. – NJ Citizens only – If you are a PA or Delaware or NY business and do work in New Jersey, please have a couple of key customers based in NJ call or write, and also any employees who live in NJ.

This is a critically important request – please take the time, because the results will not only affect NJ, but PA, and Delaware, and every other state in the nation.

Dear Senator ______:

I am writing to you as a solar energy business owner (or employee) in New Jersey. I respectfully request that you vote against S.2340/A.3372, which is on second reading in the Senate. This legislation will increase the labor costs of installing solar electric (PV) systems by 180% and overall project costs by 10 – 30%. The result will be a net loss of green jobs and solar energy in the state as contracts fail, and as investors refuse to finance the projects. Financing is critical to the installation of solar energy – with these increases, combined with numerous other obstacles to the growth of solar, the NJ Legislature will be impeding the growth of solar and be responsible for a net LOSS of green energy jobs. I urge your vote of NO on S.2340/A.3372.

Thank you very much,

name
address
phone #

MSEIA POSITION PAPER ON PREVAILING WAGE MANDATE FOR SREC BASED SOLAR PROJECTS:

PV Installers: The NJ BPU IS HOLDING PUBLIC HEARINGS NEXT WEEK TO TAKE TESTIMONY ON The PSEG SOLAR 4 ALL 120 MW SOLICITATION and THE SOLAR LOAN II PROGRAM.

June 22nd : Newark, NJ 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM
NJBPU 8th Conf Rm. Gateway Two Center, Newark

June 23rd New Brunswick, NJ 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM
Middlesex Co. Admin. Bldg. JFK Square, New Brunswick, NJ

June 25th Mt. Holly, NJ 3:30 PM and 5:30 PM
Burlington Co. Admin. Bldg.
49 Rancocas Rd. Mt. Holly, NJ

MSEIA Members Attend Commonwealth Financing Authority meeting
Vote in Harrisburg - Urge Passage of PA Sunshine Program

Harrisburg – April 13, 2009 – Mid-Atlantic SEIA members filled seats at the Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA) meeting at Dixon University Center today. Commonwealth Financing Authority is tasked with raising the bonds to fund the Pennsylvania Sunshine Program that was passed under Act #1 last July. With standing room only, a crowd of nearly 30 PA and NJ solar installers, integrators, financiers and other stakeholders, representing 18 companies, attended the CFA meeting. These stakeholders were organized in support the CFA board’s raising of $100M in bonds and approving guidelines for the PA Sunshine Program.

In the run-up to this meeting, MSEIA suggested to its members at a recent quarterly meeting that it was time to go to Harrisburg to ask the members of the CFA’s board to open the rebate program. “Rebates bring down the cost of both solar PV and solar thermal systems and are the primary driving force needed to make solar more affordable for residents and businesses, at the same time creating many hundreds of direct green jobs,” states Ron Celentano, vice president of MSEIA.

After an initial period of discussion between CFA board members and staff, Ron Celentano made a short public statement on behalf of the organization and its members. Celentano highlighted the urgency of raising the bond money needed to fund rebates. He emphasized several points including that new staff are trained, hired and ready to go; hundreds of consumers are waiting with signed contracts, and solar panel inventory has been sitting idle.

After a short break, the CFA reconvened to unanimously approve the bond money for the Sunshine Program, which is now expected to officially open in early May. “MSEIA and Solar Alliance, the two trade associations operating in Pennsylvania want to thank everyone involved with making this program happen and our members look forward to developing lots of solar energy in our state. Mr. Celentano said.

PV America runs concurrently with the Photovoltaic Specialists Conference presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). SEIA, its Mid-Atlantic chapter (MSEIA), and IEEE have joined forces to present the preeminent PV-focused industry conference and trade show in the United States. Programming from the premier technical PV conference is paired with SEIA's policy and market development expertise to give the most current updates on PV technology, industry trends and business opportunities. All proceeds of the event go toward advocacy work to advance policy and expand the U.S. solar industry market.

Please consider joining MSEIA and supporting the work to promote solar energy and promote an new economic sector based on one of the most valuable renewable energy technologies — solar energy.

MSEIA Annual Meeting and Annual Election of Officers

MSEIA Annual Meeting
and Annual Election of Officers