Solar Southwest Florida

05/30/2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUMMARY:
Cape Coral solar electric company, Fafco Solar, announces that Jason Szumlanski has been promoted to Vice President and General Manager of the company.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Dan Morrissey
Fafco Solar
(239) 574-1500
Dan@FafcoSolar.com

CAPE CORAL, FLORIDA (May 30, 2012) Cape Coral solar electric company, Fafco Solar, announces the promotion of Jason Szumlanski to Vice President and General Manager of the company. Since he was hired in 2009, Szumlanski has demonstrated outstanding work ethic and has made many valuable contributions to the company. One of these contributions includes the Solar 2 Go Mobile Solar Generator, designed to produce silent, clean power at remote sites or anywhere electricity is needed for temporary or long-term reliable power.

Jason Szumlanski, VP & GM of Fafco Solar

Jason has served for the past two years as Fafco Solar’s Operations Manager. In his new position as Vice President and General Manager, Jason will be responsible for the daily operation of the company. In addition, he will be responsible for company-wide leadership, budgeting and planning, overall financial results, and seeking and analyzing new opportunities.

“In many ways, Jason has already been doing many “General Manager” duties… now he has the proper title and authority,” said Dan Morrissey, Fafco Solar President. “Anyone who knows Jason, knows he is an exceptional person with exceptional talent. I feel especially grateful that he has accepted this position and I look forward to witnessing the success he will surely create leading the Fafco Solar team.”

Jason has always possessed the ability to focus on the big picture, and considers himself a “Jack of all trades”. He has extensive knowledge and experience in working with solar products, as well as a strong background in business operations and management, having previously owned several businesses himself. Jason was initially invited to join the Fafco team because he understands the ins and outs of sales, design and engineering, manufacturing, business operations, and how to reach the right target market through marketing. Now, as Vice President and General Manager, he plans to utilize this knowledge and his unique skill set to lead the company onto even greater successes.

“Fafco Solar’s products, people, and passion for solar energy are second to none,” said Szumlanski. “I see a clear and bright future for the company and look forward to growth through market share and penetration, and via expanded product offerings.”

ABOUT FAFCO SOLAR:
The Fafco Solar Team is a dynamic blend of talent and dedication. They are committed to giving professional customer service. Fafco Solar is the oldest and most trusted Cape Coral solar electric company. With over 244 years of pooled solar energy experience, the Fafco Solar Team is committed to reducing your use of fossil fuel. To find out more, call Fafco Solar at (239) 574-1500. Also, be sure to check out their blog at:www.GoSolarEnergyForLife.com.

A recent story about a homeowner in Largo, FL casts a shadow on what happens if a neighbor’s trees shade your roof (ref: http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/solar-powered-largo-homeowners-fights-neighbors-trees-gains-little-ground/1231054).

Microinverters Reduce Effects of Shading on Solar Panels

In Florida, we do not have particularly strong solar access laws with regards to shading. If your neighbor builds a second story or plants a tree that shades your solar panels, you are most likely out of luck. But that does not mean you can’t install solar panels and see benefits!

In the past, shading a single panel, or even part of a panel in a solar array could have devastating performance impacts. Today we have access to technologies that make solar arrays more shade tolerant. On of those technologies is the microinverter, which converts sunlight to usable household AC power on a panel by panel basis right on the roof. If part of your solar array is shaded, the unshaded panels will continue to perform.

Keep in mind that the sun moves from the east to the the west horizon each day and rises to a varying height in the sky each day dependent on the time of year. Shading may not have the impact you think on a solar array. The best thing to do is have you solar professional do a shading analysis to estimate the impact of an object between your property and the sun throughout the year. Early morning and late afternoon shade typically have a negligible effect on the overall production of a solar energy system.

If you want to learn more about solar access laws, here are some additional resources:

Solar ABCs guide on solar access laws in the US: http://www.solarabcs.org/about/publications/reports/solar-access/pdfs/Solaraccess-full.pdf

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE): http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/incentive.cfm?Incentive_Code=FL01R&re=1&ee=1

Last Thursday FPL took applications for the remaining 2012 solar rebate funds. As expected, funding ran out quickly… as in under two minutes!

My employer had quite a few rebate applicants lined up for solar electric systems. I decided before the rebate website went live that I wouldn’t post the results or my reaction in a knee-jerk manner. While I was angry and disappointed, I wasn’t surprised. Now that the dust has settled, I can respond effectively.

We did secure rebates for some of our customers, but any process that rewards rebate applicants for being able to type fast is just silly. I have criticized the process and the program before, but now I am more convinced than ever that it needs revamping. Its not good for consumers or contractors, and it fails to effectively reach the stated goal of increasing adoption of distributed solar energy in Florida.

I’ve recommended a lottery approach in the past, but that is hardly fair either. I truly believe that the only way to fix the program is to significantly reduce the rebate amount (per watt), or the maximum rebate per customer.

Florida has a sad history of overly-generous solar rebates with unintended consequences. The press from these botched programs feeds two beliefs that are severely damaging to the industry:

1. Solar electricity is only viable with a state or utility rebate. While free money certainly helps, the unintended consequence is that few people are willing to go solar, or even contemplate an investment in solar if the handout is not available. With prices so much lower than just a year or two ago, this is no longer the case!

2. Rebates are not guaranteed. This is the sad result of the Florida Legislature’s failure to fully fund an incentive program that was passed into law and was clearly intended to be funded. The FPL rebate is “guaranteed” to the extent that you follow through with some basic obligations, and to its credit the company has been lenient and helpful toward rebate applicants and contractors.

I applaud FPL’s willingness to implement a solar incentive program. I wish they would make it so much better by reducing the rebate amount, allowing more consumers to participate, helping contractors develop a sustainable industry, and maximizing the amount of installed distributed solar energy with the limited availability of rebate funding.