Richard Lawrence of IREC on Apprenticeships and More!

Richard Lawrence has a long history in the solar industry and is very knowledgeable in many areas (He was formerly the Executive Director of NABCEP among other things). Our main focus of this podcast was apprenticeship programs. This is a big deal, since to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for projects over 1MW, fulfilling the apprenticeship and prevailing wage standards are required.

 

Topics covered:

 

Richard Lawrence career:

IREC Program Director currently 5 years irecusa.org

IBTS 2 years - Institute for Building Technology and Safety

NABCEP Executive Director 3.5 yrs<

Solar (PV) Instructor Training Network Hudson Valley Community College

Topics covered and questions answered:

What is an apprenticeship?

What is prevailing wage?

Union vs. non-union

Is prevailing wage different for different places?

Right to work states (anti-union)

Registered apprenticeship programs

Unregistered apprenticeship programs<

How does someone set up an apprenticeship program?

Who to register an apprenticeship program with, like the DOL (Department of Labor)

Local and federal programs

IRA-apprenticeship - tax credits - pay workers prevailing wage 1MW and up

15% of labor hours requirement

What is IREC doing for apprenticeship and What is IREC

Drama with different unions and non-unions-everyone wants the work

$200k/yr electrician cost

Prevailing wage for small vs. large projects

Can election results take away these benefits

Veterans

California C46 solar license and batteries

Solar PV Instructor Training Network

Hudson Valley Community College

SPI

NYSERDA www.nyserda.ny.gov

Massachusetts Clean Energy Center www.masscec.com

Burnham Energy

AHJ

Multi Junction Technology

Apprenticeship programs.

Solar Energy International

Department of Energy www.energy.gov

Larry Sherwood

Soul Smart Program in Puerto Rico

Zoning laws

Donations

Cod community college

Non-Profit Organizations

SEAC Sustainable Energy Action Committee www.sustainableenergyaction.org

ANSI Standards

Jane Weissman

Solar ABC's www.solarabcs.org

Solar ready veterans network

John Kim

American Battery Factory

IBEW International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers www.ibew.org

UBC United Brotherhood of Carpenters www.carpenters.org

ITC

Eike Weber

Herman Scheer

NREL www.nrel.gov

 

Learn more at www.solarSEAN.com and be sure to get NABCEP certified by taking Sean’s classes at www.heatspring.com/sean