This Forum Topic will be used by Steering to receive & review feedback on the LIPA rebate program & applications filing issues for the balance of 2010.

Chairman Sail Van Nostrand requested this Topic to be created during last night's LISEIA general members meeting. During the meeting LIPA's Marc Dougherty, Bob Boerner and Brian Johnston discussed details of the new rebate application filing process in effect for all new applications to be filed starting October 1st and the available funding allocations for Oct 1, Nov 1 and Dec 1.

Please use this topic to discuss in a civil fashion any suggestions, concerns, possible solutions and ideas related to the remaining 2010 program especially how the LIPA applications will be filed, accepted, processed and how LIPA will determine who will receive approved rebates.

Numerous ideas and concerns were expressed during the meeting.

The following is only my quick unofficial description from my personal notes, please refer to LISEIA minutes, official Emails with program details from LISEIA and the LIPA website for official details:

The current plan is essentially that at 8:00AM on October first, applicants will send in their rebate applications with all related forms. When the 250kW limit is reached for either tranche (Pioneer or Entrepreneur), that tranche will be closed. If many contractors and/or self installers have applications ready and click send at 8:00 AM, the traches may be gone quickly or even instantly, as LIPA intends to process them on a first come, first serve basis in order of receipt only. 1 application per Email, the same way it works now.

Other application submission methods are still acceptable, but obviously in a first come first serve program those sent by Email will likely get there closest to 8:00AM and be ahead of others.

The same procedures apply to Nov 1 and Dec 1 tranches.

LIPA is considering how to address some concerns raised, including what 'clock' will be used to indicate 8:00 AM & ready to receive applications, how 'ties' where multiple applications come in at the same exact time and with the same exact Email timestamp will be handled, etc.

LIPA filing procedures specified in the LISEIA downloads document should be followed. See the LIPA site for additional information and changes/updates to the procedures and policies.

The LIPA website has information about the program already and will be updated further as needed with specific details about the program requirements. There may be additional requirements such as having to submit a contract along with the application. The handling of rebate checks will also be covered, current plan is that for an accepted application the associated rebate check must be received within 72 hours.

The minutes from last night's meeting will be posted online when they are available (soon) and may contain useful information regarding these issues for those who were unable to attend last night's meeting in person.

-LISEIA Webmaster

Friday Oct, 1st 8AM. WOW! I am not sure what LIPA is willing to move on as far as their current structure for this possibly 2min or under race of rebate apps but there has to be a better way. I know all is not fair in business or in life but my issue is that it could be possible that only a few contractors could get the bulk of available rebates, I know that if they pay for the fastest service and have the best computers and pay OT for all their people to be hovering over buttons at 7:59 then they should win but what about the guy who only has 1 or 2 jobs lined up the rest of the year and ends up being just a few apps past the cap? Mark said that he will have to try again the following month... I am not sure how fair it is if you are the 26th app on 10/1 and they only take the first 25 that you have to try the 8am race again and quite possibly again. It is not LIPA's problem if for arguments sake there are 100 res jobs that can be rebated the rest of the year and 5 companies get 80 of them while the other 30-40 contractors get to split up 20 for the rest of the year. I know we all started with just 1 job but I don’t think any of us has had to deal with this while trying to climb up the ladder! Definitely could be a big blow to the little guys. (Just my opinion). LIPA should be applauded for their efforts to come up with funding to keep the program alive the rest of the year. I just have to question this race to the T1 line as a method!

The new rebate filing procedure is certainly causing alot of anxiety. It was suggested and I hope that Mark from LIPA was really listening for each contractor to get at least one application accepted.

Mark Dougherty, Brian Johnston and Bob Boerner all listened to our concerns expressed at the meeting. Mark passed the concerns expressed to those above them where policy is set. Mark was not trying to say that he did not understand our concerns, only that in the limited amount of time between the LISEIA meeting and the Oct 1 deadline, that there might not be a way to make many changes.

Mark, Brian and Bob are definitely trying to help under very difficult circumstances. I give them tremendous credit coming to the LISEIA meeting. For any that possibly misunderstood my remarks to Marc, I want to be very clear that I while I was very unhappy about the methodology in place for Oct 1, that I was not unhappy with the LIPA representatives in the room.

I called Mark personally to be sure he understood that I was not attacking him, only trying to warn them about the way New Jersey's PV program melted down badly in May when NJ tried to do a similar first come, first serve approach.

And as noted in subsequent Emails from Steering, LIPA is considering our requests. Kudos to Sail & the others working on our behalf for trying to work with LIPA to find solutions. And my personal thanks to the membership & associates for showing up in large numbers at our last meeting to get involved, share ideas and possible alternatives. We had I think 32 separate companies represented. That was fantastic. Our strength comes from working together and trying to find solutions we can all support, then having Steering & the officers present the will of the membership to outside entities in a constructive manner.

After all, LISEIA is really here so that the people who actually do the work on the roofs can have their collective vision and needs acted upon by our representatives on the Steering committee. We really are a grass roots organization where the participation of every member and associate is critical to our success. Our ability to achieve consensus on difficult issues and give our elected leadership in Steering a mandate to act on our behalf is critical. Our hardworking officers represent us, but can only be effective if we make it clear what the group wants & needs in order to protect the industry, provide consumers with quality systems and work for stable long term LIPA policy re: renewables.

Sail did an excellent job at the last meeting of ensuring that all voices from different perspectives were heard and that the democratic process is followed. I found it particularly effective when he asked how many people in the room liked the RELI list as is; when only 4 people out of everybody present raised their hand, that gives Steering a very, very clear mandate to act upon the member's wishes. It is our duty to try to give such clear and unambiguous feedback to Steering on matters that we care about, otherwise they cannot effectively represent us as they will be guessing what we want.

I think huge progress has been made and I'm really happy to be part of a group where both leadership and members/associates really are passionate about building something special here. And working constructively with both LIPA and RELI, even on contentious issues.

James Peck

The new rebate filing procedure is certainly causing alot of anxiety. It was suggested and I hope that Mark from LIPA was really listening for each contractor to get at least one application accepted.

--- Regina Diehl