Your Pocket Book Product Guide
A tradeshow is truly an exciting place. It’s a rush trying to conquer the show floor, racing against the clock, your head on a swivel as you attempt to see the abundance of industry offerings all gathered in one place. As the cliché goes: So much to do (and see), so little time.
Editors get somewhat lucky in this regard because we’re able to spend a good portion of our time walking the show floor. We realize not everyone has this opportunity. Maybe you’re stuck on booth duty or can visit the show for only a short time. Maybe you’re not able to attend at all.
Not to worry, this issue is for the busy solar contractor (all of you). We present more than 100 of the most interesting and innovative technologies from the tradeshow floor. Our guide is not all-inclusive, but it is a great place to start when selecting equipment for your upcoming projects.
Looking ahead to next year, we’ve also included coverage on important topics, such as insurance and financing, useful in setting your plans. Lastly, with so much industry focus on silicon solar technology, we didn’t want to end the year without giving solar hot water its fair share of coverage.
You’ll find a financing feature from Senior Editor Frank Andorka, focusing on how the industry can solve its small-commercial/residential funding deficit. Experts shed light on how installers can capture more funding from local and regional banks.
Associate Editor Steven Bushong produced a special section on solar hot water, starting with a Q&A on Steibel Eltron’s take on the state of the industry. Then Apricus’ CEO asks, “To what extent should manufactures help guarantee quality installations?” Finally, Solar Source offers key tips for successful solar hot water installations.
Insurance is also an important aspect of any solar business or project. But it can be confusing. Where do you begin when looking for solar insurance? What kind of insurance do you need? Sometimes the questions from your clients can also be tough to answer. How do businesses, who decide to go solar, insure their projects? I posed these questions to insurance agencies offering solar coverage, as well as some solar contractors.
We bring you their answers in our special insurance feature. I hope this issue provides you with the tools needed to make informed decisions that will benefit your solar projects and help your company reach its goals.
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