Some of my work, visible on Google Maps/Earth…

[Bob Blaylock]

Some time in May 2017, I began working as a temp on a solar power project on the roof of the Home Depot on Meadowview Road, in Sacramento. After that project was completed, I worked on another, and another, and another. In August, the company that was building these hired me on as a direct, permanent employee. Currently, I am working on a similar project in Folsom, my sixth solar project with this company, and my seventh project with them (one project was something other than a solar power project).

Just a short while ago, I looked up the location of that first project, on Google Earth, wondering of the satellite imagery had been updated recently enough to show the solar power system that I helped build there. As it turns out, the last update of this imagery was during this project. It shows some, but not all of the panels in place, and some of our materials and equipment on the roof and on the ground nearby. It doesn't show any of us workers, nor our cars parked nearby, so it must have been taken when we weren't there; either on a weekend, or after we had left for the day.

Google Maps

 

[william the wie]

good on you

 

[Old Rocks]

Really would like to see a lot more projects like this. Put the generation where the use is. No tranmission losses, and less dependence on a large corporation. Are they installing battery storage in any of the projects you are working on?

 

[Bob Blaylock]

Really would like to see a lot more projects like this. Put the generation where the use is. No tranmission losses, and less dependence on a large corporation. Are they installing battery storage in any of the projects you are working on?

Based on answers I got to some questions I asked during this first project, my understanding is that these are all grid-tie systems, where the store gets power both from its own solar power system, as well as from the utility. In theory, if the system were to generate more power at any time than the store was actually using, the store would be able to sell its excess power to the utility; but I am told that the store's power usage is greater than what this system can produce, so in reality, that back-sale of power to the utility is not likely to happen.

As far as I know, none of the systems on which I have worked involve any battery storage.