Virtually all recent Bay Area news about photovoltaic solar systems involves installations where Richmond A/E firm Interactive Resources provided structural engineering services.

·        On September 20, CBS 5 carried the story “Newsom Unveils Thousands Of Solar Panels At SFO” (http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_263182651.h... ). This 496 kW system uses Sun Tech panels and Sun Link mounting hardware and was installed by Bass Electric.

·        On September 14, thieves stole a large number of panels from the Concord Food bank building (http://cbs5.com/local/local_story_257201954.h... ). The 68 kW Food bank system uses Kyocera panels and Sun Link mounting hardware. We understand Chevron has stepped up to replace the stolen panels.

·         The 42 kW system at AT&T Park uses Sharp panels and Sun Link mounting hardware (PG&E Ratepayers to Pay for Ballpark Solar Panels).

Newsom Unveils Thousands Of Solar Panels At SFO

(BCN) SAN FRANCISCO Mayor Gavin Newsom Thursday moved one step closer to reaching his goal of making San Francisco the "greenest" city in the nation.
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3 now boasts more than 2,800 solar panels on its rooftop, Newsom announced Thursday while unveiling the new energy-efficient equipment.
The solar panels were implemented as part of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and SFO's joint solar energy project to help reduce energy use, according to the mayor's office.
"This major solar energy project further establishes San Francisco as America's solar energy leader and symbolizes the commitment of the city - and San Francisco International Airport - to leading the way on renewable energy generation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions," Newsom said in a statement.
The new energy system will provide enough electricity for all of the daytime lighting needs within Terminal 3 with excess power to spare, according to the mayor's office.
The solar panels will save enough energy to power about 300 homes each year. In addition, utilizing the solar panels as opposed to typical energy generating methods that require fossil fuels will save approximately 7,200 tons of carbon dioxide over a period of 30 years.
"(The panels) are terrific," SFO spokesman Mike McCarron said. "We're very excited to have them."
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission funded the $5.5 million solar energy project, although a $1.2 million rebate is expected under a California Public Utilities Commission program, SFPUC spokesman Tony Winnicker said.
Winnicker said the panels will be fully functional in about four weeks.
The rooftop solar panels at SFO's Terminal 3 is the public utilities commission's largest project to date, according to Winnicker. SFO's solar panels were also designed after careful consideration of a more resourceful way to position the panels than in the past.
The panels are slightly tilted, which make them catch the sun more efficiently and are easier to clean, Winnicker said.
Since Newsom took office, Winnicker said city officials have quadrupled the amount of solar power in San Francisco.
"Today was significant," Winnicker added. "But it's still just the beginning of what's potentially out there."
SFO has also been named winner of this year's Environmental Management Award by the Airports Council International-North America for the airport's Environmental Sustainability Program, according to the mayor's office.
SFO's first solar system was installed upon the Engineering Building in 2001, according to the mayor's office.

(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)

Thieves Steal Solar Panels From Concord Food Bank

 CBS 5 CrimeWatch

(CBS 5) CONCORD Solar panels worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were stolen Friday morning from atop the roof of a Concord building that houses a local food bank warehouse.

Officials say thieves got on the roof of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano warehouse around 4 a.m. Friday and stole five solar panels. The thieves also damaged a sixth panel.

A food bank official told CBS 5 the solar panels provided about two-thirds of the building's power, saving the agency between $50,000 and $60,000 per year.

The neighboring Tesoro Refinery has offered to pay for replacement and repair costs.

"It takes a lot of the weight off," said Larry Sly, Executive Director of the Food Bank. "We've still got to get it back together, but at least we know the financial resource is there to make it work."

Even though a donation is covering the repair, Sly said the agency will have to spend money on additional security.

"If we're looking at these kinds of thefts causing us this much trouble, we've got to do something," Sly said.

Police speculate that the thieves may have taken the solar panels in the hopes of selling them to scrap metal dealers.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

PG&E Ratepayers to Pay for Ballpark Solar Panels
 

Posted March 21, 2007 at 8:15 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) --- Whether you root for the San Francisco Giants or not, you may soon be paying to buy power from the ballpark where the team plays.

KRON 4's Holly Juscen says PG&E ratepayers will cover the costs of installing 600 solar panels on metal awnings over the arches along the McCovey Cove side of the stadium.

Two panels are already in place.  Eventually crews will install the solar technology to help generate power at the ballpark.  When everything's turned on, the panels will generate about 123 kilowatts of electricity.  The power won't be used to turn on the lights at AT&T Park.  Instead it will be sold back to PG&E for use on San Francisco's electrical grid.

One reason this has become so contentious is a PG&E spokesman had originally said shareholders, not ratepayers, would cover the costs.

"It was a miscommunication between me and a reporter and I take full responsibility for it," spokesman Keely Wachs told Holly.  "I was mistaken.  I thought it was going to be paid by the shareholders."

Now many people are asking if it's fair for all of us to pay for solar panels for a baseball stadium.

"This is $1.5 million divided between 15 million customers," PG&E CEO Tom King said.  "That means it will be just pennies on their bill and the customers tell us this is what they want."

Some consumer groups say they will ask the Public Utility Commission to ask PG&E to pick up the costs.

(Copyright 2007, KRON 4, All rights reserved.)