KATHIE ZIPP, KELLY PICKEREL, KELSEY MISBRENER SPW EDITORS
gets to work Technology • Development • Installation
SPW editors assist on a 2.5-kW installation in Kensington, California
While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate and timely solar construction news and analysis better than anyone in the business—and could tell you tons about the pros and cons of microinverters and railless mounts—we realized something was missing: We hadn’t set foot on an actual roof. In an effort to practice what we peach, SPW editors Kathie Zipp, Kelly Pickerel and Kelsey Misbrener recently traveled to the Bay Area to install 2.5 kW of solar on a home with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our adventure started earlier in 2017, after the May edition of the Contractors Corner podcast and story series hosted by Pickerel. She had the pleasure of chatting with SunWork Renewable Energy Projects, a volunteer-based installation company based in Milpitas, California (listen to the full podcast on solarpowerworldonline.com). SunWork's development director Mike Balma explained that the non-profit employs four experienced project leads who work with volunteer teams to complete solar installations—almost like Habitat for Humanity, but for solar. Volunteers come from all walks of life—some are interested in solar careers looking for experience, others are environmentalists or just do-it-yourselfers. If anyone (with a little basic training) can assist with a project, why not the SPW editors? 10
SOLAR POWER WORLD
Projects(CaseStudy) 1-18 Vs2kp.indd 10
1 • 2018
I was amazed by the little things, like how do you get the heavy panels safely onto the roof? www.solarpowerworldonline.com
1/16/18 12:39 PM