Volunteering can be a rewarding way to give back to the community while learning new skills. Thankfully, I had the opportunity to participate in a solar installation project with SunWork, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable solar power. The project involved installing a 27.04 kW solar system on the roof of a church in Palo Alto, California.

Solar electricity: The panels produce direct current (DC) which is converted too alternating current (AC) by an inverter so it can be used by appliances in the home. These systems can either be connected to the national electricity grid, or connected to a battery in your garage.

The installation consisted of:

104 panels (6,240 cells)
8 strings plus 4 inverters as the layout

The total capacity of the system was designed to be 27.04 kW. Our goal was to ensure that the church could benefit from sustainable and cost-effective energy.

On the day of the installation, a group of volunteers gathered early in the morning, eager to start the project. The SunWork team provided us with a thorough briefing and necessary safety equipment. We then divided into smaller groups to tackle different tasks, such as mounting the panels, connecting the electrical components, and setting up the inverters.

Rest time is also an exciting moment. The church brothers and sisters prepare a rich variety of snacks and coffee to entertain us, a group of volunteers from all over. Many of them are high-level executives of Silicon Valley technology companies, sharing their past work experiences and interesting life stories.

After a few days of completing the installation, it was time to test the system. A SunWork engineer displays his handmade testing box. Encased in transparent acrylic, it allows a clear view of all the measurements and circuit board components inside. It's truly ingenious and pretty cool! At 10:00 AM, we monitored the performance of the entire solar energy system. The results were showing:

6.803 kW for two of the inverters
6.401 kW for the other two inverters

These initial readings indicated that the system was functioning well. In total, the system produced 13.204 kW at 10:00 AM.

On average, a small family of four can consume around 20 kWh (kilowatt-hours) of electricity per day. However, this can vary depending on factors such as home size, energy-efficient appliances, heating and cooling needs, lifestyle habits, and usage patterns.

Given the aforementioned efficiency of power generation, let's assume that the installed capacity on the rooftop of the small family's home is 25% of that on the church roof, which equates to 3.25 kW. Under similar sunny conditions, this should suffice for the family's daily requirement of 20 kWh, allowing for approximately 6 hours of sunlight. In instances of strong sunlight, excess electricity can be stored in home batteries for use during nighttime or cloudy days, or even sold back to the grid.

Volunteering for this solar installation project was an incredible experience. Not only did we contribute to a sustainable future, but we also gained valuable hands-on experience in installing solar panels. The successful installation and testing of the 27.04 kW system on the church roof is a testament to the power of community effort and the potential of renewable energy.

If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more about solar installations, I highly recommend getting involved with organizations like SunWork. Together, we can make a significant impact on our environment and communities.

A PDF with all the details, including workflow, steps, and photos, is coming soon!

Or if you want to turn your roof into a solar project, you can browse through some company websites to estimate how much gold and shiny diamonds will be falling from your roof every year. These companies offer a range of solar solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial properties in Canada.

1. Aurora Solar - https://aurorasolar.com
2. Shift - https://shift.ca
3. Solaris - https://solariscanada.com
4. SkyFire Energy - https://www.skyfireenergy.com
5. Terratek Energy Solutions - https://terratek.ca
6. Solar Electric Power Company (SEPCO) - https://www.sepco-solarlighting.com
7. SunPeak - https://www.sunpeak.ca
8. Sentinel Solar - https://sentinelsolar.ca
9. Integrate Sun - https://integratesun.com
10. Solar Earth Technologies - https://www.solarearthtech.com
11. PV Solar - https://www.pvsolar.com
12. Great Canadian Solar - https://www.greatcanadiansolar.com