Residential roof mounted PV systems

Solar-powered bungalow in Oakland
A remodeled older home nestled in a venerable Oakland neighborhood gets updated with solar.
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Adding solar during home building
Solar included in the construction phase of this Sonoma County green home. More photos »

Dueling solar systems
Two neighbors in Castro Valley install solar systems at the same time to save on installation costs. More photos »

Oakland school gets a lesson in solar
Montclair Elementary brought solar energy into the classroom as a real-life object lesson for students and a long-term cost saving measure for the school.
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Living solar in the city
Not even San Francisco's renowned fog nor a formidably steep roof pitch deter ample solar electrical generation with the right PV setup.
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Largest residential PV system in Davis
The Muir Commons CoHousing community offsets 70% of its electrical usage with this 10kW PV system. Residents participated in the installation as part of a week-long workshop. More photos »

Combination mounting for streamlined angles
This Bolinas home's multi-pitch roofline required both flush and tilt mounted arrays for the best sunlight and aesthetics. More photos »

Perfect southern exposure
A due south facing roof and complete lack of shade made this Sebastopol residence a textbook candidate for a PV system.
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Situated for full sunlight
This Fairfax roof's ideal southern facing slope enables the PV array to take full advantage of available sunlight.
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Compensating for shade trees
An abundance of trees and the pitch of this San Anselmo home's roof demanded a tilt mounted PV installation angled to face south.
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Optimized for maximum sunlight
This rooftop array is designed to capture maximum sunlight hours in a heavily wooded residential area of San Anselmo.
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Running the meter backwards
This strealmined rooftop system in Los Altos is saving the homeowner both in energy use and utility costs.
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Making a statement
A rooftop PV array like this makes a strong statement for renewable energy, yet the system's flat mounted configuration is also attractive and unobtrusive. More photos »

Powerful yet discreet
A south-facing slope and ample vegetation provide the ideal location to keep this large, ground-mounted array in San Anselmo invisible from the street or neighboring lots. More photos »

Commercial & Institutional PV systems

Nonprofit pioneers performance-based incentive
Solar energy is enabling food bank to cut electricity costs $25,000 annually.
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School cuts costs with solar
High school views going solar as setting an example for students about good citizenship.
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Quick ROI in San Francisco
Compelling cost-savings and quick payback spurred the owners of this bustling city service station to cover the canopy with solar panels.
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Oakland's largest PV system
Urban renewal housing development incorporates solar to handle shared electricity load.
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Compelling economics brings solar to renters
Owners of a 28-unit apartment complex in Rohnert Park incorporate a 70kW solar installation with a re-roofing project to address escalating utility costs. More photos »

Residential ground mounted PV systems

Unused rural pasture perfect for solar
Plenty of elbow room on this West Sonoma County residence enabled the owners to cover all of their electricity needs. More photos »

Challenging hillside solar site
A sloping, south-facing lot offered the ideal location for solar along with some logistical challenges. More photos »

PINC closes sustainable loop with PV
At the Permaculture Institute of Northern California, a ground-mounted solar PV array demonstrates renewable energy's role in sustainable living.
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Solar thermal systems

Fairfax store cuts high hot water bills
Faced with climbing gas prices, the Good Earth Natural Food Store's owners opted to intall solar thermal to handle water heating needs.
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