The deadline to complete the installation of our solar photovoltaic panels is approaching rapidly.  The team from Real Goods Solar is determined to meet the deadline.

The Operations Manager from Santa Cruz, Dana Farquhar, came to our project site today.  Dana is coordinating the team from Real Goods Solar and ensuring the the construction manager, Liam Ryan, has the resources he needs on site to meet the deadline.

Bryan McFarland ensured the arrays on the Upper Flat roof were spaced correctly, so no array would cast a shadow on the adjacent array.  We wondered if Green Building with Autodesk’s BIM software could be used to design the spacing between the arrays using its three dimensional capabilities.

The electric distribution panels are now enclosed and all of the components will be completed for our solar panel inspection, which is now scheduled for 1:00 pm on Monday, September 12, 2011.

The white stickers for our Nissan LEAF arrived in the mail from the DMV.  Bryan got the LEAF washed, put the stickers on, and had it waxed.  We’re ready to use the carpool lanes now!

The first pallet of solar photovoltaic panels arrived today. Our complete system will include 48 of these panels.

We purchased Sanyo's HIT-N215A01 panels. These panels are rated to generate 215 watts of power.

Liam Ryan (left) and Dana Farquhar, Operations Manager for Santa Cruz, review the installation on the Upper Flat roof. Dana is ensuring that our project has the appropriate resources from Real Goods Solar and Liam will configure the Enphase inverters.

Our solar photovoltaic panels will be seen briefly by people as they drive North on Winchester Boulevard.

Our solar photovoltaic array design has a total of six sets of 8 panels each. The Real Goods Solar team lined up one panel on each of the four arrays on the Upper Flat roof to ensure they were spaced correctly so eacharray would not cast a shadow on the adjacent array.

The spacing between the arrays on the Upper Flat roof were established today. The remaining seven panels in each of these four arrays will be installed tomorrow. We'll make the deadline!

The array on the North Gable is complete!

Side view of the completed array on teh North Gable.

View from behind the swimming pool of the completed array on the North Gable.

The covers are in place on our 400 amp electric panel. The solar photovoltaic system will have the shut-offs inside this cabinet, so it has to be ready for the inspection on Monday.

After having the LEAF washed at the carwash on Lark Avenue, Bryan put the white stickers on as required. Ready for its first wax ...

Our LEAF looks infinitely better with the white stickers!

Our newly waxed LEAF, waiting patiently for the charging system to start at 12:10 am tomorrow morning.

Steve Chambers was in town for some brief meetings and had a small window of time in his schedule.  Steve took advantage of that window to take Bryan for a quick test drive in a Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport.

Previously, on August 3, 2011, Bryan had been for a test drive with Shel Schumaker, when they went over Highway #17 to Scott’s Valley.

Steve wanted to drive across Highway #237 to see the new Tesla manufacturing plant, where the Model S sedans will be assembled.  Tesla bought the former NUMMI plant and is now changing it over so they can start manufacturing cars in 2012.  The Tesla Model S was designed with Autodesk’s software and is an excellent example of Autodesk’s commitment to, and focus on, Green Building.  Autodesk has some great images of the Model S and a case study of how their software was used during the design process.

Before going for dinner, Steve dropped by our project site with Jo-Anne and walked the property.  Steve had visited our project site on March 17, 2010.  He was impressed with progress and thought it was coming along nicely.  But, as Steve is a tough marker, he was moste certainly not impressed with the glacial speed of the project.

We’re sure Steve will not forget his first ride in a Tesla …

Steve Chambers, smiling after a test drive in a Tesla Roadster 2.5 Sport. Steve is in front of the former NUMMI plant, where the Model S will be manufactured.

Bryan needed to have his picture taken, too.

Steve and Jo-Anne, visiting the site before dinner. Steve, dressed in all black, had just opened the sliding glass door at the back of the house and then his phone rang ...

Al and Nep are busy getting the conduits and generator pad in place.  With everything progressing, Bryan took the opportunity to go for a ride in an all-electric Tesla Roadster.

Tesla has a store located in Santa Row, in downtown San Jose, which is where the car was located.  Bryan’s first ride in a Tesla Roadster was with Paul Fulton, who owns a beautiful blue Roadster 2.5.  Paul has a charging station in his garage, with a separate meter for just the electricity for his car.  Our charging stations will go through our time-of-use meter and we will have the E-9A rate.

The acceleration in the Tesla Roadster is breathtaking.  0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds; 3.7 seconds in the Sport model.  Our brother-in-law, Ron Smith, would love it!

The Fusion Red Tesla Roadster Sport was cool.  The color would match our red front door.

Way cool …

The forms are set for the generator pad at the back of our lot. Al will put the base rock in and then we will pour 3/4 yard of concrete on Friday.

Tesla Roadster Sport, 2.5, waiting patiently in the garage behind Santa Row in San Jose.

This is Fusion Red, which would match our red front door.

This is the Sport model, which does 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds (vs 3.9 seconds).

Shel is smiling as he drives North on Highway #17 in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Going along Lexington Reservoir on Highway #17 ...

Looking behind ...

We stopped by the job site briefly ...

While returning the Tesla to the dealership in Santa Row, we snapped a quick photo of Bryan comparing our LEAF to the Tesla Roadster (Sue Therrien prefers the Tesla, right Sue?).

Although our 2011 Nissan LEAF arrived last Saturday, we took delivery of it today.  Bryan took photos of the LEAF on Wednesday afternoon.  We couldn’t take delivery until the charging station was installed yesterday.

Our sales representative, Wilson Bui, had the LEAF ready and waiting in the parking lot at Premier Nissan of San Jose.  It was fully charged and waiting for us, with only 8 miles on the odometer.

Since Jo-Anne was in Kelowna, Canada after spending three weeks in Boston,  Wendy Reyna picked up Bryan and dropped him off at Premier Nissan.  Wilson Bui gave Bryan a thorough orientation and demonstration of the features of the Nissan LEAF before allowing him to leave the dealership.

Bryan was able to buzz around Los Gatos and learn about the LEAF.  Then, of course, it was over to the job site where our Blink charger is located so Bryan could test the charging system and ‘top off’ the charge.

Although Nissan recommends charging the batteries to 80%, we are charging to 100% while the house is under constuction.  Then, we will dial back to 80% charging.

The LEAF is very cool.  After the carpool stickers arrive, it will be way cool!

After a very thorough orientation and demonstration of the LEAFs controls and features, our sales representative, Wilson Bui, allowed Bryan to drive our new 2011 Nisson off the dealership at Premier Nissan of San Jose.

Our 2011 Nissan LEAF, plugged in at our job site.

The first charge for our Nissan LEAF, using the Blink charging station that the EV Project provided to us.

The Blink charging station is connected to the Internet. It gets updated statistics on the EV Project, which is shown on this screen.

As part of our house project, we decided to purchase electric vehicles.  Having an electric vehicle requires a charging station.  Currently, the Department of Energy is sponsoring the ‘EV Project.’ 

The EV Project is to drive the adoption of electric vehicles.  In order to drive the adoption, there must be a broad deployment of charging stations, both at the private and public levels. 

Through the purchase of our Nissan LEAF, we agreed to participate in the EV Project.  For agreeing to participate, we will receive an electric vehicle charging station and this will provide data to the EV Project.  The charging station must be connected to the Internet.

Our electric vehicle charging station was installed today.  It is connected to the Internet and we will be able to charge our Nissan LEAF in our driveway after we receive it tomorrow.

Way cool …

The Blink charging station is mounted at the back of the garage wall for configuration and testing purposes. We have a wired connection to the Internet (not wireless).

One of the owners of a house on Via Sereno replaced their original Eichler exterior light. It looks good - we need to have Jerry Ditto review it ...

Our new Nissan LEAF, which we registered to order on July 31, 2010, arrived at Premier Nissan of San Jose this week.

We can’t pick it until Saturday, July 30 so our sales representative, Wilson Bui, put it in the showroom. Bryan dropped by and took some photos today.

Before going to Premier Nissan of San Jose, Bryan dropped by the Tesla dealership on Santana Row to take a look at their charging systems.  The Tesla charges at 70 amps, and with a 20% derating, the circuit has to be rated for 90 amps.  Our building official in the City of Monte Sereno wants to have a shut off switch for the wall mounted charger.  The photo of the charging station in the garage in Santa Row shows the shut off switch.

Our 2011 Nissan LEAF in the showroom at Premier Nissan of San Jose.

Profile of our new Nissan LEAF.

EPA rating of 99 miles per gallon ...

Rated at 96 to 110 miles on a full charge ...

One of the 70 amp charging stations in the garage behind Santa Row. Note the shut off switch for the charging station.