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New Energy, New Sources
IBEW Helps Harness California Sun and West Virginia Wind

May 2003 IBEW Journal

Neither sun nor wind is yet a major source of energy, but the rapid advance in the technology of photovoltaic installation and windmill generation of electricity is bringing success stories and increasing the promise of alternative, pollution-free sources of power.

On both sides of the continent, IBEW members are helping tap those sources—with a solar-powered forensic crime laboratory in San Mateo, California, and a wind farm generating electricity on the 3,300-foot Backbone Mountain in West Virginia.

The state-of-the-art San Mateo County project—acclaimed for its energy and environmental design—showcases the high-tech skills of IBEW members in the field of photovoltaics. The award-winning 30,000-square foot San Mateo County facility which opened January 14, 2003, was installed by IBEW journeymen from Local 617, San Mateo, joined by apprentices from Local 6 of San Francisco and Local 332 of San Jose.

And in West Virginia, 70 members of Clarksburg Local 596 worked on the wind farm that is utilizing a seemingly endless supply of flowing air to generate electricity cleanly and raise hopes of easing air pollution in the nation’s capital and across the Middle Atlantic region.

The FPL Energy project, completed between August and December of 2002, involved wiring cables through 300-foot towers, out the collector loops to the transformers. With 44 windmills completed in Tucker and Preston counties, more than 350 more are planned in the coming months.

Solving Crime in San Mateo
at a Solar-Powered Forensic Lab

"San Francisco Bay area IBEW members are justly proud of the fact that the lab’s solar electric system earned a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) award," said Local 617 Business Manager Michael Meals. "This structure features the largest photovoltaic system in San Mateo County."

"The San Mateo lab solar installation is a beautiful job," said NJATC Training Director Kathleen Barber, who was general foreman on the project prior to her appointment as training director in January 2003. "The $1 million building-integrated solar system provides 100 percent of the facility’s general electrical power," Barber said. "The photovoltaic system comprises 1,418 solar panels, completely covering the half-acre roof and producing 234 kilowatts, enough energy to power 200 homes."

The laboratory will provide forensic service to the San Mateo County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices, the district attorney offices, and to the police and fire departments of 20 cities within the county. The lab also will serve the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Forestry, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the California Highway Patrol.

Local 617 journeyman electrician Brian O’Neill (left), who was Local 617 foreman in the latter stages of the project, and Local 332 apprentice Anthony Miguel pause to survey rooftop installation of solar panels at the San Mateo County forensic lab facility.

A Lot Less Carbon Dioxide

"Over the 25-year lifetime of the building’s solar powered system, carbon dioxide emissions will have been reduced by an estimated 6,841 tons by avoiding the use of fossil fuels," said Pierre St. Cyr, Local 617 press secretary. "These emission reductions are equivalent to planting 320,000 trees or removing 1,600 cars from California’s highways." Some of the building’s other environmental pluses include best use of natural lighting, carpeting made of recycled tires and fast-growing bamboo for flooring.

Business Manager Meals finds it appropriate that the electrical contractor was Atlas/Pellizari Electric, which he calls "the grandfather" of Local 617 electrical contractors. "Atlas/Pellizari was established in 1908, the same year our local was chartered. The company superintendent, Brother Glenn Arvin, is the instructor for our Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) photovoltaic classes."

During the photovoltaic installation process, the factory aluminum "Z clips," intended to anchor the rooftop solar panels in place, proved inadequate because of expansions and contractions common to aluminum, St. Cyr reported. The resulting loosening of the Z clips made the panels vulnerable to damage in the West Coast high winds environment.

"Working jointly with the electrical engineer and the general contractor, Turner Construction, Brother Arvin developed a ‘unistrut and flat brackets’ solution for properly anchoring the panels," St. Cyr said.

The solar electric system sources (panels) are fed into a large inverter changing DC current into AC current. "The inverter also synchronizes the system to the power company grid," Barber said. "During the day, the excess power generated turns the electric meter in reverse, giving the crime lab credits, which are used during the night." With this design, a gigantic batteries bank reserve was unnecessary, Barber said, and that drastically reduced the system cost.

"Local 617 maintains a good relationship with its sister San Francisco Bay Area IBEW locals," St. Cyr said. "Therefore, in an effort relieve unemployment among apprentices, Atlas/Pellizari also employed Local 6 and Local 332 apprentices for the project, spreading the hands-on experience to future wiremen."

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