UC Berkley’s Blue Ranch Reserve
Nestled on the western slopes of Mount Hamilton, just east of San Jose, Blue Oak Ranch Reserve stands as a forward-thinking property dedicated to environmental stewardship and sustainable operations.
We were brought in to redesign and expand their existing solar + battery system — a project aimed at helping the Reserve achieve new levels of energy resilience and self-sufficiency while keeping costs and site restrictions in mind.
During the redesign, several challenges emerged surrounding code compliance and rapid shutdown requirements. Given the Reserve’s unique infrastructure and limited budget, installing new RSS devices across the existing array would have been both technically difficult and financially prohibitive. We developed a compliant alternative approach to reclassify the existing rooftop-shed structure as a carport, which allowed us to meet safety intent while staying in the reserves budget.
Further analysis of the legacy system’s load capacity and energy usage trends revealed that the original battery configuration would soon be insufficient. We determined that increasing battery storage capacity was essential not only for present-day reliability but also for future site expansion and ongoing research operations planned for the coming years.
This project was made possible through close collaboration between:
Mark Poling, Arrow Electric Inc. — on-site contracting and implementation
Quinn Weber, Solar-Ark technical consultant — Sol-Ark integration expertise
Roger Blair, Caimen Engineering — structural design review and support
Vincent J. Barletto P.E., BlueWave Energy — final electrical review and compliance verification
Through this collective effort, we were able to deliver a cost-effective redesign that both modernized the Reserve’s renewable infrastructure and laid the groundwork for future expansion.
The upgraded system now provides improved energy autonomy, expanded storage capacity, and safer operational flexibility — all while preserving the natural and ecological integrity of Blue Oak Ranch Reserve’s environment.
Projects like this demonstrate how thoughtful engineering and collaboration can bridge the gap between budget constraints, field realities, and sustainable innovation — empowering institutions like UC Berkeley’s field stations to continue their research and conservation work with reliable, clean energy.
