While the Googleplex’s unique architecture may inspire the Googlers to do great work, the multifaceted buildings aren’t exactly made for accommodating Google’s planned 1.6-megawatt solar system.
So a company called Energy Innovations will install about one-third of the new solar panels as overhanging shades in Google’s parking lot.
“It was a design challenge,” company spokesperson Steve Chadima told Wired News. “What you want is a gigantic, flat Wal-Mart roof; what we had was a campus with 11 buildings, interesting architecture and challenging angles.”
Energy Innovations recently completed a similar structure for a park-and-ride in Vacaville, Calif. Below, a shot from Google Earth that shows the lot. I can’t see much in the way of overhanging structures, but that may just be testament to the company’s ability to camouflage its work.