Solar Powered Gas Station

If you ever have the chance to drive down Divisadero Street, San Francisco, CA be sure to find Oak Street.  On the corner you can’t miss the big Shell Gas station and their solar power system which is an incredible sight.  Not only is this system the focal point of the gas station, but it gets tons of sunlight as well.  There are so many perfectly mounted solar panels with what looks like a 21-23 degree angle tilt towards the southern skies.

What is so ironic about this solar powered gas station is that on the day of the video, gas prices were over $4.61 per gallon.  Who knows, someday there may be electric filling stations on this corner as well for people with electric vehicles to load up on clean electricity.  That would sure be a major change, and probably many years off still, but it is possible.

Although you don’t see these types of filling stations often, there is another example of a solar powered gas station just to the North.

As the drive to become more and more energy independent continues, the chances are great that gas stations will move forward with implementing this energy source to take care of their needs.  It is not clear of the exact amount of kilo watt hours of electricity that these particular panels are producing, but there definitely is no shading problems within view.  And because they are facing a major street, the worry of new buildings someday blocking the sun is minimal.

Whether or not Royal Dutch Shell is the manufacturer of the solar panels on this station is also a mystery.  But because Shell is so heavily involved in energy production, they also have gotten involved in the solar industry.  Are they planning on implementing solar cells on all of their gas stations in the future is anybody’s guess at this point.  It sure would make some of us happy though.