Volunteer Spotlight

Chris Satterlee Leads SunWork Volunteer Training Activities

Chris Satterlee Leads SunWork Volunteer Training ActivitiesSunWork’s cadre of trained volunteers is the engine that allows us to make solar more affordable for nonprofits and low-energy-use homes. The great majority of volunteers are involved with installing panels, placing inverters, running wires, and the many other activities associated with a solar installation.

Other SunWork volunteers work on our website, perform market research, assist at outreach events, etc. One volunteer, however, has been playing an especially important role for the last couple of years. Chris Satterlee has taken on the responsibility of leading SunWork’s volunteer training sessions on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.

This role is crucial because he teaches not only the basics of solar energy and solar installation, but also imparts safety best practices that are vital to ensuring the well-being of SunWork’s volunteers.

Chris has worked on more than 25 SunWork installations and also helped with outreach efforts at SunWork events.

Chris’ involvement allowed SunWork to dramatically ramp up its volunteer training schedule. Prior to his participation, a session was offered in the area he covers only every three months. A session is now offered almost every month, greatly expanding the pool of available volunteers and enhancing SunWork’s role in educating the community about solar energy. (A session is also offered almost every month in the East Bay.)

Chris has also focused his talents for innovation on improving SunWork’s training sessions. One example is the development of an extensive animated slide presentation that’s now used whenever our volunteers are trained. This has improved the effectiveness of the sessions and enabled newly trained volunteers to hit the ground running on their first installation.

In addition to his role as trainer, Chris is an outstanding SunWork volunteer in other regards. He worked on more than 25 SunWork installations and also helped with outreach efforts at SunWork events.

Beyond SunWork, Chris has brought his Electrical Engineering background and experience in leading the development of computer and networking components to other volunteer activities. For example, he has recently helped his alma mater, Stanford University, by producing a tool (the “IV Swinger 2”) that’s used in Stanford lab courses to plot the current vs. voltage characteristics of a PV panel under varying conditions.

If you’re interested in volunteering to help with SunWork installations, outreach, website maintenance/enhancement, or other activities, please contact us at info@sunwork.org.

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