Chatsworth, CA · March 2023
1,400 Panels.
Six Revisions.
Two Departments.
567 kW commercial rooftop solar installation in Chatsworth, CA. Running since March 2023.
At a glance
- DC System
- 567 kW
- AC System
- 500 kW
- Panels
- 1,400 × LG Bifacial
- Inverters
- 8 × SMA CORE1
- Mounting
- Ballasted, 110 mph
- Plan Revisions
- 6
- Energized
- March 2023
- Utility
- LADWP
The story
Chatsworth. Commercial building — three football fields of flat roof. The job: 1,400 solar panels.
Ballasted mounting is the industry standard for projects like this: the array's own weight, several tons of it, holds everything down on the roof. For this particular building, LADBS asked for a 110 mph wind load rating — we reinforced the ballast with point anchors through the rafters. Recalculated, submitted the sixth revision. The permit was signed within a week.
The bifacial panels — they pick up light from both sides, including what bounces off the roof itself — went on facing south at a ten-degree tilt. That shallow angle does three jobs on a flat roof: rows pack closer together without shading each other, the back of each panel catches more reflected light off the membrane, and wind loading stays in spec.
Power flows into eight commercial inverters, each about the size of a washing machine — together, enough capacity to run a small neighborhood. Every panel has its own controller. On a signal from the fire department, the whole array shuts down in seconds.
Then the marathon started.
We spent eleven days going back and forth with LAFD over four feet. Four feet — the clearance between panel rows for firefighter access. On paper, a small thing. In practice, redrawn schematics, fresh approvals, weeks of work. We showed in the drawings that we were exactly to code. And we passed.
Both city departments were active at the same time. LADBS handled the structural and electrical permits. The fire department worked its own list: a second Knox Box, an external rapid-shutdown switch, conduit warning labels every ten feet, signage from the lobby to the electrical room.
Six plan revisions. Two permits. One fire-code dispute. The system has been running since March 2023.
A residential job is ten times simpler: one roof, one inspector, no fire department in the loop. When we give a homeowner the timeline — one day for the install, one week for the full project including permits — they usually ask us to repeat it.
There's no magic to it. The same crew that worked through six revisions and an eleven-day fire-code dispute closes out a residential install in a week, no drama.
See what a one-week residential install looks like. Get a free home estimate.
System specifications
| DC system size | 567 kW |
|---|---|
| AC system size | 500 kW |
| Modules | 1,400 × LG NeON 2 BiFacial (LG405N2T-J5), 405W each |
| Inverters | 8 × SMA Sunny Tripower CORE1, 62.5 kW each, 480/277V 3-phase |
Show all Show less
| Module configuration | 17–18 per string, 2 strings per MPPT |
|---|---|
| Module orientation | 180° south-facing, 10° tilt |
| Mounting | Ballasted with point anchors through rafters, 110 mph wind load |
| Rapid shutdown | Tigo TS4-A-2F module-level; exterior switch at main panel |
| Interconnection | Line-side tap at existing 5,000A 480/277V switchboard |
| New PV panelboard | 800A 480/277V with visible-blade fused AC disconnect and metering |
| Battery | None |
| Roof type | Flat TPO/PVC membrane |
| Roof area | 345 × 532 ft (~180,000 sq ft) |
| Utility | LADWP — commercial net metering |
| AHJ | LADBS (City of Los Angeles) + LAFD |
| Plan revisions | 6 |
| Energized | March 2023 |
| Contractor | Cali Energy, CSLB #1032379 |
Frequently asked questions
Is a residential solar install really ten times simpler than this?
Yes. A home is one roof, one LADBS inspector, no fire department in the loop. One day on the roof, about a week including permits.
Is the same Cali Energy crew that handled this commercial project the one installing on homes?
Yes. In-house team, no subcontractors. The same crew that ran six revisions and the LAFD dispute is the one that shows up to a residential driveway. CSLB #1032379.
How long does a residential solar install actually take with Cali Energy?
One day on the roof for a typical 15–30 panel system. About a week including permits and LADWP interconnection. The homeowner doesn't talk to LADBS or LADWP — we do.
Does Cali Energy work in Chatsworth, Northridge, and the northwest San Fernando Valley?
Yes. Chatsworth, Northridge, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch, West Hills, Canoga Park, Winnetka — most in LADWP territory. We handle the permitting and interconnection.
