Serendipity Systems has been publishing electronic books since 1986. For the last ten years our main office has been located at Gorda Pedmont in the Big Sur area of California. There is no electrical service in southern Big Sur, so we create our own. We have a tracker-mounted array of twelve Kyocera KC60 solar modules which convert sunlight into 24-volt DC power. This system charges a bank of 20 deep cycle batteries. This energy is converted into standard AC power by a Vanner 3Kw inverter.

In addition to our main array, several smaller sets of photovoltaic cells power specific systems. For example, a two-panel array keeps the laptop computer charged and powers the radios.

All of Serendipity Systems' computers, printers, peripherals, and even the ancient CompuGraphic phototypesetters are solar powered. Each stage of the publishing process, from editing to "printing" to packaging is done with sun-based power. ⁽¹⁾

Recently, we added an Air403 12 volt, marine grade wind turbine as a supplemental charging system for use during storm conditions. This is hooked up to our laptop computer system.

We are more "green" than the Sierra Club which still relies on ink-on-dead-trees for most of their publications.

Note 1 - Some of our paper packaging labels and book covers are printed off-site, however, the "masters" are made with our solar-powered computers. Our CD-ROM labels are printed with solar-powered printers, and we "burn" those CDs with the sun too.

The main power system is courtesy of Ann and Steven Frankel.