June 5, 2024

Bob, the Dog, and the Solar Vineyard (Encore)

Bob is a winemaker who is having a mid-life crisis. Trying to pull it together, he converts the oldest part of his vineyard into a solar farm, adopts a lost dog, and tries to make great wine. But nothing goes as planned, so he decides to take a psychedelic trip that takes him on a solar magical mystery tour that sparks joy in everyone—especially the dog.

True Solar Takeaways

  • Vineyards use a tremendous amount of energy for irrigation pumps, refrigeration, bottling operations, and resort energy costs. Consequently, many wine companies are now converting a part of their acreage to a solar farm that reduces the energy costs of the vineyard's operations.
  • 1 MW of solar can be installed on about 5 acres of land.
  • Solar trackers can be installed on a vineyard's rolling hillsides and use AI to precisely track the sun and generate the most energy throughout the year.
  • The acreage will always be cleared of vegetation, so a vine would not survive, even a hardy one. But this is a fairy tale, so please roll with it.
  • "Piles" are the posts that support the trackers.
  • While it's true that solar panels don't talk, inverters are like "solar energy translators." They convert the solar's direct current (DC) energy into alternating current (AC) that is used by homes and businesses in the U.S.
  • Here are some solar-powered vineyards. If you drink enough wine and use your imagination, you might taste a bit of the sun! Cheers.

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Series Story: "The Solar Heist or How I Got into the Solar Business"

Probably True Solar Stories has a long solar "mini-series." Listen to the Solar Heist series here. Then explore the other shorter stand-alone stories below.

Nov. 30, 2022

Part 3: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Fa…

In the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories , we continue the story of two neighbors who are part of the solar industry. Charlie is a large-scale utility solar developer while Mazz is a medium-scale thief who successfu...

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June 14, 2023

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 5: The Es…

After almost being shot by a crime syndicate enforcer, Charlie and Mazz go to confront Richard Prout about who really owns the utility solar project. But Richard won’t talk. Worse, he attempts a daring escape that frustrates ...

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June 7, 2023

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 4: The Wa…

Season 2's theme is "Solar Noir," and we start off with a darkly comedic Part 4 of our Solar Heist series. (Catch up to Parts 1-3 here .) In Part 4, Mazz and Charlie are forced by Richard Prout, a …

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Oct. 5, 2022

Part 2: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The No…

In real life, you never hear about the perfect heist. That’s because when a real-life heist is perfect, there are no witnesses, the criminals disappear, and the case goes cold. Boring. Now, in a fictional heist story, somethi...

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Sept. 28, 2022

Part 1: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Pr…

In this first episode of Probably True Solar Stories , two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop that specializes in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night....

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Aug. 16, 2023

Part 6, The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: Trust

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we end our Solar Noir season where we began. We continue the ongoing story of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." In this next chapter, it’s all about …

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Sept. 20, 2023

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Parts 1-6

For those solar fiction fans who prefer the longer formats, we've combined all six episodes of "The Solar Heist" into a single two-hour version, including chapter headings. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, Calif...

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Jan. 24, 2024

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 7: Monste…

On the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with Part 7 of The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business. When an intruder breaks in and holds a gun to the head of Mazz's …

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Jan. 31, 2024

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 8: Mrs. P…

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, Sylvia Prout, the widow of Richard Prout, visits Mazz and Charlie looking for answers about her husband's apparent murder. After some intense questioning and bourbon Irish coffees, Syl...

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Feb. 7, 2024

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 9: Chico

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, "The Solar Heist" series continues. Charlie goes to Chico, California to hunt for "CATs," --certain awful things--buried at a landfill that’s about to become a new solar farm. Meanwhil...

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Feb. 14, 2024

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 10: Timing

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with Part 10 of "The Solar Heist" series. Mrs. Prout returns to Mazz and Charlie’s house to give them a warning. But Mazz and Charlie are already in Chico. Despite her …

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Feb. 21, 2024

The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 11: Rewind

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we conclude our limited series, "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." It's about two neighbors who unexpectedly form an odd friendship and work to uncover a solar en...

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