Historical Photo of the Month - November 2008

SAGE Solar Panel Tests in 1974
Photograph Number 293-8736A

The Solar-Assisted Gas Energy (SAGE) project was sponsored by the Southern California Gas Company beginning in 1973. Its purpose was to investigate the commercial possibilities of solar-assisted gas energy for heating water. A solar collector array was constructed on the roof of building 82 in April 1974. It was connected to a storage tank, heat exchanger, gas boiler, electric heater, pumps, valves, and instrumentation. This system, suitable for a ten unit apartment building, was used to test and evaluate various water heating system designs. This photo shows the array being assembled on the south-facing roof slope, with buildings 83 and 238 in the background.

In the next phase of the project, similar systems were installed in apartment buildings in El Toro and Pasadena. You can learn more about the project by visiting the JPL Archives "Going Green" exhibit, on display in the Library (building 111). The equipment was removed from building 82 and the SAGE Project never made it past the pilot phase. Solar heating was not found to be economical enough for commercial success.

For more information about the history of JPL, contact the JPL Archives for assistance. [Archival and other sources: photo index; JPL Civil Systems, SP 43-1; JPL Annual Reports, 1972-1973 and 1973-1974.]