NPS Craters of the Moon NM&P PV System Profile
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| Location: | Arco, United States |
| Operator: | NPS Craters of the Moon NM&P |
| Commissioning: | 12/9/2010 |
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| PV system power: | 55.440 kWp |
| Annual Production: | approx. 101,233 kWh (1,826 kWh/kWp) |
| CO2 avoided: | Approx. 0.8 tons per annum |
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| Modules: | 231 x SolarWorld SW 240 mono |
| Azimuth angle: | 180° |
| Angle of inclination: | 33° |
| Communication: |  Sunny WebBox |
| Inverter: |  7 x Sunny Boy 7000US |
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Description:
More than 200,000 people visit Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve every year to explore the cool refuge of a lava tube cave or peer deep into a volcanic crater. Nationwide, the National Park System hosts over 285 million visitors per year. The 1916 NPS Organic Act mandates that parks be managed not only for the enjoyment of today's visitors, but "preserved for future generations" as well. To achieve both, parks must be managed in a way that minimizes our collective footprint on the land. In a word, parks must be sustainable.
As a Climate Friendly Park, sustainability is a consideration in virtually all management actions taken today at Craters of the Moon NM&P. Sustainable actions focus on three key areas: energy, waste, and water.
To focus specifically on electrical energy, Craters of the Moon NM&P recently renovated the visitor center, which now uses considerably less energy than before renovation, despite nearly doubling in square footage. Better insulation and inexpensive steps such as temporary storm windows in winter help substantially. In addition, a new 55.44kW grid-tied photovoltaic array was installed in 2010, which produces enough power to offset nearly 100% of the visitor center’s electrical usage. On average, the visitor center uses 85,000 kWh of energy per year. Further, Craters of the Moon NM&P recently invested in two all-electric vehicles for park interpreters. When combined with electricity produced by the photovoltaic array, these vehicles are very close to zero emission.
The graphs show power production at Craters of the Moon NM&P. |
