Sunday, April 20, 2014

600 More Solar Panels Installed At Lake Mead NRA

The Lake Mead National Recreation
Area has added 600 solar panels which
will provide power for a park warehouse,
communications center and other offices.
PV panels (above) were added to the Alan
Bible Visitor Center during a 2013 renovation
of the facility.
Photo courtesy of iH Agency
Lake Mead National Recreation Area continues to "Go Green" with the addition of photovoltaic systems that not only ensure conservative energy, but also provide shade to government vehicles.

More than 600 PV panels were installed on the tops of three shade structures in an administrative area parking lot. These panels generate energy by absorbing sunlight that is transferred to solar energy that can travel through electrical circuits to power electrical devices.

The 10,205 square feet of panels produce a total output of 158.6 kilowatts, which power the Lake Mead maintenance warehouse, Interagency Communications Center and other nearby offices in Boulder City.

"This was a great project for a couple of reasons," said Bruce Nyhuis, chief, park maintenance and engineering division. "It demonstrates the National Park Service commitment to renewable energy. The new PV system will offset approximately 35 percent of the total energy used in our warehouse complex.

"Secondarily, this project has the added benefit of providing shade for vehicles, which really helps keep the interior of our vehicles cooler in our climate, as well as protection from sun damage," he added.

Lake Mead NRA continues to make green goals. PV panels were added to the renovated visitor center and native plant nursery in 2013. Single-stream recycling bins are being added throughout the park, and the park's Green Team is promoting recycling, composting and other environmental goals.

The construction project was funded by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act. The contractor for the project was SunWize, a sustainable energy contractor out of San Jose, Calif.

Source: http://www.hendersonpress.com/Articles-Top-Story-c-2014-03-14-87196.113122-600-MORE-SOLAR-PANELS-INSTALLED-AT-LAKE-MEAD-NRA.html

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