Deep inside Yellowstone National Park, there’s a small area known as Bechler Ranger Station that has made history. Recently, some solar panels have been installed there and they are generating almost all the electricity a home needs. This project means a huge change for Yellowstone and it could transform the way in which national parks manage their energy while protecting the environment. Sounds great, right? So, let’s learn more details about this wonderful project.
Mobile solar system in Yellowstone
Bechler’s solar system is different from traditional ones because it doesn’t use permanent installed panels to the ground, instead the solar panels are mounted on a trailer, which allows them to be moved in and out of the park each year.
During summer, when the roads are open, the trailer is carried to the station and placed to generate energy. This system powers several installations of the park, among them we can find:
- A historic ranger station duplex
- Two RVs (used by park staff)
- A workshop
- A visitor contact station
- A dormitory building
- And even a horse barn built by U.S. Army soldiers in 1911
Thanks to this innovative design, Yellowstone’s solar system has become one of the most efficient and flexible of any national park.
A highly efficient system
Is this system showing good results? Good?? The results are unbelievable! According to the park’s report, the solar panels produce more than 98% of the electricity needed for operations of the place. This means the backup generator — which used to power everything — now runs for only one or two hours per day, depending on the weather.
In the past, Bechler station completely depended on propane generators. Those generators had to run constantly to supply power, burning fossil fuels and making noise in an otherwise peaceful environment. Now, the air is cleaner, the park is quieter, and the system is much more sustainable. Isn’t that great?
A smart hybrid system
The new system is known as a mobile PV/generator hybrid system. It doesn’t just produce solar energy, it also stores it in batteries. This way, when there’s no sun, batteries provide the required energy and the PV/generator only turns on when it’s really necessary. Therefore, this allows to save fuel and reduce maintenance, guaranteeing a constant and reliable supply of energy during the entire summer.
For the first time, Yellowstone can power its most isolated installations with a system that reduces the environmental impact and maximizes energy efficiency.
Preserving Yellowstone’s history and protecting nature
Bechler station is part of Fort Yellowstone, a National Historic Place located in Mammoth Hot Springs. So, this project meant a huge challenge: how to modernize the energy of the place without damaging its architecture and the natural surroundings.
The solution? A mobile solar system that offers clean and silent energy without altering historic buildings. The system is installed every June and removed every October, before winter comes. In August the staff only has to adjust the angle of the panels to make the most of the sun. Before this, workers had to visit the place every single day to check the generators.
Economic and environmental benefits
THe advantages of the system go beyond energy saving, useful life of the generator has increased and its costs of operation have reduced up to 26% of what it was before. As a consequence, we have all these benefits:
- Less air pollution
- Lower fuel transport needs to remote areas
- Less noise from generators
- And major cost savings for the park
This balance between saving and sustainability makes Yellowestone’s solar system a reference for responsible energy for other parks of the country.