June 27, 2019 612 PM
FORT DAVIS – Most visitors – if not before they arrive, certainly by the time they say, “adios!” to the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI Nature Center) located 4 miles SE of Fort Davis off of St. Hwy 118 – know CDRI was the recipient of a Green Mountain Energy Sun Club grant in 2013. That grant enabled CDRI to install a 24-panel solar array at that time. That array provides approximately 6 kW of solar power to the Powell Visitor Center—about 66% of the Visitor Center’s requirements.
CDRI is now, in its words, “an ecstatic and grateful recipient” of a second grant from Sun Club in the amount of $27,000. This grant enabled CDRI to install a second solar array providing 6.3 kW solar power to the Cactus Greenhouse and the water well pump. The Cactus Greenhouse contains about 1,600 plants, approximately 165 species and subspecies of Chihuahuan Desert cacti. With such a variety of species and their origins being of varying terrain and climate conditions, the Cactus Greenhouse uses energy to run fans throughout the warm months and continuous heating throughout the cooler months of the year. CDRI’s well supplies its nearly 15,000 visitors with drinking water and restroom services, and while our 18+ acre Botanical Garden is almost entirely planted with native, low water plants, even our carefully monitored and limited drip-irrigation engages the well pump.
The new array consists of 21 panels mounted on a steel frame spanning the overhang of the Maintenance Building located some 90’ west of the Greenhouse. A 75-foot trench from the Maintenance Building to the utility pole serving the Greenhouse and well was required for the conduit which connects the panels to the inverters and the switch and meter.
The installation and connection to the dual meter received a thumbs up approval by AEP, with the system going active on May 17. The last step was to connect the Enphase monitoring equipment which provides CDRI generating and usage data.
The incredible team who helped manage the project from start to finish, include the following individuals and area businesses:
Materials were sourced by Bennett Jones of Alpine Solar Sales (Alpine, TX)
Jonathan DuBois, owner of Compass Electrical Services (Alpine, TX), oversaw every aspect of the project including: i) creating the initial design submitted to GME Sun Club in support of the grant application and to AEP; ii) working with Bennett ordering materials;
iii) coordinating trenching by Ronny Davis of RonTac (Alpine, TX); iv) completing applications with AEP; and v) supervising his team from Compass Electrical who built the steel frame structure and installed the panels. Jonathan also monitored the equipment after it was activated, including setting up the Enphase monitor.
CDRI is grateful to Sun Club for both of the solar arrays due to: i) the environmental and cost benefits, and ii) both visible installations enable CDRI to show and inform visitors of the details of site-based solar. Additionally, CDRI now has two arrays to demonstrate sustainable solar energy for its educational programs for adults and the nearly 2,000 students in the TEA Region 18 service area that visit us yearly. The higher output of the much smaller size of the new array, as well as a materially reduced cost, vividly illustrate advances in the technology in just 5 or so years.
The Green Mountain Energy Sun Club is a nonprofit organization committed to sustainability projects and solutions in local communities since 2002. Through nonprofit partnerships and sustainability grants, the organization supports projects promoting renewable energy, energy efficiency, resource conservation and environmental stewardship. Since the Sun Club’s founding, it has donated $7 million to more than 110 nonprofit organizations across Texas and the Northeast U.S.
To show their appreciation, CDRI is offering FREE ADMISSION to Green Mountain Energy employees and customers through 2019. Customers need only to bring a Green Mountain Energy electricity bill, and CDRI will, with pleasure, waive the admission fee.
You can access additional information about CDRI Nature Center at www.cdri.org.
Many thanks from sunny CDRI!
