A Model of Renewable Energy

     Channel Islands National Park of the coast of southern California is a place far ahead of its time.  The park personnel have dedicated themselves to energy conservation, recycling, and using alternative fuels.  Kent Bullard of the National Park Service (NPS) reports that Channel Island has 63 renewable energy applications.  With abundant solar and wind resources, the most common forms of renewable energy are photovoltaics (PV).

One of these energy  systems is composed of the following:

• Two 10-kW wind turbines and a 12.6-kW PV array

• One 30-kW inverter to control battery charging and provide continuous 208/120 AC electricity

• A system controller to regulate power generation and activate backup generators as needed

• A 300-kW capacity battery bank
  

This system will replace a 35-kW diesel generator that uses 17,500 gallons of diesel fuel and 120 gallons of motor oil each year.  This generator will now be used as the backup source.

     The park also boast many other renewable energy features that are both innovative and nearly necessary:

• Solar water preheater
• Rainwater collection for toilet flushing
• Several PV powered systems throughout the park

    




     In total, Channel Island National Park will displace 36,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year.  Even more staggering is that none of the following will be produced because of these changes:

• 856,000 lbs of carbon dioxide each year

• 20,700 lbs of nitrogen oxides each year

• 792 lbs of particulates each year

• 500 lbs of sulfur dioxide each year

• 14,200 lbs of carbon monoxide each year