The 1,500 watt solar array at Garr Ranch.

Antelope Island State Park uses photovoltaic (PV) systems to provide power to a variety of applications where installing utility power lines is not cost-effective.

Garr Ranch

The Garr Ranch PV system provides electricity to the restroom and barn. The barn includes a lean-to which houses historical displays. The ranch is approximately 15 miles from the closest utility line. The cost to run power lines to the ranch would be over $300,000. This site is well suited for solar power because the electric demand is low and the distance to a utility power line is great.

Installation of solar array in March, 2000.	Inverter on left. The "power center" on right contains the charge controller, low-voltage disconnect, and circuit breakers.

System Specifications

Garr Ranch Water System

A small, single module PV system from an abandoned payphone was moved to the water tank that supplies the ranch with water. Electricity from the PV system is used to open and close the water tank fill valve.

System Specifications

Radio Repeater Site

The radio repeater, antenna, and photovoltaic system are mounted on the restroom roof at Buffalo Point.

Until recently, the park headquarters did not have e-mail or Internet access. The options were to run a land line from the visitor center or transmit the data over radio waves. Installing a land line would be very expensive and disruptive. Radio transmission needed line-of-sight between the buildings, and there is a hill between the visitor center and the headquarters building.

The solution to the problem was to install a radio repeater station on Buffalo Point which has line-of-sight with both buildings. Buffalo Point does not have utility service, so several abandoned PV systems previously used to power payphones were installed to power the radio repeater.

System Specifications

Marina Lighting

The marina flashing light, which marks the entrance to the marina, is solar powered. System Specifications
Solar Array Rated Output	20 watts
Inverter Capacity	No inverter
Battery Capacity	160 amp-hours
DC Nominal Voltage	6 volts
AC Nominal Voltage	No AC voltage
		The Marina flashing light is solar powered.