Solar Power
PV System
Powers Remote Ranch
in Yellowstone National Park
 A
7-kilowatt PV array helps power the remote Lamar Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone
National Park.
The system is the main source
of power for three residences occupied by National Park Service rangers and 16
small cabins operated by the Yellowstone Institute.
Altair
Energy of Colorado assisted the Federal Energy Management Program with the
design, specification, procurement and installation of the PV hybrid system.
The PV array is part of a hybrid remote power system that features two alternating
engine generators. The system is the main source of power for three residences
occupied by National Park Service rangers and 16 small cabins operated by the
Yellowstone Institute. System components include a 7-kilowatt PV array, inverters,
controls, industrial battery storage and two alternating 12 kilowatt propane-powered
engine generators.
Altair also conducted installation
and maintenance training for the park's electricians.
Photos courtesy of Altair
Energy
The Buffalo Ranch
The Lamar Buffalo Ranch was built in the early part of the century in an effort
to increase the herd size of the few remaining bison in Yellowstone, preventing
the feared extinction of the species. Buffalo ranching operations continued at
Lamar until the 1950s.
The valley was irrigated for hay pastures, and corrals and fencing were scattered
throughout the area. Remnants of irrigation ditches, fencing, and water troughs
can still be found. Four remaining buildings from the original ranch compound
are contained within the Lamar Buffalo Ranch Historic District (two residences,
the bunkhouse, and the barn) and are on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the early 1980s, old tourist cabins from Fishing Bridge were brought to Lamar
to be used for Yellowstone Institute classes. In 1993, a cabin replacement project,
funded by the Yellowstone Association, was begun. At this time all of the old
cabins have been replaced with new insulated and heated structures.
The facility is also used in the spring and fall for the Park Service's residential
environmental education program.
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