February 9, 2012
The Taos Eco Park is earning its name.
JR Logan / The Taos News
Kit Carson Electric Cooperative celebrated the completion of a 60-kilowatt solar canopy installed in the parking lot of the turf field on Salazar Road with a ribbon cutting ceremony Feb. 1.
The array was designed to generate enough electricity to power stadium lights for three fields at the Eco-Park. The town has completed the first field, with other phases pending.
Ideally, the solar panels would store electricity during the day that could be used to light the fields at night. Power from the panels now goes into the co-op’s electric grid.
Kit Carson CEO Luís Reyes told The Taos News that the co-op is working with the U.S. Department of Energy to find a way to provide electricity storage at the site.
The $300,000 array was the last solar project to be built using $5 million in federal Clean Renewable Energy Bonds that were awarded to the co-op a few years ago. Other arrays built with the bonds are at UNM-Taos Klauer Campus, KTAO Solar Radio, and at the co-op headquarters on Cruz Alta Road.
Taos company PPC Solar was the contractor in charge of the Eco-Park array. Taos contractor Group 3 erected the steel supports for the solar panels.
Taos Mayor Darren Córdova joined Reyes and co-op board chairman Bobby Ortega in symbolically cutting the red ribbon tied between supports at the array.
The Eco-Park is being lauded as a successful partnership between the town and Taos Municipal Schools. The concept is to promote the complex as a high altitude training center, in part to promote economic development in Taos.
The international soccer governing body FIFA recently renewed a two-star recommended status for the facility — the organization’s highest rating.
75kw Photovoltaic Solar Canopy Installation at Taos EcoPark. December 23 to January 1 2012, time lapse by PPC Solar.
Town of Taos, Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, PPC Solar and Taos Sports Alliance representatives and supporters gathered for a Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of the new Taos Eco Park Solar Array.