Outpost on Highway 50 invests in energy technology

COLD SPRINGS - Amid the old West decor and analog gas pumps at Cold Springs Station, near where Pony Express riders once galloped with news from the East, it's hard to miss the three rows of 100-foot-long solar panels.

At this oasis 120 miles east of Carson City, the aura of the past meets an energy technology of the future through a state initiated solar program.

The restaurant, bar, motel, fuel pumps, RV park and camping area are fully powered by the sun, utilizing the 300-plus sunny days per year in Churchill County. During daylight, the system powers the complex and contributes excess to the Sierra Pacific Power Co. grid.

Gerald Chappell, an owner of Cold Springs Station, said the system has a maximum output of 30 kilowatts, which is enough power to put a significant dent in the energy bill.

"It certainly makes for a wonderful system for us," Chappell said.

The power comes from three rows of panels located behind the property, plainly visible from the highway. The system cost $215,000, with $120,000 coming from a Sierra Pacific rebate, Chappell said. The remainder should be paid off in seven years through savings on electricity costs, he said.

"It's taking $1,000 per month off our electric bill," Chappell said.

Maintenance of the system, which falls to the property owner, includes monitoring the inverters that convert direct current (DC) power from the panels to usable alternating current (AC) power, cleaning filters, monthly washing of panels and repairs of damage from high winds, Chappell said.

It's designed to withstand wind gusts of 90 mph, he said.

The solar panels have drawn the attention of passersby, many of whom show an interest in installing solar panels on their property, he said.

Employee Cricket Taxara spent Monday cooking the hearty burgers and homemade pies the restaurant is known for. Much of the clientele consists of truckers and tourists seeking the solitude of Highway 50, known as the "Loneliest Road in America," she said.

The system has yet to surge, pop or hiccup, she said.

"Everything has worked fantastically," Taxara said.

The Cold Springs Station solar project is another success in Sierra Pacific Power's SolarGenerations program, a state-approved initiative to stimulate solar development through rebates offered to participants, said John Hargrove, project manager.

"It is definitely one of the shining stars in the program so far," he said.

Chappell has not only shown an enthusiasm for his own project, but spurred other potential applicants in Mina and Luning to consider solar power, said Scott Gerz, a program manager with SolarGenerations.

The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe has also participated in the program, installing a 12 kilowatt system on the roof of the tribal administration building last fall. The tribe received a rebate check for $50,393.40 from Sierra Pacific in November.

Nevadans have installed 378 kilowatts of solar energy since SolarGenerations began in 2004, according to a Sierra Pacific press release. Since the start of the program, 42 homes in Northern Nevada have installed photovoltaic solar systems.

-- Contact reporter Josh Johnson at jjohnson@lahontanvalleynews.com