Back to Basics for a Higher Purpose: Indian Hills Camp

Challenge

Indian Hills Camp is a non-profit endeavor that incorporates camping and outdoor activities to share Christian teachings with youth. The facility offers several experiences and educational programs, with options for overnight, one-day, or picnic events, all associated with or related to getting outside. Covering 85 acres that was once the seasonal home to bands of Kumeyaay Indians, the camp endeavored to run on clean, renewable energy as a way to lessen environmental impact as well as save on energy costs.

Solution

HES Renewables designed and installed three separate solar arrays to power the facility’s many energy meters. The flagship of the build is a massive 350-panel long span array. Closer to the camp’s administration office, two ground mounts with a combined 100 additional SunPower panels provide additional electricity.

Customer Benefit

For an organization that offers a “Web of Life” class that shows, “how energy passes from the sun to Earth’s diverse organisms,” a solar array to power the camp seemed like an ideal match. The Indian Hills Camp solar system delivers an over 90% energy offset from solar; Indian Hills Camp drastically reduced its carbon footprint while taking advantage of the resource of the sunlight. With energy costs greatly reduced and also stabilized, the endeavor is able to more accurately budget resources to other expenses.