Montana de Oro State Park Solar Installation Boosts Green Jobs While Reducing Carbon Footprint

Newly installed solar panels at Montaña de Oro State Park will generate 75 percent of the 8,355-acre park’s energy when fully operational. The installation work is being provided by California Conservation Corps members and is expected to be complete December 5.

“This solar project saves taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars in future electric costs and it helps to save our planet by reducing our carbon footprint,” said State Parks Director Ruth Coleman.  “At the same time, it has allowed us to provide the young people in the CCC with green technology skills, and we applaud their efforts on this project.”

A total of 31 photovoltaic panels will be installed at Montaña de Oro in San Luis Obispo County, part of the “Cool Parks” initiative to lower the carbon footprint of State Parks’ operations while reducing operating expenses.  When excess electricity is generated by the panels, it will flow back into the grid for use system-wide. Pacific Gas & Electric Company provided $190,000 to fund the project, which includes solar panels at Montaña de Oro State Park, Morro Bay State Park and a bird habitat project as well.

The “Cool Parks” energy conservation program began in 2007 and will include all 278 parks.  Currently the Sacramento Railroad Museum, Red Rock Canyon State Park in Kern County and the Visitor’s Center at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve all have energy-saving features.

Prior to their installation work, corpsmembers from the CCC’s Los Padres Center in San Luis Obispo received classroom instruction in basic wiring and electricity theory.  They will put their knowledge and skills to good use at other locations, including Morro Bay State Park in 2010.

  “The CCC has been involved in energy conservation for more than 30 years, so working on the “Cool Parks” initiative is a great match for us,” said CCC Director David Muraki.  “It’s also a great boost to our corpsmembers, who have skills they can use now in the CCC as well as in future careers.

The California Conservation Corps is a state agency hiring young men and women for a year of natural resource work and emergency response.  The CCC has been involved in energy conservation projects for more than 30 years, and likes to say “Conservation is our middle name.”

California State Parks is composed of 278 campgrounds, parks and beaches on more than 1.5 million acres of land.  State Parks is responsible for nearly one-third of the coastline of California, with more than 3,000 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails.  Each year, more than 75 million people visit California State Parks.

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