Go Back

UNPEPP 2008: Redwood National and State Park Headquarters Energy Study

The goals of the 2008 University-National Parks Energy Partnership (UNPEPP) project were as follows: to conduct an energy audit of the Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) headquarters in Crescent City, CA and recommend energy conservation measures; to design a solar photovoltaic system for the same RNSP facility; and to generate an emissions inventory for the RNSPs. The 2008 UNPEPP interns hired to complete these goals were HSU Environmental Resources Engineering students Jeffrey Hinton, Teresa Persons, and Lucas Siegfried.

The energy audit included both an electrical and gas analysis. Recommendations were generated to reduce the RNSP headquarters’ annual electricity consumption by 11%, saving $930 annually. These retrofits have an estimated labor and maintenance cost of $2,500, with a simple payback period of 2.6 years.  Recommendations to reduce the facility’s annual propane consumption were also generated.  These recommendations can reduce the facility’s propane use by 46%, saving $7,000 annually. The propane retrofits have a labor and maintenance cost of $2000, with a simple payback period of 0.3 years.

Four alternative grid-intertied solar electric systems were developed for the RNSP headquarters facility:

1. A 6.15 kW_DC system expected to meet 67% of the facility’s annual electrical demand and cost $44,400, with a combined simple payback period of 7.6 years. 
2. A 9.23 kW_DC system expected to meet 100% of the facility’s annual electrical demand and cost $68,100, with a combined simple payback period of 8.2 years.
3. A 10.7 kW_DC system expected to meet 116% of the facility’s annual electrical demand and cost  $74,600, with a combined simple payback period of 9.0 years.
4. A 34.4 kW_DC system expected to meet 375% of the facility’s annual electrical demand and cost $227,000, with a combined simple payback period of 27 years.

Design alternatives three and four both generate excess electricity. This electricity will be sent to the grid and may be used to offset park greenhouse gas emissions, sold as carbon credits, or sold back to the local power supplier. 

An emissions inventory for RNSPs was produced, analyzing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and criteria air pollutants. The RNSP has a gross emission of 2,600 metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE) GHGs annually, with the vast majority from mobile combustion (vehicles).  The net emission of the RNSPs is -97,000 MTCE GHGs annually, significantly offset by GHGs sequestered by the park forests.  The RNSP emits 2,225,000 lbs of criteria air pollutant (CAP) emissions annually, primarily from the National Park and visitors.  Future research should be performed to refine estimated values and address areas of insufficient information.