Project Details
Opened to the public in 2007, the Grand Canyon Skywalk has evolved into a sought-after attraction, offering visitors an extraordinary and exhilarating experience with a unique perspective on the Grand Canyon’s vastness. Positioned on Hualapai Tribal land, 30 miles from the nearest utility water source, the initial challenge of daily water deliveries due to harsh road conditions and high fuel costs led the tribe to construct an off-grid solar power system in 2014. Despite its innovation, budgetary constraints prevented the installation of a properly-sized energy storage system, resulting in the 250kWh lead-acid battery bank’s failure within four years.
In collaboration with the original system designer, NewGrid conducted an extensive site evaluation in early 2022. The findings, relayed to Tribal Leadership, underscored the urgency of the situation and our confidence that the right upgrades would get site performance to exceed original expectations. Soaring fuel costs, the strain on water delivery logistics, and NewGrid’s assurances of performance prompted the tribe to make a decisive move to fortify the off-grid power system with a 400kWh lithium iron phosphate energy storage system. Commissioned in 2022, these upgrades breathed new life into a defunct off-grid system. In conjunction with the energy storage upgrades, additional improvements made to the existing solar arrays and electrical infrastructure of the power system have allowed the site to meet heightened pumping demands independently of the generator. In facilities with critical uptime requirements like this, ongoing operations and maintenance contracts are indispensable. NewGrid ensures the site’s operational integrity through a secure internet connection, enabling real-time monitoring of all power system components, and maintains an ongoing commitment to operations and maintenance duties.