Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions (CWG) recently powered up its new solar panel grid system at the Gulch Base Camp. The money saved on utilities will fund scholarships that give kids access to outdoor education.

Coordinated by nonprofit, Everybody Solar, and installed by NM Solar Group, the two part, overall 9.32-kW photovoltaic energy system is expected to save CWG over $1,278 in utilities annually.

“We are so excited to incorporate solar power into our operations and education programs. The support from our community and supporters is astounding,” said Tori Baker-White, program director of CWG.

Currently, CWG offers over $130,000 in school and summer scholarships. With these savings, more students will connect with the wilderness while learning about science, ecology, cultural arts and now solar power.

“Cutting down on CWG.’s energy costs will help give even more back to the communities that support them,” says Myriam Scally, director of operations and development at Everybody Solar. “We think it will spark the next generation of solar engineers.”

The parallels between self-reliance fostered by understanding the environment and the power of harnessing the sun to run operations are clear, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been a labor of love from many organizations and individuals.

Funders for this project include The Gumerlock Family Foundation, PopSockets, Makers4Good and JinkoSolar.

“This project will go a long way to inspire generations students to explore more environmentally friendly sources of power,” says NM Solar Group founder Ryan Wallace.

News item from Everybody Solar