Off-Grid Airport

Cal Black Memorial Airport, near Lake Powell in the remote desert of southern Utah, operates independent of the utility grid. Reliable energy is mission-critical at the airport for supporting runway lights, fuel pumps, navigation aids, communications, and emergency services, which include medical evacuations and firefighting.

Despite being in the "middle of nowhere", many visitors flock to the area as a result of the unique landscape in the region.

The Cal Black Airport is the gateway to the area's outstanding wilderness and recreational areas, which include:

• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Natural Bridges National Monument
• Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

History of the Cal Black Memorial Airport

• The original airport was an unsafe, dirt landing strip located near Lake Powell, adjacent to the Halls Crossing Marina.
• The first proposal for a replacement airport was made in 1966. After years of studies, the FAA approved the development of a new airport in 1990.
• Discussions between the FAA, San Juan County, the National Park Service, and the Bureau of Land Management ultimately led to a decision on a location outside the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
• In the middle of various court challenges over the land transfer and environmental reviews, the airport finally opened in April 1992.

First

The Cal Black Memorial Airport is notable for being the first fully solar-powered airport in the United States. Although generators are on site, they serve only as a backup energy source.

The off-grid energy system provides power for runway lights, fuel pumps, navigation aids, communications, and emergency operations, such as firefighting and medical evacuations.

To ensure reliability in the extreme desert environment, where temperatures range from 45°C (113°F) in summer to -30°C (-23°F) in winter, all the power equipment is housed in an underground vault. This subterranean vault stabilizes temperatures for the batteries and equipment, thereby improving the performance of the equipment.

System Overhaul

In 2014, the airport’s original off-grid system had become unsustainable. Aging batteries, inverters, and charge controllers compromised operations, causing considerable fuel consumption as generators had to work overtime.

To overcome this issue, the system at Cal Black Airport received a major system overhaul by the New Grid and Gardner Energy teams:

• Inverters: Replaced old Xantrex inverters with Outback 8048 Radian inverters.

• Charge Controllers: Upgraded early-model Outback MX60s to Outback FM80 charge controllers.

• Solar Panels: Added 140 Kyocera KC-140 panels.

• Battery Bank: Installed GNB Absolyte industrial batteries.

• Balance of System: Replaced all the breaker panels, breakers, and wiring to improve reliability.

NewGrid is an Arizona-based turnkey design and build group focused exclusively on off-grid power systems and microgrids.

Gardner Energy is an Ogden, UT based company that has been completing design-build renewable energy projects for nearly two decades.

A unique requirement of this installation was that all critical equipment remain operational throughout the entire upgrade process.

The 2014 system upgrade enabled the airport to operate off-grid for another decade. In addition to the airport's mission-critical systems, the off-grid energy system powered office equipment, a golf-kart charger, an ice machine, two mini-split air conditioners, and an air compressor.

2025 Upgrade

In 2025, as the energy system from 2014 approached its end of life, it was overhauled once again with modern equipment. The new system should prove to be even more resilient and offer greater energy security.

• The addition of 48 REC 420 Pure-2 AA solar panels increased the total solar capacity to 40 kW.
• Forty Discover Energy Systems' AES RACKMOUNT battery modules offer 204.8 kWh of energy storage.
• Three Sol-Ark 15K-2P-N hybrid inverters convert energy from solar panels and generators.
• Dual Kohler 50REOZK diesel generators (total 100 kW) offer energy backup.

With new high-efficiency solar panels, robust battery energy storage, and diesel backup, Cal Black Airport continues as a model for aviation in isolated regions.

Summary

Cal Black Memorial Airport is a fully off-grid aviation hub that highlights how renewable energy and storage systems can support critical transportation and emergency services in one of the harshest and isolated environments in the United States. With multiple upgrades over time, the system has evolved into a showcase for resilience, sustainability, and the future of energy independence for remote transportation hubs.

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