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The Ramona Band of the Cahuilla Indian Tribe has started work on its 100 percent off-grid renewable energy eco-tourism resort in Anza, California. The project, funded jointly by the Ramona Band, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and multiple other federal agencies, will employ multiple alternative energy technologies to meet all of its energy needs and recycle much of its own waste byproducts, such as sewage, biogas, and restaurant food waste.
"We want to create a truly natural retreat which mirrors our ancestral heritage of living in harmony with Mother Earth," says John Gomez, cultural director for the Ramona Band. "When finished, this resort will not be a burden on the environment. All energy will be renewable and all waste and wastewater will be recycled. This resort will be a model for other tribes to generate revenues for themselves in a more appealing manner that is true to their heritage."
The completed project is expected to produce 1 megawatt-Hr (1000 KW-hrs) per day of renewable energy, with propane as a backup energy source until the project is complete. Catalyx has been contracted as the technology provider. Five of the resort's 38 cabins are scheduled to open in August.
Among the resort's green technologies:
Water Treatment: Catalyx will provide a solar-powered water treatment plant to supply potable water to the cabins. A solar-powered submersible pump will pump groundwater to the treatment system.
Wastewater Treatment: Catalyx is providing a windmill-powered wastewater treatment plant. It will contract with Bio-Shaft Water Technology Inc. for a unique wastewater treatment plant that doesn't produce any sludge and recycles the water for irrigation. This standalone plant can be installed anywhere and bring much-needed sanitation to rural areas economically.
Solar Electric Generation and Storage: In the project's first phase, 13 KWp of photovoltaic panels will provide power to the cabins. The photovoltaic panels will have associated battery banks and inverters that use Catalyx's power storage technologies, to provide 110V power, if needed.
Wind Energy: Catalyx will provide multiple 10-15 KW windmills suitable for high-wind areas. The windmills will generate electricity for immediate use and charge battery banks.
Standby Bio Diesel Generator: There will be a 25KW backup diesel generator, fueled with bio diesel produced on site by the Ramona Band.
Bio Diesel Plant: Energy crops grown on site will generate the oil feedstock that Catalyx's proprietary technology will process into bio diesel on site. In the initial stages before the energy crop matures, the tribe plans to collect waste oil from fast food operations and restaurants in Anza and use it as oil feedstock for the plant. All other restaurant waste will also be recycled or used as feedstock as appropriate.
Hydrogen Generation/Fuel Cells: Catalyx spinoff Energix Research, Inc., will provide several integrated hydrogen generator/fuel cell devices. Energix will produce hydrogen from ethanol or methanol derived from the energy crop using its patent-pending technology. The hydrogen will power the fuel cell micro power plants with 5KW capacity of continuous power at 52 percent efficiency (compared to 21-24 percent with standard diesel generators).
Thermal Solar: In the final phase, Catalyx will provide thermal solar-powered small-scale absorption chillers for air conditioning and refrigeration as well as provide hot water for the cabins, pool and restaurant. The waste heat will be utilized for comfort heating in the cabins, restaurant and meeting rooms.
Electric Vehicles: For on-site transportation, Catalyx will provide 100 percent plug-in electric ATVs that use low-cost brushless DC motors with regenerative brakes. Catalyx developed the technology in collaboration with ICPE, Romania.
LED Lighting: The resort will be designed using optimum lighting with LED lamps, street, area and flood lamps that consume only a fraction of the electricity of comparable energy-wise lamps.
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Work Starts on Native American Eco-Tourism Resort in SoCal
May 5, 2009The Ramona Band of the Cahuilla Indian Tribe has started work on its 100 percent off-grid renewable energy eco-tourism resort in Anza, California. The project, funded jointly by the Ramona Band, the Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and multiple other federal agencies, will employ multiple alternative energy technologies to meet all of its energy needs and recycle much of its own waste byproducts, such as sewage, biogas, and restaurant food waste.
"We want to create a truly natural retreat which mirrors our ancestral heritage of living in harmony with Mother Earth," says John Gomez, cultural director for the Ramona Band. "When finished, this resort will not be a burden on the environment. All energy will be renewable and all waste and wastewater will be recycled. This resort will be a model for other tribes to generate revenues for themselves in a more appealing manner that is true to their heritage."
The completed project is expected to produce 1 megawatt-Hr (1000 KW-hrs) per day of renewable energy, with propane as a backup energy source until the project is complete. Catalyx has been contracted as the technology provider. Five of the resort's 38 cabins are scheduled to open in August.
Among the resort's green technologies:
Water Treatment: Catalyx will provide a solar-powered water treatment plant to supply potable water to the cabins. A solar-powered submersible pump will pump groundwater to the treatment system.
Wastewater Treatment: Catalyx is providing a windmill-powered wastewater treatment plant. It will contract with Bio-Shaft Water Technology Inc. for a unique wastewater treatment plant that doesn't produce any sludge and recycles the water for irrigation. This standalone plant can be installed anywhere and bring much-needed sanitation to rural areas economically.
Solar Electric Generation and Storage: In the project's first phase, 13 KWp of photovoltaic panels will provide power to the cabins. The photovoltaic panels will have associated battery banks and inverters that use Catalyx's power storage technologies, to provide 110V power, if needed.
Wind Energy: Catalyx will provide multiple 10-15 KW windmills suitable for high-wind areas. The windmills will generate electricity for immediate use and charge battery banks.
Standby Bio Diesel Generator: There will be a 25KW backup diesel generator, fueled with bio diesel produced on site by the Ramona Band.
Bio Diesel Plant: Energy crops grown on site will generate the oil feedstock that Catalyx's proprietary technology will process into bio diesel on site. In the initial stages before the energy crop matures, the tribe plans to collect waste oil from fast food operations and restaurants in Anza and use it as oil feedstock for the plant. All other restaurant waste will also be recycled or used as feedstock as appropriate.
Hydrogen Generation/Fuel Cells: Catalyx spinoff Energix Research, Inc., will provide several integrated hydrogen generator/fuel cell devices. Energix will produce hydrogen from ethanol or methanol derived from the energy crop using its patent-pending technology. The hydrogen will power the fuel cell micro power plants with 5KW capacity of continuous power at 52 percent efficiency (compared to 21-24 percent with standard diesel generators).
Thermal Solar: In the final phase, Catalyx will provide thermal solar-powered small-scale absorption chillers for air conditioning and refrigeration as well as provide hot water for the cabins, pool and restaurant. The waste heat will be utilized for comfort heating in the cabins, restaurant and meeting rooms.
Electric Vehicles: For on-site transportation, Catalyx will provide 100 percent plug-in electric ATVs that use low-cost brushless DC motors with regenerative brakes. Catalyx developed the technology in collaboration with ICPE, Romania.
LED Lighting: The resort will be designed using optimum lighting with LED lamps, street, area and flood lamps that consume only a fraction of the electricity of comparable energy-wise lamps.
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