KILI Radio Station Install and PV Training : Phase I

Remote Energy teamed up with Henry Redcloud & Lakota Solar Enterprises and Trees Water & People to complete the first phase of a 19.2 kW utility interactive PV system and PV training program at the broadcast station of KILI Radio.  KILI, “The Voice of the Lakota Nation” is an independent, Lakota owned and operated, 100,000 watt FM radio station located at Porcupine Butte on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota.  The PV system will make great strides in helping KILI Radio generate all of its own clean, renewable energy.

The install crew completed all of the ground work in preparation for Phase II,  the week-long hands-on training program that will be held in September.   The crew constructed the foundation for the 80-module, ground mounted array and made all the preparations for the upcoming install.   Tribal members from the Pine Ridge Reservation and other Native American students will attend the hands-on training.   Students will complete the construction of the racking system, mount/wire all of the PV modules, inverters, and other system components, and learn more about designing and installing PV systems.  

Phase II

This September, Remote Energy team members Jason Lerner and Chris Brooks returned to the Pine Ridge Reservation to complete phase II of the KILI Project – the installation and commissioning of the of the KILI radio station’s 20 kW solar electric system.   Remote Energy worked on the ground with Lakota tribal members and project partners from Trees Water & People,  and In our Hands.

The project included hands-on training and installation practice for tribal members and project partners.   First, the PV mounting rails were assembled on the pole frame, which was installed during phase 1. Eighty 240 Watt PV modules were then mounted and wired.  Three 5000 W, 208 VAC grid interactive inverters were installed on the mounting structure and switch gear, a kWh meter, overcurrent protection and disconnect switches were mounted and wired on the KILI building. Meanwhile the ditch was dug, conduit glued, and wires pulled and terminated.  After testing and commissioning the new PV system was approved by LaCreek Electric Utility and put online supplying clean, renewable power to KILI Radio, ‘The voice of the Lakota Nation’. 

The installation of this system couldn’t have happened without the vision,  perseverance, and years of fundraising and planning by Henry Red Cloud and Richard Fox of Lakota Solar Enterprises,  Jeff Tobe of Sunset Power Solutions, and Johnny Weiss.  It was a thrill for us to participate.

Videos kindly provided by InOurHands.love