Yosemite National Park in California will soon be home to the largest solar energy installation in the U.S. National Park System. Officials yesterday announced that the park will install a 539-kilowatt (kW), grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) system at a maintenance complex located just outside park boundaries.

U.S. National Park Service Badge

With all the bad news (and oil) coming out of the Gulf of Mexico in recent weeks, it’s nice to see the Department of the Interior relay some positive environment-related news.

“This project exemplifies how Yosemite, the Pacific West region, the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior and the President are trying to lead the way in making our facilities climate-friendly,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar in a prepared statement.

According to the plan, solar panels will be installed on existing buildings and atop a yet-to-be-constructed shadeport, under which cars will be parked. The panels are expected to generate electricity at a levelized cost of about 13 cents per kilowatt hour, reducing annual electricity costs by about $104,000. Thanks to $4.4 million in federal stimulus funds, the project will go forward.

“We are very excited about this project and grateful that the Recovery Act funding became available for us to begin the installation this summer,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher.  ”This energy-saving photovoltaic project reflects Yosemite National Park’s commitment to sustainable and renewable energy sources.”

The Park System has selected Paragon Industrial Applications, a California solar installer, to design and install the solar electric system. Construction is set to begin in June.