It took more than 15 years and a big
chunk of federal change to install an
off-grid PV system on the island that
was once an infamous prison.
Visited by 5,000 tourists daily,
protected as a historic landmark
and now serving as a seabird
sanctuary, Alcatraz’s solar project
has faced numerous challenges.
Once the system is permanently
online, it should cut the run time of
the island’s generators by 60 percent.
But technicians are still struggling to
make it work as planned.