Story by Melanie Grinnell
Pueblo Journal Managing Editor

ALBUQUERQUE -- Even though he is co-owner of a high tech renewable energy manufacturing business, David Melton, a Laguna Pueblo co-owner of the Sacred Power Corporation, still thinks of his business in an elemental and traditional way.

"We use the strengths of the father to protect the gifts of the mother," said Melton, of the Sacred Power Corporation. The "strengths of the father" refer to the attributes of the sky -- the sun, wind and other attributes that the father (Creator) provides.

"We use these strengths to provide energy primarily at remote locations, a lot of which are on Indian reservations," Melton said.

The company's goal is to provide renewable and distributive energy and telecommunications solutions in the form of photovoltaic's (PV) which are solar energy cells, wind turbines, solar hot water systems, solar hot air systems and other distributive energy systems.

Melton has been in business since March of 2001. The administrative offices for Sacred Power are located near downtown Albuquerque in the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center while their manufacturing plant is just a few minutes away.

The concept of renewable energy gained attention in the United States following the Gulf War, according to a book by Jennifer Carless, called Renewable Energy, A Concise Guide of Green Alternatives .

Carless maintained that the United States became dependent on mid-eastern countries because of their abundance of fossil fuels. The concept of an energy source that was clean, environmentally safe and abundant in America appealed to people.

She wrote that when renewable energy resources are compared to fossil fuels, the natural-clean energies surpass the latter in the areas of environmental concerns, abundancy, energy efficiency, affordability and would also give the United States control over an energy resource rather than rely on sources outside of the country. Renewable energies were at first thought to be incapable of being a reliable energy source. Carless claimed the truth is that the aid of modern technology, renewable energy had not only been deemed a reliable energy source, but the only remaining barrier preventing an energy reform, are political barriers.

In her book she described solar power, biomass (the conversion of plant matter into energy), wind power, hydro power, geothermal energy and alternative motor fuels as being forms of renewable energy that are available or currently being developed at the present time. Sacred Power produces solar, wind and hybrid power technologies currently being utilized around the country.

"We've delivered a significant amount of products to the Dakotas, places such as Lower Brule, South Dakota. We have government contracts that have us delivering to Yankton, South Dakota, the Hopi Reservation in Arizona, Owyhee, Nevada, here in New Mexico, Windriver, Wyoming, the Northern Cheyennes, the Turtle Moutain Reservation, Anadarko, Oklahoma and Wellpinet, Washington," Melton said.

Some of the technologies produced for these places include telecommunications shelters known as SP TEL-Sola. It is a "passively heated and cooled shelter which incorporates solar electric and solar thermal technologies", according to Melton.

These units have been supplied to BIA law enforcement agencies on the Hopi Reservation in Arizona and are utilized by officers for radio transmission when they go into canyon areas. Because of the canyon walls, officers would lose radio contact with dispatch. The digital power provided by the units offers a greater range and clarity and is able to reach higher points and down deeper canyons.

Melton said the renewable energy provided by the units increases the officers' response time. The Sacred Power's TEL-Sola is capable of powering, heating and cooling the equipment inside. The units are utilized in remote areas where access to utilities is limited. According to Melton, the units are maintenance free and are pre-assembled and delivered to the sites.

The method in which the units monitor and control their own internal and external environment is through the use of Sacred Power's Cool Cella "passive cooling technology," which is by reducing and maintaining the temperature inside the unit.

The water in the Cool Cella is heated by solar energy and released during the night and simultaneously absorbed cool air during the night in order to provide cooling effects for the shelter during the daytime.

When the weather changes and is cold during the daytime, solar energy is collected and stored by the solar panels by transfer from the external solar collectors to a thermal storage tank inside the unit. The cooling and heating effect utilized very little, if any, electric power.

Sacred Power's Solar Hybrid Power System Option, which can be added to the SP TEL-Sola package as an application for the remote telecommunication unit.

The option is boasted to be equipped with "true sine-wave conditioning units" that converts the DC into AC and monitors the operating systems.   A dual-axis (sun) tracker is the defining difference between the unit and the option. The trackers contain more solar power due to a rotating PV module mount, which follows the sun's path during the day as opposed to a fixed mount or a seasonally adjusted PV module mount.

The option is boasted to be equipped with "true sine-wave conditioning units" that converts the DC into AC and monitors the operating systems.   A dual-axis (sun) tracker is the defining difference between the unit and the option. The trackers contain more solar power due to a rotating PV module mount, which follows the sun's path during the day as opposed to a fixed mount or a seasonally adjusted PV module mount.

A dual-axis (sun) tracker is the defining difference between the unit and the option. The trackers contain more solar power due to a rotating PV module mount, which follows the sun's path during the day as opposed to a fixed mount or a seasonally adjusted PV module mount.

The trackers are included with Industrial Grade Deep-Cycle Maintenance Free Gel Batteries which eliminates the problem of servicing batteries.

The SP hybrids also include high-powered generators with large propane tanks to back up the solar power system when the sky is overcast or if the sun did not shine for several days.

The propane tanks are equipped with a 30-day supply and propane companies are scheduled to make regular deliveries. Like the SP TEL-Sola, the SP hybrid is delivered fully assembled and ready to operate.

The unit itself stands 9'.5 feet in height and 10 feet with the added Ice Shield. It is eight feet wide and weighs about 5,300 pounds, depending on the options included within the unit.

This example of a renewable energy source is the quintessence of engineering ingenuity that can serve as energy alternatives of an energy reform for the United States.

Other products of renewable energy provided by Sacred Power are Home Electrification, which is solar energy for a private home that was recently instituted at Santa Ana Pueblo. The home at the pueblo went without electricity until Sacred Power provided solar energy for them.

A large scaled solar array grid was manufactured for the new Science and Technology building at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) campus. The "Sacred Power Port" provides the electricity for the building and also doubles as a carport.

Along with introducing SIPI to renewable energy, Melton's business partner, Odes Armijo-Caster, worked in collaboration with the school to develop a renewable energy curriculum for the SIPI students.

The innovation had also opened doors for more science and engineering technology curriculum to be added in the near future.

In Chickasaw, Okla., Sacred Power produced a large hydronic water heating system for the restroom and shower facilities located on federal parks. The system reduced the financial costs of the parks.

More people are becoming aware of renewable energy. This is evident in Sacred Power's $1 million sales milestone accomplished earlier this year.

Sacred Power was named "Top 25 Best Native American Business for 2002" by the New Mexico Business Weekly.