Completed in 2021 with funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the solar-powered tower stands as the first tsunami evacuation tower of its kind in the United States. The project’s success has demonstrated the viability of renewable energy solutions in critical infrastructure, potentially paving the way for similar installations in vulnerable coastal areas.
The custom-designed AC-DC Outdoor UPS System, developed in collaboration with Degenkolb Engineering, features UL Listed Lithium Battery & Electronics outdoor-rated enclosures prewired with AC and DC distribution, overload, and surge protection. This system ensures uninterrupted operation during power outages, seamlessly switching between grid power and backup power.
Lee Shipman, Shoalwater Bay Tribe Executive Director, highlighted the tower’s importance: ‘This allows folks, even if it’s 2:30 in the morning in your pajamas, to scoop up your family and make it here in a very short amount of time – in under a 15-minute window for nearly everyone from Tokeland Point to the heart of the reservation.’
The backup power system incorporates advanced Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries by Discover Energy, providing 16 hours of emergency power for critical loads. With a total capacity of 22.4 kWh, the system utilizes eight 24VDC batteries. A Schneider Electric Conext 4 kW DC to AC Sine Wave Inverter supplies reliable AC power for the backup emergency lighting system, while a TDK Lambda 250W DC to DC converter powers critical wireless radio equipment.
Garrett Gettleman, CEO of Solar Electric Supply, expressed pride in the company’s role in this pioneering project, emphasizing their expertise in designing reliable and efficient power solutions for critical infrastructure. The success of this installation underscores the potential for renewable energy to play a crucial role in disaster preparedness and community safety.
The 50-foot-tall tsunami evacuation tower offers a safe haven for the Tokeland community, which faces significant tsunami risks. Its design is the result of extensive research by FEMA and NOAA on structures capable of withstanding earthquake and tsunami forces. The project’s development was guided by the Washington Emergency Management Division’s Project Safe Haven, involving comprehensive vulnerability assessments, evacuation planning, and vertical evacuation needs assessments.
Major General Bret Daugherty, head of the Washington National Guard and state Military Department, which includes the Emergency Management Division, emphasized the need for more such structures, stating, ‘We need about 50 more.’ This statement underscores the potential for widespread adoption of similar solar-powered evacuation towers in tsunami-prone areas.
The success of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe’s solar-powered tsunami evacuation tower represents a significant advancement in the integration of renewable energy with critical safety infrastructure. As interest grows in a second installation, this project may serve as a model for other coastal communities seeking to enhance their disaster preparedness while embracing sustainable energy solutions.
For those interested in learning more about the technology behind this innovative system, information on the SES Outdoor UPS System is available on the MAPPS AC/DC Outdoor UPS™ Systems page.
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