Investing for the Long Term: Eagle Mount's Third Generation of Solar

Bozeman, Montana | Nonprofit | Solar Expansion

For more than a decade, Eagle Mount has used solar energy as part of a long-term strategy to manage the cost of operating its Bozeman campus. When the organization was ready to expand its solar array for a third time, it returned to OnSite Energy, the team behind its first two installations.

The latest expansion adds another generation of solar technology to a system designed around a simple idea: the less Eagle Mount spends powering its facilities, the more resources it can direct toward its mission.

Project Snapshot

Organization: Eagle Mount
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Industry: Nonprofit / Adaptive Recreation
Project: Third-phase expansion of existing solar array
OnSite Partnership: Three generations of solar installations over a decade
Primary Goal: Reduce long-term operating costs and improve energy cost predictability
Funding: Grant-supported project
System Size: 37 kW DC expansion, bringing the total system to 62 kW DC
Estimated Annual Production: [48,000 kWh from the expansion; 80,600 kWh total across the full system
Estimated Annual Savings: $8,500 for the total system

The Challenge: Managing Energy Costs Across a Growing Campus

Eagle Mount creates recreational opportunities for people with disabilities and young people with cancer. Delivering those programs requires more than dedicated staff and volunteers. It also requires maintaining an energy-intensive campus.

The organization operates five primary buildings: its Main Office, Pool, Horsemanship Center, Program Barn, and Greenhouse. Heating those spaces during Montana's shoulder seasons, along with operating the pool, contributes significantly to the organization's electricity use.

Eagle Mount began investing in solar more than a decade ago as an early adopter, quickly seeing its potential to offset the campus's electricity costs. As solar technology improved, the organization continued building on that initial investment. 

As Trevor Olson, Operations Manager at Eagle Mount, explains:

“Anything we can do to offset those costs over the long term is a win in our book.”

For Eagle Mount, the goal isn't simply reducing this month's electric bill. It's creating greater control over a significant operating expense for years to come.

The Solution: Building on More Than a Decade of Solar

When Eagle Mount decided to expand its array again, choosing an installer was straightforward.

“OnSite Energy installed the first two phases of our solar array, so it was natural to hire them again to add this third generation of panels to the existing system. They know the previous installations better than anyone.”

That familiarity became especially valuable when integrating new solar technology with an array originally installed in 2018. The panels used in the earlier installation are no longer available, meaning the OnSite team had to incorporate newer panels with a different form factor into the existing racking system. As Conor Darby, Co-Founder of OnSite Energy explained:

“Despite this, the appearance of the new panels is close enough that it is very hard for the untrained eye to notice the difference.”

The expansion also required significant electrical work behind the scenes. To accommodate two additional inverters, OnSite’s electricians updated and reworked the system’s electrical distribution, allowing the new generation of solar to operate alongside Eagle Mount’s existing infrastructure.

Rather than replacing what was already working, the third phase builds on Eagle Mount’s previous investments—extending the system with newer technology while preserving the value of what was already in place.

Navigating Construction—and a Critical Grant Deadline

The solar installation happened alongside other major construction on Eagle Mount's campus, which repeatedly shifted the project timeline. Despite those delays, Eagle Mount still had an important grant deadline to meet.

For Trevor, OnSite's flexibility and follow-through stood out:

“We had other construction happening at the time, which caused the solar project to be pushed back repeatedly, but the folks at OnSite always followed up and asked how construction was progressing and when they could come in to finish their work. We had a USB grant deadline, and they were able to meet it despite the construction delays.

OnSite Energy had to work closely with Montana Build Group to figure out how to install the inverters on the side of our building before the siding was installed in order to meet the deadline. It all came together beautifully.

Additionally, we did not have internet access to the inverters at the completion of installation, and OnSite continued to follow up over the next several months asking about connectivity. Once we finally had internet up and running, they were on site within days to put the finishing touches on the inverters and complete the connection.”

That responsiveness—from adapting around another contractor's schedule to continuing to follow up months after installation—became one of the things Trevor valued most about working with the OnSite team.

The Impact: More Resources for the Mission

Eagle Mount isn't claiming savings it hasn't measured yet.

Construction is still wrapping up, and the organization's pool—a significant contributor to its electricity consumption—has just returned to full operation. Eagle Mount also hasn't completed a full fiscal year with the expanded array.

That means a meaningful before-and-after comparison will take time—which is consistent with how Eagle Mount thinks about solar in the first place: as a long-term investment rather than an immediate payoff.

And for a nonprofit, those savings have another purpose.

“The more money we are able to direct toward our programs, the better. The solar panels will help stabilize our electricity costs over time and support Eagle Mount in achieving its mission over a much longer period. It is all about the long-term effects rather than the immediate ones.”

A Long-Term Investment for Nonprofits

After more than a decade of using solar, Olson has practical advice for other nonprofits considering whether solar makes sense for their organization.

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