Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital has installed two solar array systems comprising nearly 3,000 solar panels with a combined capacity of 700 kW. Because hospitals are 24/7 operations and much of the state-of-the-art life-saving equipment runs on electrical power, acute-care facilities are some of the largest users of electricity in their communities, the hospital notes.
The two systems are expected to generate more than 1 million kWh of electricity annually. A portion of the solar panels has been installed atop elevated structures that will provide a protected covering for 150 employee parking spaces.
The system was installed by SPG Solar and financed by SunEdison and its finance partners, which will own and operate the system. In turn, Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital will purchase the power from SunEdison at predictable energy rates for 25 years. All solar panels were made in North America to comply with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
SOURCE: Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital
