Oct 29 2010
Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital, a California-based acute care facility, will henceforth meet a major portion of its electric power requirements from a solar power system recently commissioned at the hospital.
The hospital will receive uninterrupted clean solar power by utilizing two solar power systems with a collective power production capability of 700 kW. The two systems incorporating around 3,000 solar panels will produce over 1 million kWh of clean green power every year with out the hazards of radiation, pollution and noise. Part of the solar panels erected over elevated constructions will offer covered parking facility for 150 employee’s vehicles offering shade and cutting down the usage of air-conditioning.
The solar power system for the hospital received financing from SunEdison, a solar service provider from North America, and its funding associates. SunEdison will possess the installed facility and manage its operations, while the hospital will buy the power from SunEdison at prefixed rates for a period of 25 years. In order to adhere to the requirements of American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) the installation incorporated the solar panels manufactured in North America. SPG Solar, a developer and installer of solar PV systems, has installed the solar system at the hospital. The solar installation will enable the hospital to save over $2.5 million during the anticipated project life time of 25 years.
The clean solar power generated from the project will counterbalance around 11,600 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions during the lifetime of 25 years which can be equated to keeping 2,500 from plying on the roads for a period of one year. The two solar arrays are designed to produce over 24 million kWh of power in 25 years which can be used to provide electricity to more than 2,200 regular U.S. homes for a year.