Recently, Gundersen Health System, based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, has constructed a wind energy facility in Lewiston, Minnesota through its Envision environmental stewardship program.
Two-turbine wind farm in Lewiston, Minneosta
The facility generates 4.85 MW of electricity, which is sufficient to power nearly 1,400 homes. The wind farm includes two turbines and the electricity generated by these turbines is transferred to the power grid for both commercial and residential uses.
The project helps to meet 7% of energy needs of Gundersen. Another benefit is that the money received from projects, like the wind facility, and the money saved via energy conservation at Gundersen can be transferred to patients as lower healthcare costs, representing a win-win approach.
Jeff Rich, GL Envision’s Executive Director, stated that renewable energy generation projects contribute to Gundersen’s aim to improve the health of the societies it serves. In addition to the Lewiston wind farm, the health system works on a collaborative two-turbine wind energy project in Cashton, Wisconsin. The customer of the project is Organic Valley, a cooperative of organic farmers, and the wind farm is anticipated to be completed by summer 2012.
The wind energy projects are only a small part of the health system’s initiative to minimize energy costs and to lead the healthcare sector in environmental stewardship via its Envision program. The main objective of Gundersen is to become 100% energy independent by 2014. Using low or no-cost energy conservation initiatives, the organization has increased its energy efficiency by 25%. The remaining amount of energy requirements will be addressed with the power generated by the organization.