Energy Efficiency, Solar, Sourcing Renewables  -  May 2, 2019

Sutter Amador Hospital provides half of electricity needs with solar

Sutter Amador Hospital "flipped the switch" on an on-site solar generating system that will provide more than half of the electrical power needs for the medical campus. The solar PPA is part of Sutter Health's ongoing efforts to provide a cleaner energy source at its hospitals and medical office buildings, demonstrating the Northern California healthcare network's commitment to environmental stewardship.

As a result of the new solar installations, Sutter Amador Hospital is expected to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 1,762 metric tons annually, the equivalent of removing 374 cars from the road. ENGIE Services U.S. installed 1.58 megawatts (MW) of solar power on parking structures and rooftops at the hospital campus.

"Sutter Health and Sutter Amador Hospital have been looking for ways to continue our mission of superior health services to the community while at the same time contributing to a healthier environment," said Stephen Lockhart, M.D., Sutter Health chief medical officer and executive sponsor of Sutter Health's environmental stewardship program, in a statement. "The main reason for bringing this sustainable energy source to the Sutter Amador Hospital campus and other locations is to reduce our carbon footprint in the communities that we serve. Now it will be Earth Day every day here at Sutter Amador Hospital."

The Sutter Amador Hospital solar project is the second of six Sutter Health locations throughout Northern California that are part of a pilot program in the network's ongoing efforts to reduce its use of fossil fuels for power generation.

The energy savings created from the solar installations will be redirected to resources that directly impact patient care and other mission-critical needs at Sutter Amador Hospital. Sutter Health has also locked in a favorable rate for 20 years, hedging against the risk of fluctuating energy prices in the future, assisting in Sutter's mission to provide quality healthcare at affordable prices. In addition, the new parking canopy systems that provide clean energy to Sutter Health's vital healthcare operations will also provide shaded parking for hospital vehicles, staff vehicles and the general public.