California Hospital Gets Half Its Energy From Solar Power

Sutter Amador Hospital in Jackson, Calif., installed an on-site solar generating system that will provide more than half of the electrical power needs for the medical campus, according to an article on Yahoo.com.

The hospital installed 1.58 megawatts (MW) of solar power on parking structures and rooftops. 

The system will generate 2.4 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of clean, renewable power per year, reducing the hospital's carbon footprint.

As a result of the new solar installations, Sutter Amador is expected to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 1,762 metric tons annually, the equivalent of removing 374 cars from the road or reducing the use of more than 190,000 gallons of gasoline each year. The 2.4 million kWh of clean energy produced is the equivalent of powering 211 homes for a year, the article said.

These success stories aren't unique to the west coast. A year into using solar panels, the CentraState Medical Center in Highland, Fla., saw a $300,000 reduction in energy costs, according to an article on the HealthTech website.  

Read the full Yahoo.com article.