Adventist Health launches solar initiative across Central Valley hospitals

Positioning itself as a leader in energy efficiency, Adventist Health is launching a years-long solar project that will reduce its system’s carbon footprint throughout the Central Valley.

The project will launch on Dec. 3, 2019, and involve placing solar arrays at Adventist Health hospitals in Hanford, Bakersfield and Tehachapi. There are plans to also include solar arrays at 13 other Adventist Health sites spanning from Los Angeles to Mendocino County that will collectively save tens of millions of dollars while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The solar array planned at Adventist Health Hanford includes a combination of 9,180 rooftop, ground and carport panels that will produce enough energy to offset 60% of the hospital’s energy consumption, totaling a savings of an estimated $4.3 million over 20 years. Construction is expected to be complete by August 2020.

“We have long strived to be a leader in healthcare, and now we are proud to be leading the way in our region to a more environmentally conscious future,” says Andrea Kofl, president of Adventist Health in the Central Valley. “These types of green initiatives not only help reduce pollution but energy costs that we can put right back into the hospital to continue to care for our community.”

Adventist Health is continuing its partnership with Jones Lang LaSalle, a global real estate and facilities management leader, to transition its hospitals into a renewable energy future.