Valley Health

Contributing to better public health through clean energy

Valley Health is a not-for-profit health system of hospitals, urgent care locations, physician practices, and services dedicated to meeting the medical needs of West Virginia, Maryland, and northwestern Virginia. To save money on energy and contribute to better public health through cleaner energy, in 2020 Valley Health signed an agreement with Secure Solar Futures to install and operate one of the largest solar power systems at any hospital in Virginia at its Winchester Medical Center.

More than 4,500 solar panels were installed in three separate solar arrays. The largest array is a ground mount with a capacity of 1.3 megawatts installed on the north end of the hospital campus. Two smaller arrays were installed on the rooftops of the Winchester Medical Center Diagnostic Center (289.4 kilowatts) and the Valley Health Cancer Center (125.8 kilowatts). The solar power system was constructed to be ready in the future, with the installation of batteries, to provide backup power to mission-critical functions.

All three solar arrays will save Valley Health $3.25 million in avoided costs for utility electric power over the 30-year term of its service agreement with Secure Solar Futures, an arrangement that allowed the hospital to get solar power on site at no upfront capital cost.

“This is an exciting project for Valley Health, consistent with our sustainability goals and our desire to be more resilient and reduce our carbon footprint. We see this as a clear win-win, harnessing the sun’s energy to supply about 20 to 25 percent of the electricity we need on our regional referral center’s campus.”
Mark Baker, CHFM, Valley Health
Vice President, Facilities Management & Safety