Harnessing the power of the sun for a sustainable future

AdventHealth is taking another step toward reducing its carbon emissions and achieving its environmental sustainability goals with an on-site solar energy installation at its corporate headquarters in Altamonte Springs, Florida.

The faith-based health system’s corporate headquarters employs nearly 5,000 team members who work to support the system’s operations and care delivery across the country.

Starting this week, the Maitland-based national solar developer ESA will begin the work to install more than 7,500 solar panels on top of four buildings and two garages that comprise the corporate campus. Additionally, solar canopies will be constructed throughout the parking lot surface and additional electric vehicle charging stations will be mounted that can support 62 electric vehicles.

“AdventHealth is pursuing sustainability initiatives that help ensure the long-term well-being of our team members, patients, communities, business and environment. This solar installation will help reduce our impact on the environment while demonstrating our commitment in a significant and tangible way,” said Christine Stewart, vice president of organizational integration and campus administration for AdventHealth.

The solar system will be approximately 3 megawatts in size and provide 4,200 megawatt hours of electricity annually, decreasing the reliance on utility-provided electricity on the campus by about a third and saving an estimated $20 million over 20 years. A system this size generates enough electricity to power over 550 homes for one year¹. Scheduled for completion by the end of 2024, the solar installation will be one of the largest privately owned corporate solar projects in Florida.

"This collaboration represents the first step in a larger strategy to help AdventHealth meet their environmental goals with on-site clean energy," said Morgan Brawner, chief revenue officer at ESA. “By developing a comprehensive clean energy roadmap, ESA is supporting the health care sector as it aims to reach the ambitious goals outlined in the Health Sector Climate Pledge.”

As a signatory of the U.S. Health and Human Services Health Sector Climate Pledge, AdventHealth has pledged a 50% reduction by 2030 in its greenhouse gas emissions from electricity. In addition to on-site solar installations, the health system is also establishing long-term virtual power purchase agreements to fund the development and operation of large-scale renewable energy projects – such as wind and solar – in exchange for Renewable Energy Certificates and participating in community energy projects with local utility providers in some of the communities it serves.