by Shane Henson — August 3, 2011—As part of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) green projects initiative, the VA has awarded $56.7 million in contracts to build solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in five U.S. hospitals.
By summer 2012, the Department of Veterans Affairs will install the solar PV systems at VA hospitals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Temple, Texas; Amarillo, Texas; Loma Linda, California; and West Los Angeles, California. VA officials say these sites were selected based on feasibility studies that determined the most ideal locations to invest in on-site renewable energy projects.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ goal is to increase renewable energy consumption to 15 percent of annual electricity usage by 2013. The installation of these five solar PV systems will help the VA meet that goal. Renewable energy projects such as solar photovoltaic systems and wind turbines provide free energy to power the VA facilities and provide a variety of benefits, says the agency.
The VA has also awarded 35 additional solar PV systems at medical centers and national cemeteries across the United States and invested over $300 million in renewable energy projects since 2009. To see a map of VA renewable energy and energy efficiency projects by state or territory, visit the VA’s Green Management Programs Web site.
