Yingli Green Energy Americas, Inc., the United States subsidiary of Chinese company Yingli, announced on July 13 that it will provide 15 megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics (PV) to Kaiser Permanente, a health care provider and insurer. Kaiser announced that it would install 15 MW of PV at 16 of its California locations in March.

While that’s enough to power nearly 1,900 California homes, it will provide only about 10 percent of the power used at the facilities. But it’s great to see that a leading health care company is taking care of its members by reducing its carbon footprint.

In March, Kaiser reached a power-purchase agreement with San Francisco based Recurrent Energy. Recurrent will own and maintain the arrays, and Kaiser will buy the power they generate. Citigroup, which has an interest in part of the project, helped structure the agreement. Under the agreement, Kaiser will receive all renewable energy credits for the projects, and Recurrent is eligible for a 30 percent tax credit for owning the PV arrays.

The sites selected include Vallejo and Santa Clara medical centers in Northern California, and Fontana and San Diego medical centers in Southern California, Kaiser said. According to Yingli, the company will meet Kaiser’s needs with almost 65,000 of its multicrystalline silicon modules. It already is delivering the modules and is expected to complete the order by mid-2011. The purchase price of the panels was not disclosed.

Swinerton Builders and HMH Builders Inc. of Sacramento will design and install the arrays. The project is expected to create 180 union and green jobs, according to Swinerton. Vice President George Hershman said, "We chose to work with Yingli Green Energy Americas not only for their proven product, but also for their stellar customer service and flexibility.”

“What’s good for the environment is good for our health,” said Raymond J. Baxter, Ph.D., a senior vice president at Kaiser Permanente. “By expanding the use of solar power, Kaiser Permanente is demonstrating its commitment to greening its energy portfolio and reducing its carbon footprint. Harnessing renewable energy to power the care we provide reflects our dedication to improving the health of our members and the communities we serve.”