MercyCare Prairie Creek Partners with SiteGen Solar on Clinic Solar Project
MercyCare Community Physicians has partnered with SiteGen Solar (SGS) to design and construct a solar project at MercyCare Prairie Creek in Cedar Rapids. The solar project consists of 360 panels covering approximately 11,700 square feet on ground located just south of the clinic. The panels generate enough electricity to provide almost 75% of MercyCare Prairie Creek’s total annual usage.
“MercyCare sees the environmental benefits and financial savings of this project as a win-win,” said Greg DeWolf, vice president of clinic operations. “We’re pleased to be reducing our carbon footprint while continuing to provide the excellent care our patients have come to expect. By making our newest and largest clinic more energy-efficient, this solar project will allow us to invest back into the health services we provide.”
The solar project is the community’s largest for a healthcare facility and powers the equivalent of approximately 23 homes annually.
SiteGen says the clinic’s modern design and available space made it an attractive candidate for the solar project, perhaps now serving as a model for other healthcare facilities that may be looking for ways to increase efficiencies.
“Mercy made a sound investment in renewable energy and we’re happy to provide our expertise to deliver a cost-effective, high-quality solar project,” said Tyler Olson, SGS president. “Iowa businesses constructing solar at their facilities see a great return on investment and lock in their electricity prices for the next 25 years.”
The solar project is estimated to save Mercy more than $500,000 throughout the 25-year life of the equipment.
The MercyCare Prairie Creek project provides an environmental benefit equivalent to planting 76,517 trees, as well as avoiding the consumption of 334,968 gallons of gas and the burning of 1,600 tons of coal.
Construction of the solar project began in October 2019 and the clinic began utilizing the solar energy in February 2020.
MercyCare Prairie Creek opened in 2017. The clinic is located just east of The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, at 777 76th Avenue Drive SW. The clinic offers a variety of services, including family medicine, internal medicine, physical therapy, imaging and lab, family counseling/EAP, and occupational medicine.
