Wisconsin hospital system producing more energy than it uses

Think Progress - Six years ago, Wisconsin’s Gundersen Health System set a goal to reduce energy consumption and rely more on renewable energy. On October 14, Gundersen, which makes up a network of hospitals, medical clinics, nursing homes and other health facilities, did more than reach that goal — it successfully produced more energy than it consumed, a milestone it’s kept up every day since the 14th.

The health system ... is the first of its kind to become fully energy independent ... Gundersen relies on a variety of local energy sources and efficiency measures in order to produce its energy. Last year, the health care system’s main campus began running a 800-horsepower biomass boiler, which burns wood chips from local suppliers to produce energy and is expected to save the health system $500,000 a year. Gundersen is also getting energy from a local landfill; the landfill produces a gas that contains methane, which is captured and pumped to a Gundersen campus for use as an energy source.

Gundersen also had solar panels installed on one of its parking decks and has helped build two local wind farms that combined produce enough energy to power 2,600 homes. The health system also uses the methane captured from the manure of 2,000 cows on three Wisconsin farms to help power its generators. The health system sells the electricity as well as the manure — which can be used as compost, bedding and fertilizer — making $2 million each year.