Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center has been a pioneer in green energy since the opening of a co-generation facility onsite in 2006. The turbine powered facility enables the hospital to efficiently generate more than 93 percent of the total electricity used on the medical center’s State Street campus. It also produces steam used to clean and sterilize clinical instruments used during surgeries and procedures. The co-gen plant is so efficient it paid for itself in less than five years.
“Generating our own electricity has saved our medical center more than 900,000 gallons of fuel oil annually, or about $1.5 million each year in energy costs,” says Scott Humphrey, manager of Plant Operations, Facilities, Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center. “By lowering our fuel usage, we can appreciate a long-term decrease in our carbon footprint.”
Since 2006, Eastern Maine Medical Center has continued to take steps to implement efficiencies that benefit both our environment and patient care.
• In 2016, the team constructing the Penobscot Pavilion installed a lighting and air volume system that limits unnecessary energy consumption when not in use.
• Over the past few years, the Facilities team at the medical center replaced bulbs in parking garages, hallways, and stairwells with efficient LED lighting saving 556,791 kilowatts per year, equivalent to the energy used in approximately 84 homes each year.
• Teams at the medical center also contribute to ongoing system efforts to best serve patients while enhancing sustainable use of energy and resources.
