Hospital de la Concepción invests $6.7M in energy cogeneration system
Hospital de la Concepción in San Germán invested $ 6.7 million to launch a power cogeneration system that allows it to produce its own energy at a lower cost, breaking away from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority.
Gustavo Almodóvar, executive director of the hospital’s Board of Trustees, said the entity is the first in Puerto Rico to implement such a system.
The investment included the design, configuration, acquisition, installation and equipment maintenance. The first phase of cogeneration system was installed in September prior to the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and María on the island. The cogeneration system allowed the hospital to continue running during and after the emergency, the executive said.
“In the Hospital de la Concepción we’re proud to be pioneers on the island with the new energy cogeneration technology, which allows us to provide reliable and uninterrupted medical services to our patients, as we did after the devastation of Hurricane María on the island,” Almodóvar said.
The system integrates power generation equipment running on propane gas to generate electricity and heat, said Edgar Crespo, associate administrator of support services at Hospital de la Concepción and who led the implementation of the ambitious energy project.
This system is favorable to the environment, as it reduces energy consumption and reduces emissions.
Through savings in energy costs, the institution expects a return on investment within six years, while it will operate completely independent from PREPA, hospital executives said. This return on investment includes the new building that houses the system and the new chilled water plant.
Within several years it is likely that Sun driven technology will make water into what leaves do: hydrogen and oxygen, and do it cheaply. Then you won’t need propane. Of course, others won’t need costly generation as hydrogen fuel cells may make electricity for less.
AM Electric Inc. served as the Technical Leader in such important and innovative project.