January 12, 2024

55KW solar panel installation at Elmhurst Hospital brings new renewable energy to Queen’s Level 1 Trauma Center

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock and NYC Health + Hospitals President and Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Katz, MD, today announced the completion of the first-ever solar panel installation at NYC Health + Hospitals. The 55KW installation at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst will supplement the facility’s daily energy use with cleaner, greener, renewable power.

Beginning in March 2020 with the initial design for the project, and completed in December 2023, the new Elmhurst Hospital solar power system is a 55-kilowatt installation – equivalent to the power used in approximately 14 New York City households – which will supplement the hospital’s existing power needs. This is the first solar installation at an H&H location and the 155^th municipal solar project installed by DCAS totaling at least 24 megawatts.

“Renewable power is the key to unlocking the future of our city, and we’re working hard to upgrade municipal facilities with clean energy for the betterment of our communities,” said DCAS Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “We are proud to have partnered with Health + Hospitals on the completion of this energy upgrade at Elmhurst Hospital, a key community health care facility in the heart of Queens. This project builds upon our commitments as part of our Clean Energy Generation program and marks a great milestone in our efforts to electrify our municipal building facilities.”

“This is an exciting moment for NYC Health + Hospitals as we celebrate our first solar panel installation,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “DCAS was an essential partner in this work, working closely with our facilities team to see this project from start to finish. NYC Health + Hospitals is deeply committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and is a proud signer of the White House Health Sector Climate Pledge to reduce our emissions by 50% by 2030.”

The Elmhurst Hospital Solar Panel project was built through a power purchase agreement with Generate Capital, where they have agreed to own, operate, and maintain the system for no initial upfront cost, in return the City has agreed to buy cleaner power for the next 20 years.

NYC Health + Hospitals has an overall footprint of 20M square feet in over 75 buildings and over 1,000 pieces of mechanical equipment such as boilers, generators, air handling units, and elevators. All of this directly contributes to the health system’s and New York City’s carbon footprint. The installation of solar panels at Elmhurst Hospital is part of NYC Health + Hospitals’ commitment to decarbonize throughout the system.

The project was completed as part of DCAS’ Clean Energy Generation program, which is working to expand distributed energy resources, including solar photovoltaic and energy storage installations across the City's portfolio of properties. Installations include solar on building rooftops and other innovative projects like solar canopies in parking lots, garages, and wastewater treatment facilities. Additionally, some installations feature battery storage that can supply electricity during a power outage.

About the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services:

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) makes city government work for all New Yorkers. Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the resources and support needed to succeed, including:

• Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees
• Managing 55 public buildings
• Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property
• Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies
• Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country
• Leading the City’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations

Learn more about DCAS by visiting nyc.gov/dcas or by following us on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and listening to the Inside Citywide podcast.

About NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, part of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system, is the major tertiary care provider in the borough of Queens. The 545-bed hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center, an Emergency Heart Care Station, a Thrombectomy Capable Stroke Receiving Center, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Center of Excellence and a 911-Receiving Hospital. It is a premiere health care organization for several specialties, including surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services, and mental health services. Last year, the hospital received close to 700,000 ambulatory care visits and over 130,000 emergency room visits. The hospital has been nationally-ranked by US News and World Report in key areas, including Heart Failure, Heart Attack, Stroke, Hip Fracture, Kidney Failure, Orthopedics, Pneumonia, and COPD. Stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ElmhurstHosp.

About NYC Health + Hospitals
 NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.