Freedom Solar prescribes dose of clean energy to Westlake Medical Center with solar installation

Our client Freedom Solar Power recently completed a 509-kilowatt rooftop solar array at Westlake Medical Center, an upscale 15-acre medical complex in the heart of Westlake Hills.

Designed and installed by Freedom Solar, Westlake Medical Center’s solar project is comprised of 1,566 solar panels and includes a visual monitoring system in the lobby that shows the energy savings in real time. The solar installation is expected to offset 12 percent of Westlake Medical’s energy needs, will pay for itself in less than five years, and will generate more than 689,533 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

Over the 25-year guaranteed lifetime of the system, the solar array will save Westlake Medical more than $2.2 million and offset more than 16.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. This is comparable to 518 tons of waste being recycled instead of going to a landfill, or 91 acres of forest being preserved.

The pristine aesthetic and upscale atmosphere at Westlake Medical Center are key factors that set it apart from other medical facilities, according to the Center’s CEO Rip Miller. Common eyesores like air-conditioning compressors, gas meters, and conduits are hidden out of sight.

“The team at Freedom Solar Power over-delivered,” Miller says. “They went above and beyond to fit within our high aesthetic standards. They hid inverters, covered wires, and even installed two extra solar panels on top of one of the buildings because it was the only way to conceal an inverter box.”

Miller had consultations with three other solar companies before making the decision to hire Freedom Solar Power for the project. Freedom Solar has also installed solar arrays on Miller’s residence in Lakeway and another commercial development of his, the Mesa Plaza Shopping Center.

“I think there are a lot of folks who still need to get educated on solar and haven’t taken the time. This new solar project at Westlake Medical will add an income stream that’s similar to adding another tenant without adding any space. It’s a no-brainer from a financial standpoint,” Miller says.

Kyle Frazier, Freedom Solar Power’s director of sales, says: “Better technology, and easier installation of more efficient panels means the price-per-watt, a measure of efficiency, has dropped dramatically. It’s the fundamentals of the market—awareness and cost—that will drive wider adoption of solar by informed people like Rip Miller in years to come.”

For more information, visit http://www.freedomsolarpower.com/.