Klickitat Valley Health Installing Geothermal and Solar Power to Boost Sustainability
A rural critical-access hospital on the Washington side of the Columbia River is decarbonizing by adding geothermal and solar power at its site.
Klickitat Valley Health (KVH) contracted Massachusetts-based renewable project developer Ameresco to install two clean energy projects to reduce utility costs, improve energy efficiency and sustainability objectives at the community hospital.
Ameresco will design and construct a 45-ton ground source heat pump system and 375 kW of solar carports. The ground source heat pump project will rely on 20 bore holes drilled 400 feet deep, using the earth’s stable temperature to help heat and cool hospital buildings.
While construction on the geothermal system will initiate in December, it is expected to be completed by summer 2026. KVH expects to save about $60,000 a year in energy costs with teh system.
“By pairing geothermal with solar, we’ll lower utility costs every year, harden our campus against energy disruptions, and reinvest the savings where it matters most: our patients, providers, and staff,” said Jonathan Hatfield, CEO at Klickitat Valley Health, in a statement.
The solar carport project will add covered parking north of the hospital campus while generating carbon-free energy. While construction for the solar carport project is expected to begin in spring 2026, it will be completed by the end of the year, providing an estimated $30,000 in annual energy savings.
“Projects like these make KVH more resilient and lower our operating costs so we can continue focusing resources on patient care,” said Jonathan Lewis, Director of Support Services at KVH.
KVH is located in Goldendale, Washington within the Columbia Gorge region. It is classified as a “critical access hospital” as defined by the federal government.
Both projects are funded through the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Clean Energy Community Grants, supported by the state’s Climate Commitment Act, which invests cap-and-invest dollars to reduce climate pollution, create jobs and improve public health.