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San Diego Blood Bank completes solar power project for renewable energy

San Diego Blood Blank
San Diego Blood Bank
Posted at 9:47 AM, Mar 21, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-21 12:49:15-04

SAN DIEGO (CNS) — The San Diego Blood Bank has completed its "solar- plus-storage" project to provide shade and 100% renewable energy to help charge the batteries on the bank's two new bloodmobiles, it was announced Tuesday.

The project includes rooftop solar with battery storage, two bloodmobiles outfitted with batteries and solar panels to replace the two diesel power generators needed to operate the lights, air conditioning and equipment on these new buses, and two Tesla blood delivery vehicles, one of which was funded by the Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation.

"By switching to solar power, we are not only more environmentally friendly but also benefiting from significant cost savings," said San Diego Blood Bank CEO Doug Morton. "Furthermore, our donors will have a more pleasant experience during mobile drives as there will be no generator fumes or noise surrounding the two new bloodmobiles while they wait for their appointments."

According to the blood bank, the system is expected to generate 1,500,000 kWh annually of renewable energy and allow SDBB to generate and store that energy to use when electricity costs are highest. This is intended to reduce the organization's energy spending and enable the blood bank to focus its resources on the critical supply of blood to hospitals.