Memorial Medical Center’s North Dirksen ExpressCare is expected to produce at least 25 percent of its summertime energy from solar power after rooftop panels were installed on the building last fall.

A total of 180 solar panels cover most of the single-story building’s roof and an awning on the building’s south side. Each panel is 40 inches by 66 inches.

A $107,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation covered most of the cost of the project. The building, which also houses Memorial Physician Services-North Dirksen, is the first facility in Memorial Health System equipped to capture solar power.

“As Memorial Medical Center undertakes the largest expansion project in its history on our main campus, we are committed to reducing our energy consumption both on our medical center campus as well as our outlying sites of care throughout the community,” said Harry Schmidt, vice president of facilities management.

The solar array is estimated to offset 43,239 pounds of coal not burned. The amount of clean energy produced in a recent month could charge a mobile phone for 92.4 years, power a light bulb for 26.2 years or run a refrigerator for 22 months.

Microgrid Solar of St. Louis installed the solar panels. The North Dirksen location, one of three ExpressCares in Springfield, is at 3220 Atlanta St.