A Virginia nursing home has become the state's first to take on solar power, an act that's expected to save the facility as much as $149,000 over the 15-year term of its agreement with the North Carolina solar firm that assisted with installation.

Less than two years after opening, Dinwiddie Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Petersburg is expecting to save 20 percent on its hot water heating bills with a 32-panel system. SolTherm of Asheville, North Carolina conducted studies that determined the center was an ideal candidate for solar paneling, which was managed by Commonwealth Care of Roanoke, Virginia. Commonwealth Care operates NoCapEx, a solar hot water system that requires no upfront investment.

"We were thrilled to learn about SolTherm and have the opportunity to participate in their NoCapEx program," said David Tucker, Commonwealth Care Chief Operating Officer. "This allowed the project to fall within our budget and gives us the opportunity to use the savings to continue to provide the best care for our patients."

The Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy stood behind the installation, which received some funding from the Renewable Energy rebate program that was funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

The solar panels took three weeks to install and went live in mid June.