Worcestershire Royal Hospital goes green with new solar panel installation

Two buildings at Worcestershire Royal Hospital are now powered by brand-new solar panels installed on the roof of buildings on the hospital site.

The 165 top-of-the-range solar panels will produce around 75,000 kWh (or over £20,000 worth) of renewable energy every year to the Aconbury East and West buildings, including the brand-new A&E department which is due to open later this year. 

By using this clean, renewable energy source, Worcestershire Royal Hospital will reduce its carbon emissions by nearly 15,000kg each year, as well as saving more than £20,000 a year in energy costs, which can now be better used to support patient care.

The installation of the solar panels was part-funded by a Public-Sector Energy Efficiency Programme (PEEP) grant from Worcestershire County Council which provides grant funding to support public-sector organisations to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings and invest in renewable energy technologies.

The photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system has a lifespan of about 25 years, meaning the panels will produce £500,000 worth of green, renewable energy during its lifespan.

Harmi Kaur, Green Project Lead for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have installed these top-of-the-range solar panels at Worcestershire Royal Hospital. Everyone has a part to play in helping reduce our carbon footprints, and this installation is an important part of our work to make our hospitals more environmentally-friendly. Any initiative, no matter the size, can have an impact on our goal of delivering sustainable healthcare for our community.”

The solar panel installation is just one part of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s ‘Green Plan’, which has already helped to reduce the environmental impact of Worcestershire’s hospitals in a number of ways, including: stopping using anaesthetic gases that are harmful for the environment like desflurane; providing reusable, biodegradable water bottles for patients to drink the correct fluid levels before a procedure, instead of single use plastic cups; and changing hospital lights to more energy efficient LED lightbulbs.

Further plans to help the hospital trust reach “Net Zero” include reducing food waste and plastic use in catering, reducing the use of Ethyl Chloride, and swapping single-use protective operating theatre hats for a reusable cloth alternative.