University Hospitals Dorset has received £1,368,761 in funding to install additional solar panels at Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.
The project is expected to save £177,000 annually in energy costs and contribute to investment in frontline care.
The funding is part of a £100 million initiative from Great British Energy, announced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
The initiative aims to support the NHS in installing solar power and battery storage solutions to reduce energy expenses.
The grant will cover the full cost of installing solar panels on multistorey car parks at the hospital sites. The panels are projected to generate 700,000 kWh of electricity annually, providing an estimated total savings of £2.5 million over their 15-year lifespan.
The installation is scheduled for this summer and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 200 tonnes per year.
UHD’s Sustainability and Carbon Manager, Stuart Lane, stated that the funding will accelerate the trust’s efforts to maximise solar power generation across its sites, bringing UHD closer to its net zero targets and allowing more funds to be allocated to patient care.
In addition to this project, UHD is pursuing other sustainability initiatives, including the development of energy-efficient hospital buildings, such as the new BEACH Building, and a £2.1 million investment in LED lighting to improve energy efficiency in existing structures.
Chris Gormley, Chief Sustainability Officer at NHS England, highlighted that the investment across 78 NHS Trusts will increase solar power generation within the NHS by over 300%, leading to significant cost savings that can be reinvested into patient services.