Plans to cut energy bills for NHS hospitals
Great British Energy has announced that it is to put rooftop solar panels on around 200 NHS sites helping to reduce hospital energy bills. Savings will be reinvested in the NHS as part of the government’s Plan for Change to fix public services.
The press release confirms that £100million in funding will be used for nearly 200 NHS sites, covering a third of NHS trusts, with the potential to sell leftover energy back to the gird. The first of the solar panels are expected by the end of the summer 2025, with solar panels appearing on hospital rooftops or ground-mounted in car parks or other areas on NHS sites.
With NHS hospitals managing increasing energy bills in recent years, this announcement will be welcome news for providers who stand to make savings up to £45,000 per year on their annual energy bill.
An example of how green energy is working to deliver savings for NHS providers can be seen on the east coast. Hull University Teaching Hospital’s 11,000 solar panels delivered savings of £250,000 a month last summer. And in the West Midlands, The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust’s new solar farm at a former landfill site is expected to power the entire hospital site with self-generated renewable energy for around 288 days a year - saving around £15-20 million over the next two decades.
This is another example of the government’s cross-departmental initiative to improve the health of the nation, especially in relation to the Department of Health and Social Care’s shift, moving care from treatment to prevention.
Commenting on the announcement:
“This investment in clean energy will power our NHS while saving the taxpayer millions in energy bills.”
“Crucially, we will divert the savings to where it matters most for patients and staff - frontline services.”
NHS Providers chief executive, Saffron Cordery said:
“Spiralling energy costs have landed NHS trusts with huge bills at a time when they can least afford it. The measures announced today are good for NHS trusts, good for the environment and good for taxpayers.”
Mills & Reeve’s health and infrastructure lawyers are experienced in energy projects supporting hospitals. If you would like to discuss any of the issues raised here, please contact Benjamin Bull and Nick Helm.
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