Two thirds of NHS site now powered by solar - as bosses believe other sites might look to follow
The new solar array has been built on land which is unusable for farming next to the Langdon Hospital at Dawlish
Two thirds of a Devon Hospital is now powered by solar, under a first-of-its kind scheme which it's hoped other parts of the NHS might follow.
Martin Wrigley MP officially turned on the new scheme at Langdon Hospital in Dawlish.
The cutting-edge 1.042 MW solar array and battery storage solution – built on just 3.5 acres of land by SunGift Solar – will save the Devon Partnership NHS Trust an approximated £185,000 a year, meeting 60% of Langdon Hospital's annual electricity requirements.
Mr Wrigley said "Providing a blueprint for other NHS estates and healthcare providers across the UK, the ground-breaking solar solution shows how relatively small areas of land adjacent to hospitals can be transformed into significant sources of renewable power, enhancing energy security."
He added: "In addition to generating clean power that feeds directly into the hospital's operations, the solution will reduce carbon emissions at Langdon Hospital by over 145 tonnes a year, providing enough electricity to power the equivalent of 396 homes."
Last year, Devon Partnership NHS Trust was awarded just over £3m to install solar panels at seven sites – including a ground array at Langdon Hospital. The award comes as part of a £180m national clean energy programme from the Department for Energy Security, Net Zero and Great British Energy.
Phill Mantay, Chief Executive of DPT, said: "This investment not only supports our commitment to sustainability but also ensures significant cost savings that can be redirected into enhancing patient care.
"By embracing renewable energy, we are taking a crucial step towards a greener future for our organisation and the wider NHS community."
Gabriel Wondrausch, founder and director of SunGift Solar, said: “The solar panels for the ground array have been installed using low carbon steel construction which delivers a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to standard steel systems.
"The battery storage solution we’ve used will enable the site to reduce their peak demand charges and increase self-consumption of generated energy.”
In addition to the ground array at Langdon Hospital there are six rooftop solar arrays at other Devon Partnership NHS Trust sites. They are at Jasmine Lodge, The Junipers, The Cedars and Franklyn Hospital in Exeter, the Chadwell Centre in Paignton and St John’s Court in Exmouth.