670 new solar panels have been installed at Southmead Hospital just in time for spring. The new panels will produce 255,000kWh of electricity each year, which will reduce our carbon emission by 54 tonnes of CO2 and save £80,000 per year.
This is part of the £4.3 million grant NBT secured in 2022 to carry out a range of energy efficiency projects to move our buildings across the Trust towards a zero-carbon future.
The decarbonisation grant - secured as part of the Salix Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, is being used to reduce our gas use by 16%. The work will also include:
- Insulation
- Double glazing
- LED lighting
- Replacing our steam boilers with clean electric heating via heat pumps
In October 2019, we declared a climate emergency recognising the impact climate change is having on the world and the effects on the health of our population – with climate change labelled as the greatest threat to health in the 21st century. We set an ambitious goal to reach net-zero by 2030 and the new energy efficiency projects set NBT well on the road to delivering this goal.
Combined with our existing panels, together they will generate more than 459,000kWh every year, which is the equivalent of powering over 120 average homes for a year.
Matt Gitsham, Carbon and Energy Manager, said – “This is another great step in helping reach our net-zero goal, and we are hoping to install a further 450 panels across the Southmead site in a few months. Together with help from staff in reducing their energy consumption, we can create a healthier, cleanlier, and brighter future for everyone."