Photovoltaic panels have been installed in an effort to cut energy use at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton.
The move was part of an ongoing partnership between Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and supplier, Schneider Electric, and saw 90 solar panels fitted to the roof of the hospital.
It is estimated the panels will generate up to 18,960kWh of electricity every year, equating to an energy saving of £5,000.
The installation it one of 180 low-energy solutions that will be implemented by the end of this year as part of the link-up with Schneider Electric. In total, the interventions are expected to save the trust around £17m over the next 20 years.
Jo Cubbon, chief executive of the trust, said: “Following the initial stages of our partnership with the Schneider Electric team, it’s great to see the project continue to move forward and the installation of the photovoltaic panels will take us another step in our quest for sustainability.
“By encouraging employees to embrace the energy efficiency culture and identify waste within their area of the business, we can continually reduce our impact on the environment around us.”
Eddie Coxon, vice president of Schneider Electric’s buildings business in the UK and Ireland, added: “When we originally entered into partnership with the trust, we hoped that with our expertise we would be able to continue helping the team in monitor and reduce its energy consumption. The addition of the solar PV panels is just another part of the jigsaw and one that we know will be hugely beneficial to Musgrove Park Hospital.”
