The UK’s first hospital-owned solar farm has surpassed expectations by providing enough electricity to not only contribute to the daily power needs of Morriston Hospital in Swansea, but to also cover 100% of its demand for 50 hours. |
This is despite only operating during the shortest days of the year.
The £5.7m solar farm was built thanks to a loan scheme set up by the Welsh Government to decarbonise the public sector by 2030, and is repayable on an invest to save basis. It is estimated that the hospital has already saved an estimated £120,000 in electricity bills since it was switched on in November, and is projected to save 1000 tonnes of carbon and £500,000 per year in bills when fully operational. It has already produced 30,000 kWh surplus energy that’s been sold back to the energy grid at a profit to the hospital. Visiting the 4MW project on Brynwhillach Farm, which is linked to Morriston by a 3km private wire, Minister for Climate Change Julie James said:
Chair of Swansea University Health Board, Emma Woollett, said:
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