St Austell Community Hospital is helping Cornwall to reach net zero by installing solar panels. 

The rooftop solar PV system is forecast to produce 81,000kWh of reliable, clean energy per annum, providing a return on investment (ROI) in just five years. 

The energy produced by the system will mean more of the hospital’s power requirements can be generated by a sustainable source. It will also play a key role in a wider decarbonisation strategy, which seeks to use sustainable energy to power heavy loads such as electronic vehicle charging points.

Under its green plan, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership has set out targets to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its operations by 2030 – a decade ahead of the NHS’s national target of 2040. 

Alan Bean, sustainability programme manager for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, explains: “As an NHS Trust, our first priority is patient care. Caring for the environment in which we all thrive follows on naturally from that. That’s why we are committed to achieving net zero. 

“We also need to ensure we are managing costs carefully. Investing in solar energy at St Austell Community Hospital means we can reduce our carbon emissions while ensuring we have an energy supply that is safeguarded against rising prices and volatility in the global energy market.” 

The PV system comprises 199 solar modules, which have been upgraded to increase energy production. The hospital will be able to increase the size of the installation in the future – for example, to provide additional clean energy for EV charging points and ground-source heat pumps – without having to purchase a new inverter. 

Nick Spicer, founder of Somerset company Your Eco, said: “We’re delighted to have completed a complex installation at a working hospital, so quickly and without any impact on patient care or privacy. 

“The new system will help the hospital reach its carbon-reduction goals and is also expected to deliver ROI in just five years. The real beauty is that all this is delivered thanks to the Cornish sunshine and some smart technology.”