Solar power boost for Warwick Hospital

Buy photos » (left to right) - Chris Begg from Community Energy Warwickshire, Paul Hutchens, managing director of Eco2Solar and Siobhan Hill, energy manager for South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust. (s)

WARWICK Hospital is set to make further savings in its energy costs, thanks to a 50-kilowatt solar energy system financed by local energy co-operative Community Energy Warwickshire.

Warwick is the second hospital to benefit from solar energy through an innovative partnership between Community Energy Warwickshire and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.

The first was Stratford Hospital, where a 10-kilowatt system was installed by Kidderminster-based Eco2Solar in December 2011.

The Warwick Hospital panels are expected to produce more than 40,000 units of 'green' energy every year – equivalent to the annual electricity use of 12 average households. All the electricity will be used on site, helping the hospital to reduce its energy costs and carbon emissions.

Community Energy Warwickshire, which was set up by Warwickshire residents to invest in renewable energy and help local communities save energy, launched its community share offer in October last year and has raised nearly £110,000 towards its target of £115,000.

For more information visit www.eco2solar.co.uk

More information on Community Energy Warwickshire can be found at www.cew.coop