A 73 kWp solar photovoltaic system installed on a Pontefract hospice is set to save £20,000 a year on energy bills, paying for itself in only three years.
Patient care at the Prince of Wales Hospice will benefit from the installation, designed and carried out by Houghton le Spring experts Oakes Energy Services.
The family-run installers opted for state-of-the-art 540 watt panels, installing 136 of them. Their design is anticipated to cover up to 30% of the site’s total electricity demand.
Above 80% of the electricity generated on-site will be consumed on-site too. The surplus will attract additional income as it flows back to the National Grid.
“We are incredibly proud to have played a part in the Prince of Wales Hospice’s journey toward sustainability, said Jason Oakes, Oakes Energy Services’ sales director.
“This project showcases the positive impact that renewable energy solutions can have on both the environment and the financial sustainability of vital institutions.”
Samantha Calvert, the hospice’s finance director, said: “The solar panels have been strategically placed to maximise energy capture.
“In the short period the panels have been generating, they are beginning to produce impressive results. “We are excited about the positive impact it will have on the environment, our operational costs, and our ability to continue providing exceptional care to those in need.
South and West Yorkshire were among the keenest adopters of British solar, from the earliest days of Labour’s Feed-in Tariff, legislated in the 2009 Climate Act. Social landlords in Bradford, Wakefield and elsewhere carried out mass retrofits of panels on social housing.
