Hospital's new solar panels could save Trust £12k a year

Solar panels have been installed on the roof of Antrim Area Hospital to help power the hospital in the most cost effective way.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Aug 2016, 07:00 BST
Checking out the new solar panels on the roof of Antrim Area Hospital are Peter McConaghie, Energy and Environment Manager; Tony Stevens, Chief Executive, Northern Trust; Mervyn McNeil, Acting Assistant Director/Head of Estates and Paddy Graffin, Head of Support Services.Checking out the new solar panels on the roof of Antrim Area Hospital are Peter McConaghie, Energy and Environment Manager; Tony Stevens, Chief Executive, Northern Trust; Mervyn McNeil, Acting Assistant Director/Head of Estates and Paddy Graffin, Head of Support Services.
Checking out the new solar panels on the roof of Antrim Area Hospital are Peter McConaghie, Energy and Environment Manager; Tony Stevens, Chief Executive, Northern Trust; Mervyn McNeil, Acting Assistant Director/Head of Estates and Paddy Graffin, Head of Support Services.

The installation will save the Northern Trust an estimated £12,000 each year and decrease the carbon demand by 20 tonnes annually.

Antrim Area Hospital has an ever increasing electricity demand due to ongoing expansion in recent years and increased use of technology in the hospital. An array of solar PV panels producing 50kWs have been installed. The energy produced goes straight into the hospital supply and is classed as ‘green energy’.

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Peter McConaghie, Energy and Environment Manager for the Northern Trust said: “As a Trust we are committed to reducing our carbon demand through the use of innovative and sustainable technologies and efficiency measures so I am very pleased this project has been completed and that we can add Solar PV to our energy supply mix on the Antrim site. The solar panels will run in conjunction with our existing successful wind turbine, helping to further reduce the hospital’s demand from the grid.”

The Northern Trust’s Estates Department is continually considering ways the Trust can save energy and money. These range from invest to save type schemes like this one to encouraging staff to use resources more wisely.