A hospital charity has referred itself to a specialist for a solar energy makeover.
Greenwich Hospital, London, has signed up Raven Renewables to install more than 250 solar panels on its sheltered housing schemes in Portsmouth, and Saltash near Plymouth. The project is expected to significantly reduce bills for residents.
Greenwich Hospital is a Crown body, and the oldest provider of charitable support to Royal Navy veterans and their families with a history going back centuries.
It provides support to both serving and former Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel and their families.
The organisation’s sheltered housing is managed by the charity CESSAC, using its staff shared with CESSA Housing Association, which offers sheltered housing for over-60s ex-service personnel.
Patrick Keefe, CESSA’s chief executive said: “This project, generously funded by Greenwich Hospital, will produce the happy combination of reducing both the carbon footprint and tenants’ service charges. We are most grateful to Raven Renewables for all the work they have already put in to reaching this point. The tenants will particularly look forward to the result.”
Raven Renewables, part of Raven Housing Trust, is a specialist renewable energy installer based in Surrey.
The project involves the installation of 160 solar panels at Greenwich Court in Portsmouth, and 104 panels at Greenwich Place in Saltash, near Plymouth.
The energy-saving measures carried out are expected to save Greenwich Hospital tenants over £1.3 million in energy costs over the next 25 years.
The combined total of 264 solar panels will cover an area of 320 square metres over 11 roofs and will produce over 100,000 kWh of energy.
At Greenwich Court, Raven’s project calculations suggest that 65% of the energy generated will be used within the building, with just over 75% being used on-site at Greenwich Place. The remaining energy will be sold on, bringing benefits for the charity in the form of almost £80,000 in energy payments from the national grid.
Mark Gardiner, Raven Renewables’ business development manager, said: “We’re looking forward to getting started on this solar project with Greenwich Hospital, which will make a huge difference to their tenants’ service charges.
“It’s great to see so many charities and businesses considering renewable energy sources and taking us a step closer to a carbon-free future.”
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