Solar success for RJAH at national awards

The Estates and Facilities Team at Shropshire’s specialist orthopaedic hospital has won at the National Energy Efficiency Awards – recognising its work in delivering a major renewable energy project that is helping to cut costs, reduce carbon emissions and support greener healthcare.

The team won the National Solar PV Project of the Year Award for its solar and battery storage project, delivered in partnership with ZLC Energy.

The project has seen solar panels installed across every viable rooftop and car park canopy at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, alongside a 650kWh battery storage system.

The award celebrates successful solar photovoltaic (PV) installations that deliver significant energy savings, recognising the expertise, innovation and collaboration behind projects that make a real difference to the environment and their end users.

The 3-megawatt (MW) installation generates between 2.5 and 3 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean electricity each year, meeting around 75% of the Oswestry-based hospital’s annual electricity requirements, saving approximately £750,000 a year in electricity costs.

The project makes RJAH the first hospital in the UK to fully utilise all available rooftop and car park space for solar power generation.

Ben Huband, Estates Compliance and Energy Manager at RJAH, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won National Solar PV Project of the Year. This is fantastic recognition of the hard work, expertise and commitment that has gone into delivering such an ambitious project.

“To see the work of our Estates and Facilities Team recognised on a national stage is a real achievement, and we are incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together with our partners at ZLC Energy.”

The National Energy Efficiency Awards recognises organisations and individuals driving progress in energy efficiency, celebrating projects that deliver meaningful energy savings, environmental benefits and innovation across the industry.

Contractors ZLC also had reason to celebrate, with their apprentice winning National Trainee/Apprentice of the Year and being awarded second for the National Solar PV Installer and Contractor of the Year.

Nick Huband, Director of Estates and Facilities at RJAH, said: “Winning this award is a tremendous achievement for the Trust and a real testament to the ambition and dedication of everyone involved in the project.

“Being recognised nationally for our work is something we can all be proud of and marks a milestone in our commitment to more sustainable healthcare, demonstrating how investment in renewable energy can deliver benefits to patients, staff, the local community and the environment.”