Spire Harpenden Hospital installs over 600 solar panels to help achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030
11 February 2025
Spire Harpenden Hospital has just completed the installation of 606 number solar panels, as part of a major carbon reduction programme at the hospital. The panels are expected to generate approximately 70% of the hospital’s annual electrical needs and reduce the overall carbon output of the hospital by 44 tonnes per year.
The installation is part of a programme across Spire Healthcare, to put in place over 12,000 solar panels at all of its 38 hospitals across England, Wales and Scotland this year, backed by an investment of £5.2m.
Nationwide, the programme will reduce the hospital estate’s combined annual carbon footprint by approximately 968 tonnes, the equivalent of:
- Planting 44,000 trees
- Taking 390 medium-sized cars off the road
- Flying from London to Sydney almost 200 times
Spire Healthcare has committed to become carbon neutral by 2030, the first independent sector healthcare provider in the UK to do so.
Spire Harpenden Hospital solar panels
Other environmental initiatives at the hospital include a building management system upgrade to allow better control of our ventilation plants when not needed and complete conversion to LED lighting across the hospital. The hospital has a dedicated carbon champion, who promotes sustainability throughout the hospital and encourages colleagues to think about what they can do to reduce carbon usage.
Tim Keeler, Hospital Director commented: “Environmental sustainability is a core component of our strategy and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to install solar panels here at Spire Harpenden. I’m proud of all my colleagues’ enthusiasm and determination to meet our goal of becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2030.”