After securing capital grant funding from Great British Energy, Frimley Health worked with the Hub to help turn its ambitious plans into a construction-ready scheme.
As the grant covered the full capital cost of installation, every unit of renewable energy generated on-site has the ability to deliver immediate financial benefits, while reducing emissions to support NHS decarbonisation targets. The Trust now projects annual savings of around £400,000–£500,000 with no capital borrowing to repay.
“I was relieved and amazed that this support was available…. delivering such a complex £6 million project in such a short time frame is amazing,” says Frimley Health’s Interim Head of Sustainability.
The Hub imparted specialist energy knowledge. The team offered tailored, independent, non-biased support, providing early-stage modelling of installations, advising on planning processes, reviewing design specifications and contractors’ proposals while clarifying roles. It ensured a safe, coherent project for which a single contractor was responsible for delivery.
The Hub’s involvement gave the Property & Facilities Management team confidence that the technical, safety, and contractual details were robustly managed. “It’s obviously not the day-to-day business of an NHS trust to procure and implement solar PV installation,” says the Hub’s Energy Project Manager Chris Parkin, “so they knew there were probably going to be gaps in their knowledge and experience that the Hub could help fill.”
By helping navigate the complex approvals process, the Hub helped move the large grant-funded scheme from paper to construction and operation. A Frimley NHS Trust spokesperson says, “We can now demonstrate that the Trust generates its own renewable energy on site, which dramatically lowers our carbon emissions and electrical costs. Not only does this align with our strategy, it makes us future ready.”
The project highlighted the importance of specifications that embed technical standards, accreditation, and fire-safety guidance to protect clients and ensure quality. Thanks to early support and ongoing guidance from the Hub, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust now has a blueprint for similar projects, a clearer idea of optimal processes, data required, and greater clarity on contractual obligations. “The NHS has quite ambitious targets for decarbonising its estate, and those savings will start to accumulate as soon as the system is generating energy.”
Get in touch with the Greater South East Net Zero hub for support.
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