An impressive 900 solar panels are being installed at Royal Surrey County Hospital as part of the NHS’s target to deliver Net Zero Carbon by 2040.

Installing the solar panels will save at least £90,000 and 100 tonnes of carbon every single year and the whole system will be the equivalent of planting 19,880 trees per year. It’s part of the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust’s Green Plan.

The project was made possible thanks to a £400,000 grant from the NHS Energy Efficiency Fund. The panels will be installed across several areas including the main hospital, the boiler house, the new Intensive Care Unit, Royal Surrey Cancer Centre, endoscopy and urology.

Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Lead for Net Zero Ross Dunworth said: “Increasing energy efficiency across our estates is key to our Green Plan and delivering Net Zero Carbon by 2040.

“Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing us here in the UK and around the world, so we are working hard to deliver our Green Plan. Installing so many solar panels across our Guildford site is a major part of that.

“There is a great deal of work going on across the Trust and staff are working hard to help us to reach our Net Zero target.

“We believe the installation of these solar panels will make a huge difference to our carbon footprint as we know that renewable energy is a hugely important part of the NHS’s journey to Net Zero. A big thank you to all our colleagues in our Estates Team for making this happen.”

Other initiatives at the Trust to help reach the Net Zero plan include improved recycling schemes, cutting down on food waste, reducing packaging within medicines, installing EV charging points and encouraging the use of public transport.