Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust has secured £6 million in government funding to install solar panels and energy storage systems across its hospitals, reducing both carbon emissions and energy costs.

The investment is part of a £100 million initiative by Great British Energy (GBE) to expand renewable power across the NHS.

Frimley Park Hospital near Camberley, Wexham Park Hospital near Slough, and Heatherwood Hospital in Ascot will each benefit from new solar panels and battery storage solutions, helping to lower energy bills and enhance sustainability.

The initiative supports the trust’s commitment to cut carbon emissions by 50% over the next five years. Hospitals have high energy demands, meaning investments in renewables often pay for themselves within five years.

James Clarke, chief strategy officer at Frimley Health, said: “This is fantastic news for our trust and the communities we serve. It’s a big step forward in our journey towards significantly reducing carbon emissions and energy costs.”

Over the next year, close to 4,000 solar panels will be installed across the three hospital sites, alongside energy storage systems to maximise efficiency.

Frimley Health is investing in a wide-ranging sustainability programme, aligned with the NHS’s goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2040. This includes replacing approximately 9,000 light bulbs at each hospital site with energy-efficient LED alternatives.

The NHS is one of the UK’s largest carbon emitters. Hospitals the size of Frimley Park and Wexham Park produce CO₂ equivalent to 5,000–10,000 homes, so reducing their environmental impact has a significant national benefit.

The £100 million solar investment by GBE is projected to deliver £260 million in savings across the NHS over the lifetime of the panels.

Chris Gormley, chief sustainability officer at NHS England, said: “This groundbreaking new investment, across 78 NHS Trusts on around 200 sites, will expand solar power generation within the NHS by over 300%, slashing energy costs by hundreds of millions of pounds.”