HSE energy retrofit programme is reducing costs, reliance on network supply and carbon emissions

As part of its energy retrofit programme, HSE Capital and Estates has installed over 10,000 photovoltaic (PV) panels at 60 sites. This work has established that PV solar installations provide significant benefits in reducing carbon emissions, revenue costs and reliance on networks. Some of the HSE buildings involved include Phoenix Hall at St Mary’s Hospital in the Pheonix Park, St Joseph’s Community Hospital in Stranorlar, Co Donegal, University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and the Midland Regional Hospital, Tullamore, Co Offaly.

• PV installations to date have achieved energy costs reductions of approx. €1 million per annum with approx. €3.8 million expected to be saved by the end of 2025.
• These PV installations have saved approx.1,000 tonnes of carbon since 2022.

The programme is a key element of the HSE’s Infrastructure Decarbonisation Roadmap 2024, which sets out the way forward to achieve the targets mandated in the Government’s Climate Action Plan and the Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021. It is part of the greater HSE Climate Action plan 2023-2030.

Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, said:

"Energy-efficient healthcare facilities improve patient care and mitigate climate change health impacts. I welcome the HSE’s ongoing commitment to cutting carbon emissions and energy costs.”

Bernard Gloster, HSE CEO said:

“The HSE is proud to be leading the way with green energy as part of our overall approach to decarbonising our infrastructure. We know how intertwined our health is with our environment and as an organisation we have a responsibility to play our part in reducing our carbon footprint. The financial cost of traditional energy supply is significant, therefore the cleaner approach is a win-win for our organisation and our patients.”

To scale up installation of PV systems the HSE is seeking expressions of interest from third parties who might be in a position to fund, design, build, operate and maintain PV solar arrays at HSE lands (size C.5 and 10 acres) and facilities. The size of the solar arrays envisaged at each of these locations would be in excess of 200kWp.

The Government’s Climate Action Plan sets out the energy efficiency and energy related Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets which Public Sector Bodies in Ireland are legally obliged to meet.

These include:

• 51% reduction in energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
• 51% reduction in thermal (heating and transport) related greenhouse gas emissions (against a 2016-2018 average baseline)
• 50% improvement in energy efficiency (against a 2009 baseline)
• Net zero energy-related GHG emissions by 2050

The HSE is working to achieve these targets through a series of programmes as per the second update of the HSE Capital and Estates Infrastructure Decarbonisation Roadmap.