Energy storage, onsite low carbon generation and energy efficiency could save the NHS £130m a year, according to a report from Centrica Business Solutions. Published to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the NHS, the report estimates that acute trusts alone spent £500m on energy annually.
‘Energy could be a force for good for the NHS, helping to create financial efficiencies and unlock opportunities to make improvements in patient care. However, it needs more support and funding to modernise its hospital estates,’ said Centrica Business Solutions managing director Jorge Pikunic.
The study suggests that upgrading energy systems with battery storage and a programme of energy-efficiency improvements could free up cash for frontline patient care. It adds that the use of demand-response services, onsite solutions and monitoring technologies could help the NHS turn its energy problems into ‘an opportunity’.
