Berkshire Healthcare wins sustainable renewable energy grant

We are pleased to announce that we have won a £2.6 million grant from the Government's Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to invest in clean, sustainable renewable energy.

Published 24 April 2024

Over the next two years, we will be using this grant to replace the fossil fuel heating system at West Berkshire Community Hospital with efficient heat pumps. This will reduce our carbon emissions, saving over 330 tonnes a year, as well as helping us build resilience against energy insecurity.

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is delivered by Salix Finance and is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. It was set up with the aim of reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037. Berkshire Healthcare is committed to becoming more sustainable as there is no doubt that the wellbeing of our planet is intrinsically linked to public health, and installing heat pumps will help us significantly in reaching our Net Zero goals.

Heat pumps are an energy efficient, low carbon way to heat the hospital. They work by transferring heat from one place to another using a small amount of energy. They extract warmth from the air, ground, or water, and then distribute it around a building for heating or cooling. Unlike gas boilers, which burn fuel to create heat, heat pumps simply move existing heat, making them more efficient and environmentally friendly than gas boilers.

Salix Director of Programmes Ian Rodger said: “We are delighted to be able to work with Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on helping them meet their net zero goals. It’s great to see that the old fossil fuel heating system at West Berkshire Community Hospital will be replaced with a more innovative and energy efficient heating system that will significantly reduce the Trust’s carbon footprint.”

Heat pumps typically provide around three to four units of heat for every unit of electricity used, meaning they’re about 300-400% efficient. On the other hand, gas boilers usually have an efficiency rating of around 90%, meaning they convert about 90% of the energy in the gas into heat and lose heat in the process. Additionally, because they run on fossil fuels, they release harmful greenhouse gas emissions which are heating up the planet and contributing to the climate crisis.

Read more about our Sustainability Initiatives. (opens in new window)