Meru: Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital has started reaping the benefits of a 227-kilowatt peak (kW) solar system, which saved about Sh1 million in power bills in its first month. The Solar Hospital Innovation for Energy Leasing Demonstrator (SHIELD) project, led by Oxford University Associate Professor Jacob McKnight, is implementing a grid-tied solar power project. The SHIELD project, backed by Innovate UK's Energy Catalyst program, aims to improve energy efficiency and affordability in public hospitals across Africa.According to Kenya News Agency, the County Health Executive Dr. Gikunda Mungania said the hospital was saving up to Sh1.2 million after operationalisation of the project. 'The Meru hospital has been spending up to Sh3 million every month on power bills. The solar plant is a game changer, and we are grateful to the SHIELD project for this transformative initiative,' Dr. Mungania said. Speaking during the official launching of the project, Prof. McKnight said the Meru project is fully funded under a research initiative that seeks to demonstrate that green energy can transform healthcare.The plant was installed by a Kenyan company, Ashtonfield Solar, and completed ahead of schedule, providing a full daytime energy system that ensures reliable electricity for critical hospital functions. 'This innovative project, led by the University of Oxford, is collecting real-time data on energy generation, operational efficiency, and cost savings, offering a scalable model for other hospitals in Kenya and beyond.'The Meru solar installation is not just about clean electricity; it's about saving lives, ensuring reliable healthcare, and demonstrating the potential for sustainable energy solutions in public infrastructure. Solar is a mature, affordable technology for public hospitals, and we want to show the benefits it offers vulnerable people,' Prof. McKnight said. He said the project would be scaled to other counties under a solar plant leasing arrangement in level five hospitals.'We hope the hospitals will use the savings made through the solar projects in improving critical healthcare services,' he said. Prof. McKnight also said the hospitals also stand to earn top dollar from energy attribute certificates in the carbon market. The Hospital Board Chairman Prof. Jasper Micheni, called on doctors and other healthcare workers in the hospital to maximise the use of solar power in their daily operations to save money for other use.
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