Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Hospice, have recently installed solar panels to help generate cheaper and greener energy, allowing more funds in the future to be dedicated to hands-on compassionate care. The project, carried out by Dumfriesshire-based APD Energy, has seen panels installed on multiple locations of the building, which are going to help reduce the increasing costs of their heating bills this winter.
Unfortunately, hospices are not immune to rising energy costs which have seen a sharp increase in recent years. This has created a new set of challenges for the hospice, which relies on 80% of running costs to be fundraised by supporters and the local community. Finding ways to save vital funds is integral to Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw’s sustainability and means that the highest quality care can continue to be provided to adults and children with life limiting illnesses throughout Cumbria.
The solar panels project has been largely funded by generous gifts left in Wills to the hospice, as well as a significant donation from a long-term individual supporter who was keen to see the benefit in their lifetime.
Trustee, James Porter, pictured, says: “As well as you, our incredible donors, stepping up to support, the hospice has also been making plans for how we can ensure that going forward our energy costs can be controlled so we can protect patient care, whilst also reducing the impact we have on the environment.”
Jim Main from APD Ltd said “Working with the team at Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw has been a revelation for us, our more regular environments are large industrial sites. Seeing the dedication and care offered by all the staff here has been inspirational. Our journey to this point started 18 months ago in a meeting with Julie and Jerry who were extremely concerned with how they could manage the immense financial stress being added by rising energy prices and their concerns on measuring and reducing their carbon footprint. We wanted to help. As with all our energy projects, we start with the fundamentals and need to know what is using power, when it’s using it and how much it’s using. To find that out, we installed a network of energy sensors across the site and collected data over a 4-month period, starting in the autumn and crucially covering the winter period. At the same time, we laid out a design to maximize the Solar potential of the available roof space. Bringing these two sets of data together then allowed us to work out with accuracy two key factors; how much of their annual energy consumption could we replace with their own generated power (% off-grid capability) and how long would it take them to recoup their investment. Both numbers were good, so we then went to the final design stage and carried out the installation in time for them to benefit from the long daylight hours.
This is phase 1 of the project, and we are working with the team now to look at further generation capabilities which will then give the site the possibility to store excess production either as thermal or electrical energy. We look forward to an exciting and productive time as we work with the team mapping out phase 2 with the aim of making the site the most energy optimised and carbon neutral Hospice in the country.”
The panels are now fully operational and are generating a significant amount of the hospice’s electricity requirements. The project is already saving the charity thousands of pounds, which wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of local businesses and the community. Thanks to their kindness, the hospice will continue to support local people with life-limiting illnesses both now and in the future.
To find out more and support the work of Eden Valley Hospice and Jigsaw, Cumbria’s Children’s Charity, please visit www.edenvalleyhospice.org
