Cornwall-based multi-technology renewable energy company has completed one of the most ambitious hospital solar projects in the country, helping a major NHS Trust save £750,000 a year, without a single day of disruption to patient care. Video case study here

ZLC Energy, headquartered in Liskeard, Cornwall, completed the six-year project with The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) in Oswestry, Shropshire, running from October 2020 to 2026. The project covers every viable rooftop and carport on site with solar panels, backed by a 650kWh battery storage system. RJAH is now the first hospital in the UK to fully utilise all its available roof and car park space for solar power.

The 3 megawatt (MW) system generates between 2.5 and 3 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean electricity every year, saving around 75% of the hospital’s total electricity use. This equates to approximately £750,000 in savings each year that the hospital can reinvest directly into patient care, and cuts around 600 tonnes of carbon annually.

“We’re proud to have delivered a full energy management solution that allows this large solar and battery system to dovetail seamlessly into a rural, complex grid. We’ve engineered a 650kWh battery storage system that captures excess solar generation during the day and powers the hospital at night” said Mark Smith CEng CEnv mCIWEM Director of ZLC Energy.

Founded in Cornwall in 2012, ZLC Energy has grown from a small local installer into a company delivering national-scale renewable energy projects, while continuing to be based in the county.

The NHS is targeting net zero by 2040, with an 80% carbon reduction required by 2032.

Ben Huband, Estates Compliance & Energy Manager at RJAH said:

“By combining solar PV, innovative car park canopies, and battery storage, we’re not just generating renewable electricity—we’re building a more resilient hospital, reducing carbon emissions, and strengthening our energy resilience for the benefit of our patients, staff, and community.”

About ZLC Energy

Founded in 2012, ZLC Energy is a Cornwall-based company delivering honest, high-quality renewable energy solutions for commercial and public sector clients across the UK. The company specialises in solar PV systems, solar carports, battery storage, heat pumps, and combined heat and power (CHP), helping businesses reduce costs, lower carbon emissions, and build a more sustainable, resilient energy future.