
Reducing exposure to rising energy costs
Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital will be entirely powered by solar-generated electricity for more than 9 months every year, thanks to a multi-million pound project on behalf of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT).
Carbon and Energy Fund (CEF) worked closely with the Trust to help secure the project capital required to transform a brownfield site in Wednesfield into a solar farm with the footprint of 22 football pitches.

RWT received around £15m in grant funding with contributions from the Government’s Levelling-Up Fund, the NHS and government-funded Salix Finance. A further £33m for green energy works came from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
Beyond securing vital project capital, the involvement of CEF was instrumental in orchestrating such a complex, large-scale project – from the initial concept with the City of Wolverhampton Council to navigating viability and Trust approval, contractor procurement, technical assistance, project management and successful completion of the scheme.
On the ground, this ambitious, time-pressured scheme called on CEF’s specialist project management experience to transform the former coal mine and landfill site into a solar farm. The technical challenges to be overcome while preparing the site included troubleshooting the methane venting system, coordinating surveys and drainage works, installing 24-hour security and creating exclusion zones to protect badger setts.
With over 15,000 panels installed by contractor Vital Energi, the team also faced the not-insignificant task of connecting the solar farm to five new air source heat pumps at the hospital via 1.5 miles of private wire across the highway, canal bridge and busy road junction.
To help the Trust achieve its net-zero goals the works also included a range of additional energy efficiency measures to the building fabric and infrastructure, such as replacing steam traps, insulating pipework, installing LED lighting and upgrading windows.
All in all, the scheme will save £15 million-£20 million over next 20 years as part of a guaranteed performance contract put in place by CEF – vital monies that can be invested back into frontline healthcare services.
