Girvan Community Hospital achieved significant operational savings and energy independence by installing an NPS 100-21 turbine. Providing two-thirds of the facility’s power, this project highlights how public healthcare can lead in environmental sustainability and cost-efficiency.
The Challenge
Opened in 2010, Girvan Community Hospital is a vital multi-service hub providing diagnostics, rehabilitation, and ambulance services to the South Ayrshire region. The facility faced a dual challenge:
- High Operational Costs: The hospital is a high-consumption site, requiring in excess of 350,000 kWh per annum to maintain its 24/7 services.
- Environmental Commitments: National Health Service (NHS) Ayrshire and Arran prioritized a site with strong wind energy potential to meet strict environmental sustainability targets.
- Low Wind Site: The project required a turbine that could perform efficiently at a wind site with an average speed of only 5 m/s at hub height.
Our Solution
The hospital selected the NPS 100-21 wind turbine on a 37-metre tower to anchor its renewable energy strategy. This model was specifically chosen for its superior energy efficiency in challenging conditions:
- Advanced PMDD Technology: The Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) system features fewer moving parts than traditional gearboxes, resulting in higher availability and significantly lower maintenance costs.
- Low Cut-in Speed: The turbine begins generating electricity at wind speeds as low as 3 m/s, ensuring power is produced even on low-wind days.
- Ecological Sensitivity: To address concerns regarding local bat populations, an in-depth environmental impact assessment was conducted in consultation with the RSPB, resulting in a landscape design that attracts wildlife away from the turbine.
- Minimal Maintenance: Due to its robust design, the turbine only requires servicing once a year on average, allowing hospital staff to focus on healthcare.
Results and Performance
The installation has delivered a high annual energy production (AEP) that directly supports the hospital’s medical mission:
- Substantial Energy Production: The turbine generates an average of 200,000 kWh annually, offsetting approximately 66% of the hospital’s total demand.
- Rapid ROI: Based on an electricity rate of 11p per kWh, the project is on track to pay for itself within just 6.3 years.
- Carbon Reduction: The project offsets 108 tonnes of $CO_2$ every year, contributing to an environmentally-healthy facility.
- Long-Term Budget Protection: By generating no-cost energy from wind, the hospital is protected from volatile and escalating power costs for the 20+ year lifetime of the turbine.
“The NPS 100 wind turbine provides two thirds of the hospital’s energy demand. Our efforts to use more renewable energy on site is supported by the local community” — Alastair Kay, Energy Manager – NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
