Renewable energy sources at the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra

When entering the representative hall of the main hospital of the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra, patients will see a large 40" monitor displaying the results of "green energy" production. From the information broadcast on the monitor one can find out how much energy from renewable sources the Centre has produced during the last day, week, month, year and since the beginning of the installation. To better illustrate the scale of production, the system calculates and reports the number of trees planted, which corresponds to the amount of "green energy" generated in the Bystra centre. This system was created as a result of the implementation of the project from European Funds, due to which the hospital uses solar energy for the needs of its activities.

Project title
Investment in renewable energy sources - optimization of electricity management at the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra

Beneficiary
Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra

Priority axis/ Measure/ Sub-measure
Priority axis: IV. Energy efficiency, renewable energy sources and low carbon economy
Measure: 4.1. Renewable energy sources
Sub-measure: 4.1.2 Renewable energy sources – RTI

Finances
Project value: PLN 797,489.86
EU grant value: PLN 660,391.98

Why was the project undertaken?

Because investments are needed to reduce the consumption of energy from non-renewable sources, to improve air quality, and reduce pollutant emissions. The investment carried out by the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra in the field of obtaining energy from renewable sources is a response to the identified problems and needs of the region:

improvement of air quality and microclimate protection - reduction of dust and greenhouse gas emissions,
limiting the negative impact of emitted pollutants on human health,
popularizing the use of renewable energy sources.

The main purpose of the planned investment was to increase the level of energy production from renewable sources in the Southern Subregion of the Silesia region, in particular in the Wilkowice commune. The photovoltaic power plants launched at the Bystra centre enable the production of over 80 MWh of energy per year for the Centre’s own needs. This allows to cover approx. 12% of the total electricity consumption of the hospital and the outpatient clinics operating at the hospital, which, along with constantly rising energy prices, is also of considerable economic importance.

In addition, the use of photovoltaic installations obtaining energy from renewable energy sources in a facility providing medical public services contributes to increasing public awareness of the benefits of using renewable energy sources, popularizing renewable energy applications in the Southern Subregion and creating trends towards a low-carbon economy, as well as strengthening the image of the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre as a socially responsible organization.

What has been achieved?

As part of the investment, two 40kW solar photovoltaic plants were constructed, which were located on the perfectly sunny roofs of two buildings: the pavilion No. 4 and the pavilion of technical facilities belonging to the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra. The power supply and measurement system of the internal power grid in the transformer station building has also been rebuilt.

The production of electricity by the installations made is subject to constant monitoring. After the first full year of operation of the power plant, the most important indicators have been achieved:

the amount of RES energy generated per year exceeded 82 MWh,
PM10 dust reduction index reached the level of 0.01193 tons/year.

The production of "green energy" by own solar power plants covers about 12% of the hospital's total electricity consumption and the outpatient clinics operating at the hospital.

Mikroelektrownie fotowoltaiczne
photo: Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra

Who uses/benefits from the effects of the project?

The "green energy" generated is used for current supply of electrical devices, heating and cooling devices, specialist medical equipment and room lighting at the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre in Bystra. It is mainly used by the patients of the hospital, the Outpatient Specialist Care clinic, and the Primary Health Care clinic, who amount to more than 53 thousand patients in the Centre annually. Employees (over 300 people) of the Centre, which is the largest employer in the commune, also use this "green energy". On the other hand, indirectly, the project is used annually by several thousand people visiting hospital patients and everyone for whom the air over their heads has been cleaned by reducing dust emissions from the energy production process.

What are the main benefits of the project?

The main benefits coincide with the needs described above, for which it was decided to implement the project:

reducing energy consumption from non-renewable sources and shifting the burden of energy production to renewable sources,
improvement of air quality and microclimate protection - reduction of dust and greenhouse gas emissions,
limiting the negative impact of emitted pollutants on human health,
popularizing the use of renewable energy sources,
strengthening the image of the Pulmonology and Cardiothoracic Surgery Centre as a socially responsible organization.