Health board says pioneering hospital solar farm saves £4m as Welsh Government unveils greener NHS plan

Swansea Bay University Health Board said Morriston Hospital’s solar farm at Brynwhilach Farm has generated enough electricity to power a third of the site since it switched on in October 2021. The health board said the project has saved £4.3m in bills and sold excess power back to the grid, helping reduce costs and the hospital’s carbon footprint.

The site now has 12,000 panels and a new battery system, allowing excess power to be stored during daylight hours and used after sunset. The extension, funded by a £3.6m “invest to save” grant from Welsh Government, went live in April 2024.

Beverley Radford, Compliance Manager at Swansea Bay University Health Board, said:

“The success of the solar farm underlines and affirms the health board’s initiative to take action more than four years ago. It has proved a hugely successful project so far, delivering significant savings for the health board.”

Welsh Government sets out greener NHS plan

The announcement comes as the Welsh Government publishes its refreshed NHS Wales Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan during Wales Climate Week. Ministers said the roadmap sets out how the health service will reach Net Zero by 2050, focusing on energy efficiency, renewable power, sustainable travel and waste reduction.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said:

“We are striving for a more sustainable health system, which will reduce its impact on the environment and provide wider benefits to public health.”

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board’s Green ICU Team has already cut plastic waste by around two tonnes a year and saved tens of thousands of pounds. Its “Their Gloves Off” campaign is on track to save £15,000 and nearly half a million gloves this year.

Dr Jack Parry‑Jones, Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine, said:

“We are trying to preserve a world – a Wales worth surviving for and living in. Our adopted mantra is people, planet and profit.”

Opposition parties criticise priorities

Opposition parties have criticised the plan, arguing ministers should focus on waiting lists. A Reform UK Wales spokesperson said:

“It is absurd that the Welsh Government is allocating time and resources to bringing down emissions in our NHS, when they can barely bring down waiting lists.”

James Evans MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Secretary, said:

“Labour’s warped priorities for Wales are once again on full display. In typical fashion, Labour Ministers are prioritising a ‘net zero NHS’ over cutting waiting lists.”

What it means locally

The health board said sustainability projects like the solar farm are already delivering real benefits, freeing up resources that can be reinvested in patient care. Ministers argue greener healthcare will also improve public health by cutting pollution and supporting healthier communities.

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