Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital has installed a 228kW solar PV plant to reduce its monthly electricity bill by over Sh1 million. This solar PV plant will also lower fuel costs during blackouts and improve energy reliability.
Project Shield
Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital has launched a groundbreaking project to cut its electricity costs. The hospital has installed a 228kW Solar PV Plant as part of a research project led by Oxford University.
Image: Collected
The solar installation is part of a larger research initiative called Project Shield (Solar Hospital Innovation and Energy Leasing Demonstrator). The goal is to reduce the hospital’s monthly power bill, which can climb as high as Sh3 million. By relying on solar energy, the hospital hopes to save more than Sh1 million each month.
The hospital’s energy woes have long been a financial burden. In addition to the monthly power bill, the facility must also spend up to Sh40,000 a day on fuel during blackouts. The new Solar PV Plant is expected to significantly cut these costs and provide a more reliable energy source.
Solar PV Plant to Power Hospital Operations
Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital executive officer, Dr. Leah Moriasi expressed optimism about the project. She explained that the solar PV plant consists of 396 solar panels and a smart metering system.
“The research will look into how health systems can be improved by the utilisation of solar energy. As a hospital, we will have significant savings in electricity bills, fuel costs, and other inconveniences. Its success will guide future investments,” Dr. Moriasi said.
The hospital has suffered during nationwide power blackouts, especially last year when equipment in the lab was damaged due to frequent outages. Dr. Moriasi is confident that the solar installation will prevent such losses in the future and improve operational efficiency.
Astonfield Solar project manager, Mr. Chris Sialo shed more light on how the solar PV plant will function. He stated that the solar plant will be able to power all hospital operations at its peak energy production between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Smart Metering to Improve Energy Management
The solar PV plant is designed to work seamlessly with the national grid. According to Mr. Sialo, when the plant is at peak production, it will take over and run the hospital independently of the grid. When there is cloud cover or reduced solar output, the national grid will kick in.
The project also includes a smart metering system. This system will provide real-time data on how much power the hospital is using from solar and how much it is drawing from the national grid. Mr. Sialo said, “The real-time power consumption reports will enable the hospital management to plan better and advise on future improvements.”
Project Shield — funded by UK Innovate — is also researching how Astonfield Solar’s unique technology can further reduce the cost of solar energy for hospitals in Kenya. The research aims to make solarisation more affordable and practical for other hospitals across the country.
A Model for Future Hospitals
Professor McKnight highlighted the long-term impact of the solar PV plant. “In line with the Kenyan government’s climate policy, we want to prove that solar power makes sense for all Kenyan hospitals, and we hope that Meru is the first of many adopting our approach,” he said.
The Meru Hospital solar project is not the only initiative Professor McKnight is involved in. He is also co-leading another health systems research project, known as Newrisk (A novel extreme weather risk insurance system for Kenya).
This initiative — which is being carried out with the help of Mr. Benjamin Tsofa from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) — aims to protect Kenya’s health systems from the impact of extreme weather.
With the success of the Meru project, other hospitals across Kenya may follow suit. Solar power has the potential to revolutionize energy use in healthcare. As Project Shield continues its research, the Meru Teaching and Referral Hospital stands as a model for how solar energy can transform healthcare in Kenya.