Last November, the Mário Covas Municipal Hospital, in the interior of São Paulo, and the Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital, in São Luís do Maranhão, announced investment in solar energy.
“FL nos Hospitals” Program
The municipality of Hortolândia has its mission to become a reference in sustainability. In the last week of November, the installation of solar energy at the Mário Covas Municipal Hospital was announced, with s funded by FL (Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz), under the “FL nos Hospitals” program.
According to Jorge Castro, electrical engineer at the city hall, a total of 308 photovoltaic modules will be installed, with the aim of generating savings in electricity costs throughout the city.
The program, created in 2019, serves energy efficiency projects that contribute to public and philanthropic hospitals in cities in FL concession areas.
In addition to the hospital, the initiative also served the UPA (Emergency Care Unit), in Nova Hortolândia, with the installation of 206 modules in August this year.
Equatorial Maranhão E+ Energy for Good
The Santa Casa de Misericórdia Hospital received the construction of a photovoltaic plant, as part of the social responsibility project of Equatorial Maranhão E+ Energia do Bem.
The project is an initiative of the Equatorial Energy Efficiency Program (PEE), together with ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency).
The work began in July 2022 and was completed last November, on the 23rd, by Equatorial Maranhão, with the presence of all authorities from the hospital and the distributor, in addition to the Municipal Health Secretary of São Luís.
In total, more than R$600 were invested in the plant, which has 101,20 kWp and included the installation of 184 photovoltaic modules, in addition to a battery and energy storage system.
“We have a very high energy bill here, and this project will greatly benefit our home. We will be able to apply more resources to help so many people who seek care here”, declared Ibrahim Assub, director of Santa Casa de Misericórdia.
According to those responsible for the project, the investment will generate average savings of 202 MW/year, equivalent to 17.000 kWh/month, that is, a 25% reduction in the hospital's energy bill.
The implementation of photovoltaic systems should offer a variety of benefits to hospitals – and those served by them –, as the economy in question represents a greater possibility of investing in equipment, thus contributing to increasing the hospitals' service capacity.
