Veolia have loaned an eco-vehicle to Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust by to help reduce fuel emissions around its estate.
The Trust has a long-standing partnership with Veolia – the global resource management company - which runs combined heat and power (CHP) plants that deliver low carbon electricity and heat at both Southport and Ormskirk hospital sites.
The Trust generates its own power using CHP and can even sell any surplus electricity back into the National Grid. Last year this was enough power to supply 850 three bedroom houses for a whole year, and annually saves over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions – equivalent to 2,200 cars.
The eco-van is a new step in making hospital day-to-day work more environmentally friendly and will be recharged using the low carbon electricity generated by the Hospital CHP plants.
Rosie Cooper, MP, said: “It was a real pleasure to join Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust and Veolia at the unveiling of their new eco-van.
“Their joint approach to generating energy from the hospitals existing activities highlights how innovative and creative solutions can be harnessed to avoid waste and ensure organisations are as environmentally friendly as possible.
“Large organisations, such as the hospital trust and Veolia, taking a forward-thinking and responsible attitude to lowering their carbon emissions is an essential contribution to tackling the threats we and future generations face from climate change.”
Graham Turton, Trust Energy Manager, said: “We are delighted that Veolia has donated such an environmentally van to our Trust fleet. We had been using a diesel vehicle but this van means we will have minimal impact on the environment when we travel between sites and around the area to clinics.
“Seven years ago the Trust gained the environmental benefits from its own purpose built Energy Centre and CHP to enable it to generate its own power. Veolia has helped us reduce our carbon footprint over the years and its loan of this vehicle is another green boost.”
Pat Gilroy, COO Industrial Customers UK from Veolia, added: “The introduction of this eco van demonstrates a way of further reducing CO2 emissions in the NHS. Using low carbon power to recharge the vehicle also helps to reduce climate change and increases sustainability”.
The Trust also has two new electric car charging points at Southport hospital which can be used by the public.
The vehicle has been loaned for a period of four years.
