Heath trust that runs hospitals in Wakefield, Pontefract and Dewsbury wins funding for green energy projects

The grant, worth £800,000, has been provided by the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which has supported projects aimed at decarbonising public sector estates since 2020.

The scheme is delivered by Salix Finance and provides grants to public sector bodies to fund low carbon heating, renewable energy and energy efficiency measures such as heat pumps, solar panels and insulation.

The grant handed to the Trust, which covers Pinderfields Hospital at Wakefield, Dewsbury District Hospital and Pontefract Hospital, will support the implementation of a range of energy initiatives that were submitted as part of the funding bid.

This includes the installation of heat pumps, roof insulation and solar panels, together with upgrades to building energy management systems.

Building energy makes up more than 40% of the NHS’s direct carbon footprint, with the health service aiming to reach net zero by 2040.

Sixteen NHS trusts across the country were allocated a combined £150m, with the NHS winning more than a third of the funding available in the latest round of the scheme.

Peter Leighton-Jones, Head of Sustainability at Mid Yorkshire, said: "Securing this grant from the Salix scheme is fantastic news and will enable us to make a significant step forward in reducing our carbon emissions.

"The conversion of these three buildings from natural gas to air source heat pumps will not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also help to catalyse a more sustainable future for our healthcare system as a whole.”